Security Council voices hope that UN envoy on missing Kuwaitis can go to Iraq
Stressing the importance of resolving the fate of Kuwaitis and others missing since Iraq's 1990 invasion, members of the Security Council today voiced hope that a United Nations envoy dealing with the issue could soon pursue his work in Baghdad.
In a press statement, the current Council President, Ambassador Gunter Pleuger of Germany, also expressed support for the High-Level Coordinator, Yuliy Vorontsov, and said the members would keep his mandate under review.
In a recent report to the Security Council, Secretary-General Kofi Annan noted that a total of 92 files have been closed, although 240 sets of mortal remains had been brought to Kuwait for identification.
He also stressed the need for Mr. Vorontsov to travel to Baghdad to establish contacts with the new Iraqi authorities and confer with members of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA).
Ambassador Pleuger said Council members shared Mr. Annan's views. Strongly condemning the executions carried out by the former Iraqi regime, the members joined the Secretary-General in voicing hope that those responsible would be brought to justice.