Annan recommends maintaining UN's Iraq-Kuwait observer force in region
Iraq-UN, Politics, 4/2/2003

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has recommended retaining in Kuwait City for a further three months a small logistics headquarters of the United Nations mission monitoring the Iraq-Kuwait border to support UN activities in the region, where the world body is currently concentrating on humanitarian relief.

"The small headquarters at the UNIKOM logistics base in Kuwait City will undertake liaison duties and provide valuable support to other United Nations activities, as the need arises," Annan says in his latest report to the Security Council on the operations of the UN Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM).

"I recommend that this residual peacekeeping presence be maintained at an appropriate level for a further three months, until 6 July 2003, subject to any further decisions the Council may take regarding the UNIKOPM mandate."

Annan withdrew all UNIKOM personnel from the border region on the eve of hostilities in Iraq but maintained a small headquarters consisting of 12 military officers, 20 essential civilian staff and some local personnel in Kuwait City.

In his report, the Secretary-General says UNIKOM's full staff has only been dispersed temporarily and the timing of its return to its assignments will be decided in consultation with the Council.

UNIKOM was set up in 1991 after the war that followed Iraq's invasion of Kuwait to monitor the demilitarized zone between the two states.

Previous Stories:
  UN Security Council restores oil-for-food program in Iraq   (3/29/2003)
  UN human rights chief makes fresh appeal to protect civilians in Iraq   (3/28/2003)
  Iraq calls for Annan to revitalize the oil for food program   (3/26/2003)

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