SECURITY COUNCIL PRESS STATEMENT ON REPATRIATION OF KUWAITIS, THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS

SECURITY COUNCIL PRESS STATEMENT ON REPATRIATION OF KUWAITIS,

THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS

Following is the text of today’s press statement on the question of repatriation of Kuwaiti and third country nationals, delivered by the President of the Security Council, Sergey Lavrov (Russian Federation):

Members of the Security Council reviewed the latest report of the Secretary-General’s High Level Coordinator, pursuant to paragraph 14 of Security Council resolution 1284 (1999), regarding repatriation of Kuwaiti and third country nationals.  The Council once again expressed their unanimous support for the work of Ambassador Yuli Vorontsov and for his efforts in following this issue.

Members of the Council expressed their deep concern at the continuing plight of the Kuwaiti and third country nationals still remaining in Iraq and expressed their sympathy for their families.  Members of the Council expressed their hope that this issue would continue to be dealt with as a strictly humanitarian one by all sides concerned and be resolved urgently.

Members of the Council shared the views of the Secretary-General as reflected in his report.  They recognize the growing international activity by the League of Arab States, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the European Union to persuade Iraq to change its stance of non-cooperation.  They support the Secretary-General’s call upon Iraq to stand by its intention to fully implement decisions of the Beirut summit regarding the issue of missing persons.  Members of the Council stressed the importance of the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Tripartite Commission in solving this humanitarian issue and urged the Iraqi Government to resume its participation in all bodies dealing with this issue.

Members of the Security Council urged Iraq to cooperate fully with Ambassador Vorontsov in fulfilling his mandate as set out in Security Council resolution 1284 (1999).

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