Tuesday, 21 November, 2000, 17:07 GMT Iraq 'exports oil to Syria'

Iraq is reported to have begun exporting oil to its former enemy Syria, in apparent contravention of United Nations sanctions. A Syrian oil official told Reuters news agency that Iraq was pumping about 150,000 barrels of oil a day to Syria, through a pipeline which has been disused since 1982.

If the oil is pumped illegally, it goes to the Iraqi regime to spend on luxuries and indulgences British spokesman If confirmed, the shjpments would mark a dramatic improvement in ties between the two neighbours, which only restored diplomatic relations earlier this year after a 20-year break.

The Syrian official said the crude, which began flowing on 16 November, was being stored at domestic refineries, but had not yet been processed.

UN 'not informed'

A spokesman for the United Nations said it had not been notified about the shipments, which apparently fall outside the terms of the UN-administered oil-for-food programme governing exports.

Iraq and Syria are supposed to seek the approval of the UN Security Council before oil can legally be shipped.

Britain, among the council members most critical of Iraq, says it is not against the Syrian pipeline being used as long as the resulting oil revenues are under UN control.

"If the oil is pumped illegally, it goes to the Iraqi regime to spend on luxuries and indulgences. If it is shipped legally, the money will be spent on humanitarian relief for the Iraqi people," a spokesman for the British foreign office told BBC NewsOnline.

Russia was one of the first countries to fly aid to Iraq The spokesman said that Britain was trying to establish whether or not the shipments really were taking place.

The US State Department has asked Damascus if it can confirm the reports.

"We've inquired with the Syrians about these reports - whether they are accurate. We are looking into them through our embassy in Damascus," said an official.

'Coup for Iraq'

Analysts say that if confirmed, the illegal oil exports mark another attempt by Iraq to undermine the effectiveness of the UN sanctions imposed after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait.

Iraq started pumping on November 16 and the flow is now up to about 150,000 barrels per day of Basrah Light

They also mark a new success by Iraq in its efforts to break out of international isolation.

Iraq and Syria, which are led by rival factions of the Arab nationalist Baath Party, broke off relations in 1980 after Syria supported Iran in its war against Iraq.

Syria later joined the US-led coalition against Iraq in 1991.

Sanctions were imposed after Iraq invaded Kuwait But the two neighbours began to improve relations six years later, re-opening border crossings and resuming trade.

They re-established diplomatic links earlier this year and Damascus went on to restore train links with Baghdad for the first time since 1982.

The warming of relations has gathered pace since the death of Syrian President Hafez al-Assad in June, ending a personal rivalry between the two rulers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/middle_east/newsid_1034000/1034116.stm

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), November 21, 2000