UNITED NATIONS, July 25 (KUNA) - The Security Council on Wednesday extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) for a period of twelve months, and called on Baghdad to continue to cooperate with Kuwait to address the outstanding issues.
Acting unanimously, the Council expressed its intention to review the Mission's mandate in twelve months or sooner, if requested by Baghdad, and requested the Secretary-General to report to the Council every four months on the progress made towards the fulfilment of all UNAMI's responsibilities.
It welcomed the Member States' contributions in providing UNAMI with the financial, logistical, and security resources and support it needs to fulfil its mission, and urged them to continue to do so.
In the resolution's preambular part, the Council welcomed the "important progress" Iraq made towards regaining the international standing it held prior to the invasion of Kuwait in 1990, and called on Baghdad to continue "ongoing cooperation" with Kuwait to address outstanding issues and to meet its outstanding obligations under the relevant Chapter VII resolutions.
The outstanding issues pertain to the compensation of the victims of the invasion, maintenance of the border posts between the two countries and the return of the remains of hundreds of Kuwaiti and other nationals killed while in detention under the Saddam regime and of government property, mainly State archives. The Council noted the recent "positive developments" in Iraqi-Kuwaiti bilateral relations, particularly in light of the recent exchange of visits by high-level officials, as well as the positive outcome of the second session of the Joint Kuwait-Iraq Ministerial Committee.
It called on both states to continue to act in a "spirit that builds further confidence and cooperation, which should contribute to the strengthening of their good neighbourly relations and enhancing regional stability." On the recent wave of bombings in Iraq, the Council welcomed improvements in the security situation in Iraq achieved through concerted political and security efforts, but stressed that challenges to security in Iraq "still exist and that improvements need to be sustained through meaningful political dialogue and national unity." (end) sj.ajs KUNA 251754 Jul 12NNNN