Resolution 661

(August 6, 1990) Imposed comprehensive mandatory sanctions four days after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait on August 2. Banned all trade, including an oil and arms embargo. Banned international flights. Froze government assets abroad and barred financial transactions with Iraq.

Resolution 678

(November 29, 1990) Authorised UN member states to use force if Iraq failed to withdraw its troops from Kuwait by January 15, 1991. The day after the ultimatum expired, the US and allies launched a massive military campaign

Resolution 687

(April 3 1991) Known as “the mother of all resolutions,” the longest and most complex ever adopted by the Security Council, it established ceasefire terms and set up the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) to disarm Iraq. It also set out eight specific conditions for lifting sanctions:

• Iraqi recognition of Kuwait’s frontiers
• acceptance of a demilitarised border zone patrolled by UN troops
• destruction of Iraq’s chemical and biological weapons and ballistic missiles, to be monitored by a permanent UN disarmament commission
• elimination of Iraq’s nuclear weapons materials and capabilities, to be monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency
• return of all property stolen from Kuwait
• acceptance of war damage liability and of a UN-administered compensation fund
• repatriation of all Kuwaiti and third-country nationals
• a pledge not to commit or support any act of international terrorism.

Iraq accepted Resolution 687 a week later, but described it as an attack on its sovereignty.

Resolutions 706 and 712

(August 15 and September 19, 1991) Approved oil-for-food programme. Permitted Iraq to sell up to 1.6 billion dollars worth of crude and oil products over six months. Iraq’s revenues to be paid into escrow accounts (66 percent for imports, 30 percent to compensation fund, four percent for UNSCOM and other UN costs). Imports of food and medicine to be vetted by the Security Council’s sanctions committee. Iraq rejected both resolutions.

Resolution 986

(April 14, 1995) Adopted new formula for oil-for-food. Allowed Iraq to export two billion dollars worth of crude every 180 days under UN supervision. Gave Baghdad primary responsibility for distribution of humanitarian supplies.
Iraq finally allowed the programme to start work in December 1996.

Resolution 1153
(February 20, 1998) Raised the oil-for-food ceiling to 5.2 billion dollars every six months. Permitted use of revenue to finance urgent development needs beyond food and medicine (notably the electricity sector).

Resolution 1284

(December 17, 1999) Set up new UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC). Removed ceiling on Iraqi oil exports. Provided for “fast-track” approval of agricultural and educational imports as well as food and medicine. Exempted pilgrims to Mecca from flight embargo.

Resolution 1409

(May 14, 2002) Set up new framework for sanctions. The so-called “smart sanctions” allegedly lift restrictions on Iraq’s ability to import civilian goods, focusing narrowly on preventing Iraq from importing or building weapons of mass destruction. For a critical analysis of Resolution 1409, see Arnove, Iraq: Smart Sanctions and the US Propaganda War.
The main points of the resolution follow.

The resolution:

• The oil-for-food programme, set up in December 1996 “as a temporary measure to continue to provide for the civilian needs of the Iraqi people” remains in place until Iraq meets the council’s demands for lifting sanctions.
• A new Goods Review List (GRL) and procedures for its application are adopted as from May 30, 2002, when the next 180-day phase of the programme begins.
• The embargo on arms exports to Iraq remains. Items on the GRL may be sold or supplied to Iraq subject to approval by the Security Council’s sanctions committee. Goods that are not on the GRL may be sold or supplied to Iraq without vetting, provided they meet the country’s humanitarian needs.
• The council will “conduct regularly thorough reviews of the Goods Review List and the procedures for its implementation.” UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is requested to make an assessment for the first review, to take place after 180 days.

The procedures:

• Every application to ship goods to Iraq must be forwarded to the Office of the Iraq Programme (OIP) with complete technical specifications, and will be registered by OIP within 10 working days. If additional technical information is requested and not provided within 180 days, the application will lapse.
• Applications will be reviewed by the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) and by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to see whether they contain prohibited items or goods on the GRL.
• “Absent action by UNMOVIC and/or IAEA within the 10-working-day period, the application will be considered approved.”
• If UNMOVIC and/or IAEA determine that the application contains GRL items, they notify the sanctions committee. The OIP will make an “assessment of the humanitarian, economic and security implications” of approving or rejecting the contract.
• If a supplier disagrees that the goods are prohibited items or items covered by the GRL, he may submit new technical information within 10 days. The decision of UNMOVIC and/or IAEA on the new information is final “and no further reconsideration will be permitted.”
• The sanctions committee also may request additional information, and the
  supplier has 90 days to provide it. Once provided, the committee has 20 days to evaluate the information.
• “Absent action by the committee during the 20-working-day period, the item will be considered approved.”
• If the committee rejects an application, the supplier has 30 days to appeal with new information. The committee has five days to decide on an appeal.
• Most contracts currently on hold will be processed through the new mechanism no later than 120 days after the GRL has been adopted. (The eight percent of contracts blocked because they contained “dual-use” items must be resubmitted by the supplier).

• Summary of UNSC resolurtions from AFP, May 14, 2002 (Copyright 2002 by Agence France-Presse).