Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari has welcomed the move by the UN Security Council (UNSC) over lifting nearly two-decade-long sanctions against the country's nuclear program, PressTV reported.
Zebari said Wednesday's meeting of the UN Security Council was "a historic session," adding that his country tries to break its isolation and regain its rightful place among the community of nations.
Lifting the sanctions was "very, very significant'' because it will enable the Iraqi ministries of higher education, health and agriculture to import technologies, pesticides and other materials that were banned.
The sanctions were imposed against Baghdad after executed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's army invaded Kuwait in 1990. The United Nations then banned Iraq from importing chemical and nuclear technology.
The UNSC also decided to return control of Iraq's oil and natural gas revenue to the government on June 30, 2011.
Iraq has been pressing the UN Security Council for several years to end sanctions and cancel more than 70 resolutions adopted by the United Nations.
Following the Security Council's meeting, Zebari told the Associated Press only about a dozen resolutions remain, all related to outstanding issues between Iraq and Kuwait.
The UNSC has asked Iraq to normalize ties with its southern neighbor Kuwait. Iraq still pays five percent of its oil revenues to Kuwait as compensation.
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