Panel Votes to Renew Iraq Oil Sales Plan

The Security Council unanimously voted to renew a plan enabling Iraq to sell limited amounts of oil to buy food and medicine for its people. But the 15-member body delayed a decision on whether Iraq could sell more oil until after it receives a report from Secretary-General Kofi Annan, due Jan. 30. The resolution allows Iraq to sell $2 billion worth of oil over six months. The oil-for-food program, which expires today, aims to alleviate the impact of trade sanctions imposed after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. The resolution also expresses the Security Council’s “willingness� to increase the oil sales, depending on Annan’s recommendations.