The rumor mill is once again running amuck over Jan/2012 action by the Security Council regarding sanctions and Chapter VII. Here is what can be expected.
**In December/2010 the SC issued three Chapter VII resolutions with future target dates.
Resolution 1958
**terminated the oil for food program. Authorized the SG to set up two escrow accounts and fund with 20 million and 131 million. The 20 million account was to pay for expenditures and expenses associated with the termination of the oil for food program and the funding for the high level coordinator position. The 131 million account was in case someone wants to sue the UN for their actions. Accounts are to be held until 2016 and then any remaining funds are to be transferred to Iraq. SG is required to issue an annual report with the first no later than March 31, 2012.
Resolution 1957
**removed sanctions on arms embargo. Requires Iraq to ratify the Additional Protocol of the Nuclear Ban Treaty. SG was to report in one year on progress. Report would be due in Dec/2011. SG issued the report in early October stating Iraq still has not complied.
Resolution 1956
**Transferred control of DFI fund to Iraq with the exception of the 5% compensation fund. Interesting note on this resolution is the 5% compensation is also to be collected on the “value of any non-monetary payments of petroleum, petroleum products and natural gas made to service providers”. This was a new requirement. The Compensation Committee (CC) issued their report in Oct/2011 stating that Iraq was in compliance regarding the continued and deposit of the original 5%. They also stated that based on the current payout schedule it would take Iraq another 4.5 years to complete the payments to Kuwait.
Evidently, however, the COFE committee which now oversees Iraq’s revenues bowed up over the collection of 5% on the value of services provided or in kind transactions. Basically the CC told them it was covered under security council resolutions and to get it set up. Next meeting of the CC is not until May/2012. The SG was directed to make a report every six months on Iraq’s compliance to the 5% compensation fund with the first report due no later than Jan 1, 2012.
So here is what is on the horizon for the next six months.
Jan 1/2012--Report on compliance to the collection of the 5% compensation fund
March/2012--UNAMI report, Escrow account report
June/2012--High level coordinator report and review of funding for another six months (Iraq/Kuwait issues)
The only scheduled January activity is the incoming report on the compensation fund from the SG. A briefing meeting, if required, would not be scheduled until sometime in January. If no action or meeting is required the report will be reviewed and filed.
The Security Council has not responded to the SG Oct report regarding the failure of the Iraq parliament to ratify the Additional Protocol. If the SC was going to take any action regarding Resolution 1957 it should have occurred in Dec/2011.
So that is it for outstanding issues until the next round of reports. Is Chapter VII going away anytime soon, no it is not. Follow the reports. The next opportunity to examine the progress Iraq has made will be when the UNAMI report is filed. Any new sanctions would require the Security Council voting on another resolution. Nothing gets done without a resolution.
**In December/2010 the SC issued three Chapter VII resolutions with future target dates.
Resolution 1958
**terminated the oil for food program. Authorized the SG to set up two escrow accounts and fund with 20 million and 131 million. The 20 million account was to pay for expenditures and expenses associated with the termination of the oil for food program and the funding for the high level coordinator position. The 131 million account was in case someone wants to sue the UN for their actions. Accounts are to be held until 2016 and then any remaining funds are to be transferred to Iraq. SG is required to issue an annual report with the first no later than March 31, 2012.
Resolution 1957
**removed sanctions on arms embargo. Requires Iraq to ratify the Additional Protocol of the Nuclear Ban Treaty. SG was to report in one year on progress. Report would be due in Dec/2011. SG issued the report in early October stating Iraq still has not complied.
Resolution 1956
**Transferred control of DFI fund to Iraq with the exception of the 5% compensation fund. Interesting note on this resolution is the 5% compensation is also to be collected on the “value of any non-monetary payments of petroleum, petroleum products and natural gas made to service providers”. This was a new requirement. The Compensation Committee (CC) issued their report in Oct/2011 stating that Iraq was in compliance regarding the continued and deposit of the original 5%. They also stated that based on the current payout schedule it would take Iraq another 4.5 years to complete the payments to Kuwait.
Evidently, however, the COFE committee which now oversees Iraq’s revenues bowed up over the collection of 5% on the value of services provided or in kind transactions. Basically the CC told them it was covered under security council resolutions and to get it set up. Next meeting of the CC is not until May/2012. The SG was directed to make a report every six months on Iraq’s compliance to the 5% compensation fund with the first report due no later than Jan 1, 2012.
So here is what is on the horizon for the next six months.
Jan 1/2012--Report on compliance to the collection of the 5% compensation fund
March/2012--UNAMI report, Escrow account report
June/2012--High level coordinator report and review of funding for another six months (Iraq/Kuwait issues)
The only scheduled January activity is the incoming report on the compensation fund from the SG. A briefing meeting, if required, would not be scheduled until sometime in January. If no action or meeting is required the report will be reviewed and filed.
The Security Council has not responded to the SG Oct report regarding the failure of the Iraq parliament to ratify the Additional Protocol. If the SC was going to take any action regarding Resolution 1957 it should have occurred in Dec/2011.
So that is it for outstanding issues until the next round of reports. Is Chapter VII going away anytime soon, no it is not. Follow the reports. The next opportunity to examine the progress Iraq has made will be when the UNAMI report is filed. Any new sanctions would require the Security Council voting on another resolution. Nothing gets done without a resolution.
