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U.S. wants new sanctions against Iraq

By Andrea Koppel and Elise Labott
CNN Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Bush administration will try to push new sanctions on Iraq through the U.N. Security Council before the end of the year, U.S. officials said Wednesday.

Senior State Department officials said the administration was still hoping to coax the Russians into signing off on a "smart sanctions" package for Iraq that would end the embargo on humanitarian goods while strengthening military and financial controls on President Saddam Hussein's regime.

The officials disputed reports the United States was putting off a vote on new sanctions until the spring to maintain support for the U.S.-led coalition on terrorism.

"We are devising a strategy to get the resolution passed on time," one official said. "We are working on schedule."

Iraq is one of seven countries the State Department lists as a state sponsor of terrorism. Iran, Syria, Libya, Cuba, North Korea and Sudan are on the list.

In meetings over the past several months with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, Secretary of State Colin Powell has tried to allay Russian concerns that its tight commercial relationship in Iraq would be threatened by a new sanctions.

The issue will be discussed when Powell and Ivanov meet this weekend on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly and is likely to be on the agenda at next week's summit between President Bush and Russian President Vladmir Putin.

A senior State Department official told CNN a final decision on whether to delay the new sanctions would have to be made sometime after the end of the presidential summit.

The official said it is not likely the Bush administration would push the Russians too hard, considering how important their support is in the war against terrorism.

He said the United States would not be embarrassed if it had to delay the sanctions.

Last June, the United States could not gain Russian support for the new plan and had to delay the Iraqi oil-for-food program until the end of November.