U.S. Wins Support to End Sanctions Imposed on Iraq

The final American concessions on the resolution to end nearly 13 years of sanctions against Iraq won the support of France, Russia and Germany today, ensuring the overwhelming approval of the measure, which is set for a vote on Thursday morning.

The measure grants the United States and Britain an extraordinary amount of authority over Iraq's political and economic affairs until a representative, internationally recognized government is installed. The resolution would give a limited but independent role to a United Nations special representative to help the occupying powers and Iraqi groups create a new government.

In a final concession, Washington agreed to a Security Council review within 12 months to examine how the resolution has been put into effect. The French had sought to give the Council power to rescind the mandate later.

The French foreign minister, Dominique de Villepin, appearing at a news conference with his German and Russian counterparts, Joschka Fischer and Igor S. Ivanov, said last night that the latest version of the resolution put the United Nations "back in the game," adding that the United Nations special representative will now have a "tangible and independent role."
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/22/international/worldspecial/22NATI.html