Iraq Moves to Centre Stage

The UN Security Council once again renewed sanctions on Iraq at its 13 March meeting. This came as no surprise in the wake of US Ambassador Madeleine Albright's assessment that she had dragooned the majority of the Security Council into line behind her position. Even Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz, who flew to New York to lobby Security Council members, told the Iraqi News Agency before the meeting that he "ruled out the possibility that the Council will take a tangible step to lift or ease the sanctions.