WELLINGTON, February 4 (Xinhuanet) -- New Zealanders will be
allowed to post small parcels of humanitarian goods to Iraq
without ministerial consent, New Zealand's acting Foreign Minister
Jim Sutton has announced.
    All parcels sent to Iraq have required consent from the New
Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade since sanctions
against Iraq came into effect in 1991.
    "The lifting of postal restrictions means the New Zealand
Post will accept parcels weighing two kilograms or less to Iraq,
providing it is clear from the accompanying customs declaration
that they contain humanitarian goods such as medicines, foodstuffs
or items of clothing,"Sutton said in a statement released
recently.
    Previously, such items required specific ministerial consent
before the New Zealand Post would accept them for postage.
    "This is a small step towards enabling contact between Iraqi
families in New Zealand and Iraq, alleviating the humanitarian
crisis affecting the Iraqi people as a result of economic
sanctions," the acting minister said.
    Parcels weighing over two kilograms or not of humanitarian
nature will still require ministerial consent via the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade's Legal Division, Sutton said.  Enditem