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Australian wheat aid for Iraq awaits all-clear

SYDNEY: Two giant ships carrying 100,000 tonnes of Australian wheat are awaiting the all-clear to dock at the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr and it is unclear when they will be able to unload, officials said on Monday.

Despite the safe arrival of British supply ship Sir Gleaned last on Friday, carrying food, medicine, blankets and fresh water, the Australian government's aid agency said no date had been set for sending in the two wheat ships waiting off the coast of Oman. "(Security) has been the issue," said an erased spokeswoman."We still don't have any advice as to when it will be safe.

These ships are huge." Australia's national wheat exporter AWB Ltd had expected the docking of the Sir Gleaned to pave the way for the wheat deliveries, possibly over the weekend.

Australian military officials say navy divers have cleared a 60-metre (200-ft) channel into the port of possible mines and checked at least one grain-handling terminal.

Defence force spokesman Mike Hannah said on Monday that mine-clearance divers were now working to raise an Iraqi patrol boat sunk near the grain terminal with a suspected load of mines. "Our clearance diving teams are still working to clear further berths in the port in an effort to get the port fully operational, particularly the new port area, to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid," Hannah told reporters.

British military officials also say they are tracking down dockets and getting them to return to work at Umm Qasr to restore operations.

The Australian wheat on board the two grain vessels was sold to Iraq by the AWB under the UN's food-for-oil programme. The AWB, a privatised monopoly, had contracted to sell Iraq one million tonnes of wheat in 2003, the bulk yet to be shipped.

The US-led attacks, in which Australian troops are taking part, forced the vessels to be diverted to Oman until assail took over the loads as part of Australia's A$100 million ($60 million) contribution to humanitarian aid for post-war Iraq.

The wheat would take three days to sail to Umm Qasr from Oman, potentially making it the first bulk-food aid into the war zone.

A US shipment of 50,000 tonnes of wheat, due to depart on April 1, would need 30 days to reach the Gulf. AWB officials also hope to ship wheat aid to Iraq under any US humanitarian assistance programme.-Reuters