GOVERNING COUNCIL OF UNITED NATIONS COMPENSATION COMMISSION APPROVES AWARDS

OF OVER US $223 MILLION FOR COMPENSATION

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 14 March (UN Information Service) -- The Governing Council of the United Nations Compensation Commission, under the Presidency of Germany, concluded its forty-seventh session yesterday and approved awards of

US $223,210,385.47for compensation.  Representatives of Kuwait, Iraq, and Palestineaddressed the fifteen-member Governing Council at its opening plenary meeting.

The Council approved four reports and recommendations of the panels of Commissioners concerning claims from individuals in category “D” and claims from corporations in category “E”:

Part two of the twelfth instalment of category “D” claims (individual claims for losses over US $100,000) involved 286 claims filed on behalf of individuals by 15 governments and two international organizations.  Of these, 258 claims filed by 14 governments and two international organizations were recommended for compensation, with a total award value of US $116,576,394.47;

The twelfth instalment of category “E2” claims (non-Kuwaiti claims, excluding oil sector, construction/engineering and export guarantee and insurance claims) involved 193 claims filed on behalf of corporations by

24 governments.  Of these, 75 claims filed by 18 governments were approved by the Council for compensation, with a total award value of US $11,241,834;

The twenty-sixth instalment of category “E3” claims (non-Kuwaiti construction and engineering claims) involved 12 claims filed on behalf of corporations by six governments.  Of these, three claims filed by two governments were approved by the Council for compensation, with a total award value of US $690,276; and

The twenty-first instalment of category “E4” (Kuwaiti claims, excluding oil sector claims) claims involved 18 claims filed on behalf of corporations by the Government of Kuwait.  All claims were approved by the Council for compensation, with a total award value of US $94,701,881.

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

The Council also discussed the report of the Executive Secretary on the distribution by governmentsand international organizationsof payments to successful claimants, the transparency of the distribution process, and the return of undistributed funds.

The Council decided to hold its next regular session from 24 to 26 June 2003.

To date, the Commission has awarded compensation of approximately

US $44billion, including the awards approved in the forty-seventh session; approximately US $16.7billion 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 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 www.uncc.ch.

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