The use of one's own resources to help one's own people is a basic moral obligation that should form the cornerstone of a responsible government's reaction to real humanitarian needs. Iraq's failure to provide information for the Secretary-General's report, and its failure to commit its own resources to support his humanitarian recommendations, is a telling reminder of the Iraqi government's true attitude toward the plight of its people. That is why the United States stands ready to work closely with other members of this Council to ensure that this resolution works as intended-works not for the benefit of the Iraqi regime, but for the welfare of ordinary people in Iraq. We must give the Secretary-General our strong support and clear guidance as he implements this massive program, including a significant expansion of the United Nations observation and monitoring function in Iraq. We must make certain that food and medicine, and infrastructure improvements directly related to their distribution, remain the top priorities under this new resolution.
Nothing is more important to the basic welfare of Iraqi citizens.
We must make certain that the goods imported into Iraq under this resolution are carefully observed and monitored, so they cannot be diverted to military purposes or used for the personal benefit of the Iraqi leadership. We must make certain that the Sanctions Committee acts quickly yet responsibly to approve contracts in a manner consistent with the intent of this and other relevant resolutions. And we must wait until we have more and better information before authorizing any oil infrastructure improvements under this resolution, and do so only after careful consideration on the basis of the Secretary-General's forthcoming report and of the humanitarian objectives of this resolution. Let me remind everyone that resolution 986 was intended by the Council as a temporary measure to provide essential humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people, not as a vehicle to refurbish Iraq's economy. That will be possible only when the sanctions authorized by the Security Council are lifted.