UNITED NATIONS, DECEMBER 9: The UN security council, unable to reach an agreement on a comprehensive resolution on Iraq, is expected to extend the "oil for food" programme for another six months which would lead to Baghdad resuming its export.But the United States and Britain are still insisting that the comprehensive resolution, which would allow weapons inspectors back into the country, be voted later this week.Diplomats participating in the discussions said on Wednesday that serious differences still remain between the US and Britain on one hand and Russia on the other on timing of the lifting of sanctions once Iraq agrees to readmit the inspectors. As such the chances of such a resolution being adopted are bleak.The decision by the United States to introduce the resolution for extending the programme for another six month averted a possible showdown with Russia which remained unconvinced even after American Under Secretary of State Thomas Pickering met Russia's UN ambassador Sergey Lavrov.Russia would like the sanctions to be lifted immediately after Iraq accepts inspectors and shows cooperation.But US and Britain insist that the council should wait for several months to ensure that Iraq is cooperating to suspend sanctions which would be lifted only after the inspectors certify that Iraqi weapons of mass destruction together with their facilities have been destroyed and monitoring system put into place. Consultations between foreign ministers of the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China are continuing to hammer out a compromise formula. The five must agree on the resolution as they have veto and anyone could kill the resolution.Non-permament members, who have been and are being kept out of the discussions among the five, generally were supportive of the decision to extend the programme.The programme was extended for two weeks and then by one week in an effort to reach an agreement on the comprehensive resolution but Iraq suspended the oil exports, saying it could not make any plans for a short period and wanted a six month extension.The one week's extension ends on Saturday and diplomats expect the council to vote six months extension tomorrow.Under the programme, Iraq, which under sanctions since it attacked Kuwait in 1990, is allowed to sell oil worth 5.26 billion dollars every six months to finance purchase food, medicines and other essential commodities. Meanwhile, the United States has said it would push for a vote on future Iraqi policy soon but Russia and China said they were not ready to accept the resolution.US Ambassador Peter Burleigh, however, left the door open on Wednesday for a possible delay saying Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and her Russian counterpart Igor Ivanov were consulting ``as we speak'' and I am not in a position to say if they (the talks) can be closed positively.''But Burleigh as well as state department spokesman James Foley told reporters the United States wanted a vote by Saturday on a resolution.
