UN panel approves $181 million in compensation claims arising from 1990 Gulf War

A United Nations panel dealing with compensation claims arising from Iraq's 1990 invasion and subsequent occupation of Kuwait today approved awards totalling $181 million.

The largest of the awards handed out by the Geneva-based UN Compensation Commission is for more than $100 million to Kuwait.

The next round of payments is scheduled for 15 January 2003. The amount to be disbursed on that date is projected at around $550 million, depending on the funds received during the next few weeks from the sale of Iraqi oil under the UN oil for food programme.