US to review sanctions against `rogue nations'
From The Independent April 19th, 2001
THE AMERICAN administration is considering an about-turn on the sanctions in
force against three so-called "rogue nations" - Iraq, Iran and Libya -
to increase supplies of energy to consumers. The
move, which is likely to face opposition from several quarters, is one of the
proposals made in the draft report of the energy task force set up by President
George Bush and chaired by his deputy, Vice-
President Dick Cheney.
A key sentence of the draft, obtained by Reuters news agency, says: "The administration will initiate a comprehensive sanctions review and seek to engage the Congress in a partnership for sanctions reform." Mr Cheney's committee has been meeting amid great secrecy for the past six weeks in an effort to devise a long-term national energy policy that would safeguard oil and gas supplies to the United States. It is due to report in four weeks' time.
America currently bans companies from investing in Iran and Libya and has
spearheaded calls for retaining UN sanctions against Iraq. With a severe energy
shortage afflicting California, petrol prices rising to
unprecedented levels across the country, and worries about instability in the
Middle East, America finds itself in something of a cleft stick.
While many Republicans, especially on the right, would oppose any softening of the sanctions against Iran, Iraq and Libya for ideological reasons, millions of Americans - if given the choice - would opt for cheaper, more reliable, energy supplies.