Security Council urges Iraq to fulfil pledges to Kuwait stemming from 1990 invasion

The Security Council today called on Iraq to fulfil the commitments it has made to find Kuwaiti or third country nationals, property and archives lost in Saddam Hussein’s invasion of his small neighbour more than 20 years ago.

In a press statement the 15-member body welcomed “the latest positive steps” by the Iraqi Government on the more than 360 people still listed as missing, including continued excavations in Ramadi and support for an exploratory mission to Nasiriyeh.

But it noted that limited progress had been made on clarifying the fate of the Kuwaiti national archives that disappeared during the invasion and its aftermath when Iraqi troops were driven out by United States-led forces, and welcomed Iraq’s commitment to establish an Inter-Ministerial Committee to coordinate efforts to find the archives and other properties.

“The members of the Security Council urged the Government of Iraq to establish this Committee without delay, and called on both parties to translate statements of goodwill into tangible outcomes that will lead to the resolution of a larger set of outstanding issues between the two countries,” the statement said.

The statement followed a briefing by Gennady Tarasov, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s High-Level Coordinator for the issue of missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals and the repatriation of Kuwaiti property, on Mr. Ban’s latest report on the issue.

“The members of the Security Council supported the Secretary-General’s call for Iraq and Kuwait to continue to act in the spirit of the confidence and cooperation building process, which should contribute to the further strengthening of their good-neighbourly relations and enhancing of regional stability,” it added.

The Council supported Mr. Ban’s recommendation to extend financing for Mr. Tarasov’s activities for a further six months “to build on the present momentum.”