GOVERNING COUNCIL OF UNITED NATIONS COMPENSATION COMMISSION APPROVES AWARDS OF OVER $16.2 BILLION FOR COMPENSATION AT THIRTY-SEVENTH SESSION

Press Release
IK/297

GOVERNING COUNCIL OF UNITED NATIONS COMPENSATION COMMISSION APPROVES AWARDS OF OVER $16.2 BILLION FOR COMPENSATION AT THIRTY-SEVENTH SESSION

GENEVA, 28 September (UN Information Service) -- The Governing Council of the United Nations Compensation Commission, under the Presidency of Hans J. Heinemann of the Netherlands, today approved awards of $16,239,554,498 for compensation.

The Council approved eight reports and recommendations of the panels of Commissioners concerning claims in categories "A" (claims of individuals for departure from Kuwait or Iraq) and "E" (claims of corporations, other private legal entities and public sector enterprises).

The special report and recommendations made by the "D1" panel of Commissioners involves 223 category "A" claims submitted on behalf of individuals by the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Of these, 203 claims were approved by the Council for compensation, with a total award value of $812,000. The Council noted that the claims satisfy the criteria for the acceptance of late-filed claims due to the existence of a war situation or civil disorder and evidence of a prior attempt to file the claims within the relevant filing deadlines.

The fourth instalment of category "E1" claims (oil sector claims) involved four claims filed on behalf of corporations by three governments. After extensive discussion, which commenced at the thirty-sixth session of the Governing Council in June, three claims filed by two governments were approved by the Council for compensation, with a total award value of $15,944,472,380. Of this, $15,922,505,120 was awarded to the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and $21,967,260 to the Arabian Oil Company of Japan.

The fifth instalment of category "E2" claims (non-Kuwaiti claims, excluding oil sector, construction/engineering and export guarantee and insurance claims) involved 48 claims filed on behalf of corporations by 18 governments and one claim directly submitted by the corporation. Of these, 20 claims filed by 12 governments were approved by the Council for compensation, with a total award value of $102,210,116.

The tenth instalment of category "E3" claims (non-Kuwaiti construction/engineering claims) involved 17 claims filed on behalf of corporations by 10 governments. Of these, six claims filed by five governments were approved by the Council for compensation, with a total award value of $17,070,675.

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The fourteenth instalment of category "E3" claims involved 17 claims filed on behalf of corporations by 10 governments. Of these, nine claims filed by five governments were approved by the Council for compensation, with a total award value of $3,922,986.

The fifteenth instalment of category "E3" claims involved 16 claims filed on behalf of corporations by 10 governments. Of these, seven claims filed by five governments were approved by the Council for compensation, with a total award value of $496,974.

The eighth instalment of category "E4" claims (Kuwaiti claims, excluding oil sector claims) involved 119 claims filed on behalf of corporations by the Government of Kuwait. Of these, 117 claims were approved by the Council for compensation, with a total award value of $88,799,956.

The tenth instalment of category "E4" claims involved 126 claims filed on behalf of corporations by the Government of Kuwait. Of these, 125 claims were approved by the Council for compensation, with a total award value of $81,769,411.

The Council discussed a progress report of the Executive Secretary on the activities of the Commission. The report addressed claims processing and the payment of approved claims.

The Council further discussed the report of the Executive Secretary on the distribution of payments awarded, the transparency of the distribution process and the return of undistributed funds.

The delegations of Kuwait, Iraq, Iran and Jordan addressed the 15-member Governing Council at its opening plenary meeting.

To date, the Commission has awarded compensation of over $31.9 billion, including the awards approved in this session; over $8.1 billion of the amount awarded has been made available to governments and international organizations for distribution to successful claimants in all categories of claims.

Further information about the Commission, including the text of all Governing Council decisions and reports and recommendations of the panels of Commissioners, can be found on the United Nations Compensation Commission Web site located at http://www.uncc.ch.

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