In preparation for the partial lifting of sanctions against Iraq, Japan has dispatched two members of staff from the Japanese Embassy in Amman to its equivalent premises in Baghdad, government sources said Saturday.
The two officials, who left Amman on Nov. 24, will be staying at the Japanese Embassy in Baghdad for about three weeks.
They will be replaced by two other personnel when they leave the Iraqi capital, the sources said.
The move, which is designed to lay the groundwork toward easing sanctions, marks a departure from the stance maintained by Japan since January 1991, under which only local staff members have worked at its embassy in Baghdad.
Although Japan is not planning to completely lift its ban on exports, loans or investment in Iraq, it will partially lift sanctions to help Japanese companies do business there, the sources said.
The sanctions have, until now, been enforced so strictly that Japanese companies are "significantly disadvantaged" when they do business with Iraq in comparison with some U.S. and European companies who have been able to expand their trade there, the sources said.
Japan imposed the measures in August 1990 in the wake of Baghdad's invasion of Kuwait, ahead of the Persian Gulf War in January 1991.
The U.N. Security Council has eased sanctions against Iraq on a step-by-step basis since 1996, allowing Baghdad to export oil to purchase food and medicine.