This is the press release regarding the report to the Security Council.
Ban sees early signs of movement on recovering missing Kuwaitis from Iraq
20 October 2009 – There are indications of movement on the issue of recovering the remains of Kuwaitis and other nationals missing since the 1990 Gulf war, according to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who also warns that progress on this front remains fragile.
Earlier this year, Mr. Ban proposed a “confidence- and cooperation-building period” between Iraq and Kuwait that would last until June 2010 to further encourage the parties to achieve progress and to strengthen their cooperation.
In a report to the Security Council that was released today, Mr. Ban welcomes the fact that the first six months of this period have brought about some “initial indications of movement” on the issue of missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals.
“Progress remains fragile, however. The main task of discovering and identifying the victims and, finally, closing their files lies ahead,” he writes, adding that this objective can be achieved only through increased cooperation between the two countries.
“I call on Iraq and Kuwait to redouble their efforts in the coming months to achieve visible and significant progress in the search for missing persons and property, including archives.
“This will not only help to resolve the long-standing humanitarian issue but also increase mutual trust and confidence, thus contributing to the resolution of other outstanding problems between the two countries,” he adds.
High-level Coordinator Gennady Tarasov, the UN focal point on the issue, visited Kuwait from 30 May to 3 June to discuss ways to ensure the success of the confidence-and cooperation-building period. While there he had the chance to meet with both Kuwaiti and Iraqi representatives, who stressed their intention to accelerate practical steps to achieve progress.
Among the developments during the past nine months, the report notes that the remains of the missing United States serviceman, Captain Michael Scott Speicher, had been found in Iraq.
Efforts since 2003 have resulted in the recovery and identification of 236 individuals and the return of some Kuwaiti property.
The report adds that the Kuwaiti national archives have not been found and no credible information about their whereabouts has emerged.
Ban sees early signs of movement on recovering missing Kuwaitis from Iraq
20 October 2009 – There are indications of movement on the issue of recovering the remains of Kuwaitis and other nationals missing since the 1990 Gulf war, according to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who also warns that progress on this front remains fragile.
Earlier this year, Mr. Ban proposed a “confidence- and cooperation-building period” between Iraq and Kuwait that would last until June 2010 to further encourage the parties to achieve progress and to strengthen their cooperation.
In a report to the Security Council that was released today, Mr. Ban welcomes the fact that the first six months of this period have brought about some “initial indications of movement” on the issue of missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals.
“Progress remains fragile, however. The main task of discovering and identifying the victims and, finally, closing their files lies ahead,” he writes, adding that this objective can be achieved only through increased cooperation between the two countries.
“I call on Iraq and Kuwait to redouble their efforts in the coming months to achieve visible and significant progress in the search for missing persons and property, including archives.
“This will not only help to resolve the long-standing humanitarian issue but also increase mutual trust and confidence, thus contributing to the resolution of other outstanding problems between the two countries,” he adds.
High-level Coordinator Gennady Tarasov, the UN focal point on the issue, visited Kuwait from 30 May to 3 June to discuss ways to ensure the success of the confidence-and cooperation-building period. While there he had the chance to meet with both Kuwaiti and Iraqi representatives, who stressed their intention to accelerate practical steps to achieve progress.
Among the developments during the past nine months, the report notes that the remains of the missing United States serviceman, Captain Michael Scott Speicher, had been found in Iraq.
Efforts since 2003 have resulted in the recovery and identification of 236 individuals and the return of some Kuwaiti property.
The report adds that the Kuwaiti national archives have not been found and no credible information about their whereabouts has emerged.