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21:39 GMT
NEW YORK, May 22 (KUNA) -- UN called on Iraq Monday to fully realize its obligation in addressing human cost of the 1990 invasion of Kuwait and provide answers to families of missing Kuwaitis, while commending Kuwait for supporting Baghdad face different challenges.
This came in UN Special Representative of the Secretary General of Iraq Jan Kubis' briefing of the Security Council on the issue of missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals and missing Kuwaiti property, including the National Archives.
It has been a year since the file of Kuwaiti Missing persons has been transferred from the Iraqi Ministry of Human Rights to the Ministry of Defense.
During this period, Kubis confirmed, the Iraqi Ministry of Defense has increased efforts to reach more witnesses in order to obtain more detailed information regarding the identification of potential burial sites and to carry out more field visits and excavations.
"The increased number of witnesses coming forward to give information have injected much-needed energy and momentum into the file," he said.
He told the 15-member body, that while acknowledging reinvigoration of the file, his interlocutors reiterated their regret at the lack of tangible results. "They voiced pragmatic ideas on the way forward, suggesting closer bilateral cooperation with the Iraqi Ministry of Defense, and underlined the readiness of the State of Kuwait to support Iraq's efforts both financially and technically," he stressed.
Echoing the Presidential Statement issued by Security Council in July 2016, the UN official once again urged the Government of Iraq to continue with the same resolve and determination to honor and fulfill its international obligations under this file.
He said Iraq is to rely on the wisdom and advice of the tripartite members; to consider further extending cooperation with the Kuwaiti counterparts, particularly regarding the exchange of information on potential witnesses; and to continue applying multidimensional and innovative approaches in order to bring this file to a close.
As Iraq will be hosting for the first time after 14 years the 44th session of the Tripartite Commission, marking slow but steady return of the country to normality, Kubis acknowledged the Government of Iraq's continuous efforts on this file, in the midst of other current challenges facing the country.
He also reminded that bringing this file to an end will bring the country closer to the normalization of relations with Kuwait and the rest of the world.
Kubis commended Kuwait for the support and understanding it has consistently shown towards the challenges faced by the Government of Iraq over the years. "While Iraq strives to reach results, all of us will continue assisting the country in its effort to achieve peace and stability," he concluded.
Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990 and occupied it for seven months, until a US-led international military coalition drove the Iraqi forces out of Kuwait in February 1991.
During the seven-month occupation, Iraqi forces killed many Kuwaitis, arrested hundreds others, looted government and private properties and torched over 700 oil wells before leaving Kuwait. (end)
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