UNITED NATIONS COMPENSATION COMMISSION GOVERNING COUNCIL HEARS REPORT ON UPCOMING TALKS BETWEEN ORGANIZATION AND IRAQ

5 February 1996

Press Release
IK/191

UNITED NATIONS COMPENSATION COMMISSION GOVERNING COUNCIL HEARS REPORT ON UPCOMING TALKS BETWEEN ORGANIZATION AND IRAQ

19960205 Poland Elected Vice-President

GENEVA, 5 February (UN Information Service) -- The Governing Council of the United Nations Compensation Commission, meeting for its fifth special session this morning, heard a report from its Executive Secretary on the upcoming talks between Iraq and the United Nations Secretariat on the possibilities of achieving the humanitarian formula of "oil-for-food" foreseen in Security Council resolution 986 (1995). The success of such talks could enable the Commission to pay compensation to about 500,000 successful claimants in categories "A" (departure) and "C" (individual property loss).

The Governing Council decided to accept claims of categories "E" (corporate claims) and "F" (government claims) filed after the designated deadlines. However, concerning late claims from individual categories "A", "B" (serious personal injury and death), "C" and "D" (individual claims greater than $100,000), the Governing Council only accepted the claims submitted by Yemen and the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva. Except for Yemen which, in light of its special circumstances, is being provided a last and final extension of the deadline for filing its claims, the Governing Council decided that any forthcoming late claims in individual categories ("A", "B", "C" and "D") will be directly rejected by the Secretariat.

During this session the Governing Council also elected Poland as Vice- President in the person of its Permanent Representative, Ludwik Dembinsky,. Poland replaces the Czech Republic, whose membership in the Council expired on 31 December 1995. The current President of the Council is Italy, and the other Vice-President is Indonesia. The Executive Secretary also introduced Robert Souria, the new Deputy Executive Secretary, who replaces Liviu Bota.

The Governing Council agreed to hold its next regular session from 28 to 30 May.

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