Baghdad - Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations, Mr Nizar Hamdoon, has been replaced as part of a diplomatic reshuffle, an Iraqi official said yesterday. Mr Hamdoon was due to retire at the end of the year.
Mr Barzan Tikriti, President Saddam Hussein's half-brother, who was recalled as representative to the UN in Geneva in July, has also been replaced along with Iraq's representative to the Arab League, Mr Nabil Nejm, the official said. A total of 25 Iraqi diplomats posted abroad have been affected by the most sweeping reshuffle since the 1991 Gulf War.
The UN Security Council yesterday renewed the Iraq oil-for-food plan for another six months, including monies to upgrade Baghdad's dilapidated oil equipment. In a later debate the council was unable to come to a decision on how to react to Iraq's failure to hand over documents to the chief UN arms inspectors, Mr Richard Butler.