Progress Made In Closing Files On Kuwaitis Missing In Iraq – UN Report
While over 200 cases remain unresolved, appreciable progress has been made in identifying the remains of Kuwaiti
prisoners of war as well as the nationals of other countries who have been missing since the 1990 invasion by Iraq,
according to a United Nations report released today.
A total of 92 files have been closed, Secretary-General Kofi Annan writes in a report to the Security Council, although
240 sets of mortal remains had been brought to Kuwait for identification.
Reiterating his condemnation of the executions by the former Iraqi regime, Mr. Annan says, “The perpetrators of those
despicable crimes should be brought to justice.”
Exhumation operations in Iraq have been hampered by insecurity there, the report states. In one instance, a Kuwaiti
technical team was attacked on the road near Karbala.
Meanwhile, Mr. Annan’s High-level Coordinator, Ambassador Yuli Vorontsov, continues to consult with those concerned in a
bid to bring closure to the issue. The Secretary-General recommends that the Council extend Mr. Vorontsov’s mandate to
continue this work.
He also stresses the need for the Coordinator to travel to Baghdad to establish contacts with the new Iraqi authorities
and confer with members of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA). So far, logistical constraints have forestalled a
visit.