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Kuwait's permanent UN representative Mansour Al-Otaibi
NEW YORK, June 11 (KUNA) -- Security Council resolution 2474 is the first to deal with the matter of missing persons at times of armed conflict, forming an aspect of the precautions aimed at protecting civilians, Kuwait's permanent UN representative said on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters after the United Nations organ adopted the Kuwaiti-proposed draft resolution, Mansour Al-Otaibi said both the international community and the Security Council had sought to deal with the matter after the end of the conflict.
"This is the first time, at least, they acknowledge the importance of this issue and urge the importance of working to resolve it from the beginning of the conflict," he said.
Al-Otaibi added that, until now, there had been not a single legal reference to the matter.
"There are measures proposed in the resolution that urge the international community and (UN) member states to take action to uncover the fate of missing persons and cooperate with relevant bodies, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross," he added.
These actions include responding to queries from the families of those missing and taking certain measures aimed at determining their fate, he explained.
The draft was earlier adopted unanimously by the 15-member Security Council after receiving much praise and adulation, reflecting the status of Kuwaiti diplomacy on the humanitarian level. (pickup previous)
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