IK/178
23 March 1995
COMPENSATION COMMISSION GOVERNING COUNCIL CONCLUDES SIXTEENTH SESSION
Approves Claims for Compensation to Victims of Iraqi Aggression against
Kuwait
GENEVA, 22 March (UN Information Service) -- The Governing Council of
the United Nations Compensation Commission, established by Security Council
resolution 692 (1991) to review compensation claims resulting from Iraq's
invasion and occupation of Kuwait, concluded its sixteenth regular session
today, approving compensations awards to more than 162,800 claimants.
During the three-day session, the Governing Council approved the
recommendations of the Panel of Commissioners dealing with individual claims
from those who were forced to flee Iraq or Kuwait as a result of the
invasion (category A claims) resulting in the award of compensation to more
than 162,000 individual claimants. These awards are in addition to those
approved at earlier meetings of the Council.
The Council also approved the recommendations of the Panel of
Commissioners dealing with individual claims for serious personal injury or
death (category B claims) that resulted in additional compensation awards
for more than 800 claimants, thereby raising the number of claims so far
approved under this category to above 4,000.
The establishment of the Commission and its examination of hundreds of
claims was a major step towards alleviating the condition of thousands of
persons who suffered personal losses during the 1991 Gulf war. It was also
a move to reaffirm the faith of claimants all over the world in the
attainment of international justice within the framework of organs
established by the United Nations. The Commission began the work of
resolving claims in December 1993, less than two years since they were
filed. The process responded to the mandate received from the Security
Council to render quick and effective justice to the millions of victims of
the invasion and occupation of Kuwait.
The Compensation Commission also administers the fund established by
the Security Council from which the compensation awards are paid out.
Further, it determines Iraq's contribution to the fund and how it will be
paid.
(more)
- 2 - Press Release IK/178
23 March 1995
In addition to categories A and B, claims can also be classified under
category C -- individual losses of property up to $100,000. Category B
claims were the first to be considered, since they concerned the most
sensitive humanitarian cases such as death and serious physical and mental
injuries. Upon acceptance of their claims, individuals receive $2,500,
while families receive a maximum of $10,000.
Claims were submitted to the Commission, as a general rule, in the
form of consolidated claims filed by individual governments on their own
behalf or on behalf of their citizens and corporations.
With the awards made at this session, the overall number of claims so
far approved by the Governing Council in the three expedited categories of
individual claims (A, B and C) has reached more than 220,000 with an
estimated value of $870 million. With the most recent decisions of the
Governing Council, all of the 95 governments and 15 international
organizations that have filed claims with the Commission have now received
compensation awards in at least one or more of the three expedited
categories of individual claims.
The Governing Council also appointed a Panel of Commissioners to
review the claim submitted by the Government of Kuwait on behalf of the
Kuwait Oil Company for the cost of extinguishing some 700 oil-well fires
following the conclusion of the Gulf war. The Panel of Commissioners is
headed by a Chairman, Allan Philip, an international arbitrator from
Denmark, and has two other members, Bola Adesumbo Ajibola, a Nigerian and
former member of the International Court of Justice at The Hague, and
Antoine Antoun, an international auditor and accountant from Lebanon.
In addition, the Governing Council accepted claims in various
categories submitted by 25 governments and four international organizations
after the expiration of the original time-limit of 1 January 1995. However,
the Commission accepted claims in only those cases which demonstrated
"strong and compelling" reasons as to why the claims could not be filed
earlier.
The Compensation Commission operates as a subsidiary organ of the
Security Council, and the Governing Council has the same membership as the
Security Council. At this session, the Governing Council heard statements
from four non-member States, in accordance with the rules of procedure of
the Security Council. Those countries were Kuwait, Iraq, India and Egypt.
Finally, the Governing Council expressed its concern about the current
financial situation of the compensation fund, in light of the lack of
sufficient funds available for the payment of accumulated unpaid
compensation awards. The Council urged prompt action in order to maintain
the dynamics of the operation.
This session of the Council of the Commission was the first under the
presidency of the Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations
Office at Geneva, Ambassador Giuseppe Baldocci, and with Indonesia as the
new Vice-President. The three new members of the Security Council for 1995
-- Botswana, Germany and Honduras -- also participated in the proceedings
for the first time.
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