About UN Security Council extends multinational force mandate

Team Infidel

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Tuesday
unanimously adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the multinational
force in Iraq until the end of next year, and allowing for a review of that
mandate at any time, no later than mid-June 2006, or for its termination,
at the request of the Iraqi government.
The Council, adopting the new resolution 1637 (2005) submitted by
Denmark, Japan, Romania, the United Kingdom and the United States, also
decided to extend until Dec. 31, 2006 the arrangements for depositing
proceeds from export sales of petroleum, petroleum products, and natural
gas into the Development Fund of Iraq, as well as the arrangements for
monitoring the Fund by the International Advisory and Monitoring Board.
It also decided to review the deposit arrangements and the role of the
International Advisory and Monitoring Board at the request of the Iraqi
government no later than June 15, 2006.
The Development Fund for Iraq was established on May 22, 2003 with the
adoption of Security Council resolution 1483 (2003), by which the Council
ended economic sanctions against Iraq. The Fund was set up to administer
proceeds from the export sales of Iraq's oil, as well as funds remaining
from the UN "oil-for-food" program and other assets seized from the former
regime.
Speaking after the vote, US representative John R. Bolton said he was
pleased that the Council had been able to come together quickly and
unanimously to respond to the Iraqi government's request for continued
support.
"The unanimous adoption of the resolution was a vivid demonstration of
broad international support for a federal, democratic, pluralist and
unified Iraq," he said.
He urged the international community, especially the Arab world, to come
forward and support the Iraqi people, saying support was critical at the
current time, as it helped to consolidate Iraq's democratic progress and to
demonstrate solidarity with the Iraqi people in the face of terror.

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