26 April 2000
U.N. Security Council Urges Iraq to Report on Kuwaiti POWs
("It is the decent, humanitarian thing to do," U.S. says) (880)
By Judy Aita
Washington File United Nations Correspondent
United Nations -- The coordinator of efforts to get information on
Kuwaiti POWs and other persons missing since the Gulf War told the
Security Council April 26 that the situation is a humanitarian tragedy
which deserves the attention of the highest levels of government.
Russian Ambassador Yuli Vorontsov, who was recently appointed by
Secretary General Kofi Annan as coordinator of the efforts to find
POWs and others missing since the Gulf War, briefed the council on his
initial efforts to talk with Kuwaiti and Iraqi officials and other
interested parties on the fate of those unaccounted for after more
than nine years.
In a written report to the council, Vorontsov said that "the fate of
Kuwaiti and other nationals unaccounted for -- whether prisoners of
war, civilian detainees or missing persons -- is a humanitarian
tragedy which needs highest attention of all parties involved and
concerned."
"The bereaved family members continue to seek closure of the file
after nine years of uncertainty, not knowing the fate of their loved
ones, and women not knowing what their status is -- wives or widows,"
the coordinator said. "It is important to bring about concrete results
-- to repatriate to Kuwait the missing people who are still alive or
to recover the mortal remains for return to the families."
Vorontsov told the council that both the International Committee of
the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Tripartite Commission set up by the
council under the cease-fire agreement should continue their efforts.
Iraq should participate in the commission's work, he said.
Vorontsov said, "Iraq's response to the issue of missing persons, as a
purely humanitarian one, would become a yardstick by which the
international community would measure Iraq's position on other
outstanding problems."
A full accounting of Kuwaiti POWs and missing is one of the criteria
that must be met for the lifting of economic sanctions on Iraq.
U.S. Ambassador James Cunningham said, "Iraq has an obligation to
release these prisoners immediately, return the remains of those who
are deceased and to work through the ICRC to provide a full accounting
for these people."
While Iraq's obligations are spelled out in Security Council
resolutions, Cunningham said in a statement released by the U.S.
Mission to the U.N., "moreover, it is the decent, humanitarian thing
to do."
Iraq, however, has refused to meet with Vorontsov, a career diplomat
who is a former Russian ambassador to the United Nations and to the
United States.
After the Gulf War cease-fire agreement in 1991, some 6,000 Kuwaiti
POWs were repatriated through the ICRC, the Tripartite Commission and
other channels with Iraq's participation. However, more than 600
Kuwaiti and other nationals as well as 17 Saudis whose names were
submitted by Saudi Arabia have remained unaccounted for. Of those, 592
were civilians and most were neither soldiers nor policemen.
Iraq has provided no information since 1998 and has stopped
participating in the Tripartite Commission as well.
Vorontsov has examined some of the files submitted by Kuwait which
include well-documented requests that include eyewitness testimonies
and official Iraqi arrest records, according to his report to the
council.
Iraq, too, has asked the ICRC to find out the fate and whereabouts of
more than 1,000 Iraqis not accounted for after its forces withdrew
from Kuwait. However, Kuwaiti authorities told Vorontsov that they had
no Iraqi prisoners of war on their territory, but did have several
common criminals of Iraqi origin. The Kuwaiti authorities said they
were prepared to allow Iraqi and ICRC representatives, along with
observers from international organizations, to conduct search and
identification operations in the country.
After the closed meeting, Security Council President Robert Fowler of
Canada said that "members of the council stressed the importance of
dialogue among all parties and urged Iraq to cooperate with Ambassador
Vorontsov and resume cooperation with all other agencies and bodies
dealing with this issue."
"Members of the council hope that this deeply important humanitarian
issue can be considered in a humanitarian context and therefore that
that contact can be made and pursued with the shortest possible
delay," Fowler said.
"Members of the council expressed their unanimous support for
Ambassador Vorontsov's work, for his report ... and for the future
efforts he will make in our behalf," the president said.
Speaking on behalf of the council, Fowler said "members of the council
expressed their deep concern for the plight of Kuwaiti and third party
nationals and expressed their hope that this issue would be dealt with
as a strictly humanitarian one by all sides concerned."
Vorontsov also pointed out that the recent release of Iraqi and
Iranian POWs after more than a decade of extensive search and
negotiations "gives a beam of hope that similar developments may
happen in regard to those missing in the aftermath of the Gulf War."
"Understanding, reciprocity and display of good will are of critical
importance" for the success of his mission, Vorontsov said.
(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International
Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site:
http://usinfo.state.gov)
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