THIRTY-FOURTH SESSION OF COMPENSATION COMMISSION"S GOVERNING COUNCIL OPENS AT GENEVA

Press Release
IK/285

THIRTY-FOURTH SESSION OF COMPENSATION COMMISSION’S GOVERNING COUNCIL OPENS AT GENEVA

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 7 December (UN Information Service) -- The Governing Council of the United Nations Compensation Commission will hold its thirty-fourth session from 7 to 9 December 1999 under the presidency of Hans J. Heinemann (Netherlands).

During the session, the Council will consider a number of reports and recommendations of the panels of commissioners concerning claims filed by individuals, corporations and governments. Issues relating to the processing and payment of claims will also be discussed.

The United Nations Compensation Commission is a subsidiary organ of the Security Council, established in accordance with Security Council resolutions 687 (1991) and 692 (1991) to pay compensation for losses and damages suffered by individuals, corporations, governments and international organizations as a direct result of Iraq's unlawful invasion and occupation of Kuwait from 2 August 1990 to 2 March 1991.

The Commission is composed of the Governing Council, panels of commissioners, and a secretariat. The Governing Council is its policy-making organ. Its composition is the same as that of the 15-member Security Council at any given time. The Governing Council provides overall policy guidance and acts on the recommendations regarding compensation for claimants made by the panels of commissioners.

The panels of commissioners review and evaluate claims submitted by governments on behalf of their nationals, their companies or on their own behalf. On the basis of their review, undertaken in instalments of claims, the panels recommend compensation awards to the Governing Council. The secretariat, headed by the Executive Secretary, services and provides assistance to the Governing Council and the panels of commissioners. It also administers the United Nations Compensation Fund.

The total number of claims received by the Commission within the filing deadlines amount to a figure slightly in excess of 2.6 million. The total asserted value of these claims (that is, the amount sought by the claimants) amounts to over $320 billion. Ninety-six governments have filed claims, as well

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as 13 offices of three international organizations, which have filed claims on behalf of individuals not in a position to submit their claims through a government.

The Commission has resolved 2,586,405 claims to date, representing all claims in categories (A) individual claims for departure from Kuwait or Iraq; (B) claims for serious personal injury or death; and (C) individual claims for losses up to $100,000, as well as a number of claims in categories (D) claims of individuals for losses over $100,000; (E) claims of corporations, other private legal entities and public sector enterprises; and (F) claims of governments and international organizations. There are 15,470 claims in categories (D), (E) and (F) still to be resolved.

Nearly 1.5 million claims have been awarded compensation, with a total value of approximately $13 billion.

The Commission has made available to governments and international organizations more than $4.3 billion to date for distribution to successful claimants in all categories.

Funds to pay the awards of compensation are drawn from the United Nations Compensation Fund, which receives 30 per cent of the revenue generated from the export of Iraqi petroleum and petroleum products. At present, funds are made available to the Compensation Fund from the proceeds of the "oil-for-food" mechanism established by Security Council resolution 986 (1995) and subsequent resolutions.

Further information about the Compensation Commission can be found at the Compensation Commission’s Web site, at

A press release on the outcome of the session will be issued on 9 December 1999.

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