OVER A BARREL.

Looks at how oil interests influenced the decisions of United Nations (UN) Security Council members China, France and Russia, to abstain from voting to threaten Iraq with UN sanctions on October 23, 1997. Statement issued by Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaaf after the refusal to vote; Response of the U.N. weapons inspection team to the decision of the three countries; Motivations that emboldened Iraq to portray the confrontation as a struggle between themselves, and U.S. and Great Britain.