Those who killed Kuwaitis in Iraq must be brought to justice, Security Council says

Meeting a day after Secretary-General Kofi Annan reported that most if not all Kuwaitis missing in Iraq since 1990 are probably dead, the United Nations Security Council today said the perpetrators must pay for their crimes.

"The Security Council has strongly condemned the killing of Kuwaiti and third-country nationals by the previous Iraqi regime in violation of international law, especially the removal from Kuwait of civilian men and women, their execution in cold blood in remote sites in Iraq and a decade-long cover-up of the truth," Ambassador Stefan Tafrov of Bulgaria, the current President of the 15-member body, said. He expressed hope that those responsible for these horrendous crimes would be brought to justice.

In a statement read at a formal meeting, the President also extended condolences to the families of the victims and voiced continuing concern over their plight. The Council called on all concerned to work towards a satisfactory solution to the outstanding humanitarian aspects of the matter.

The statement followed a closed-door briefing by Ambassador Yuli Vorontsov, Secretary-General Kofi Annan's High-level Coordinator on the issue of missing Kuwaiti persons and property. Ambassador Tafrov voiced "deep regret" that much of these assets have yet to be returned and urged continued attention to the problem.