US President George W. Bush has called on the United Nations to lift economic sanctions on Iraq now that Saddam Hussein's regime has "passed into history."
"Now that Iraq is liberated, the United Nations should lift economic sanctions on that country," Bush told defense workers in his first speech to a civilian audience outside of Washington since the war began.
The United States "in the near future" will seek a UN resolution ending the UN-administered "oil-for-food" program and enable Iraq to sell freely on world markets, according to White House spokesman Scott McClellan.
"Iraq should be able to trade freely, and we need to transition from the oil-for-food program as soon as possible and help restore a normal trading relationship with the global economy," he told reporters.
The arrangement, under which Iraq is allowed to sell oil in order to buy certain basic supplies under UN supervision, had been suspended on March 18 just before the United States launched its war against the Baghdad regime.
The UN Security Council adopted a resolution in late March to allow the resumption of humanitarian aid through the program to Iraq, which has labored under crippling sanctions since its 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
An estimated 60 percent of the Iraqi population of 22 million depends on the program for daily supplies.
Before leaving Washington, Bush signed into law an emergency spending measure that puts a 79-billion-dollar down payment on the war in Iraq, covering expenditures through September 30.
"Having rid Iraq of an oppressive regime, we are committed tohelping Iraq build a future of freedom and dignity and peace," the US leader said.
"We will finish what we've begun."Bush also called on the US Congress to approve his economicplan, which centers on massive tax cuts, as soon as lawmakers returnfrom their two-week Easter recess.
AFP