Kuwaiti - Iraqi meeting in Geneva
Kuwait-Iraq, Politics, 7/8/1998

A source at the International red Cross committee who declined to be identified, said that a meeting was held in Geneva on Monday between high-ranking Kuwaiti and Iraqi representatives.

The two sides discussed the fate of persons missing under Iraqi occupation of Kuwait from August 1990 to February 1991. The source, however, refused to get into the details of the "very secret" talks between the two sides.

The talks, he said, dealt with the results of the works of the technical committee which met on June 17 to discuss the Kuwaiti- Iraqi borders. The source continued that Kuwaiti defense minister Sheikh Salem al-Sabah chaired the Kuwaiti side.

The Iraqi side was led by acting Foreign Ministry secretary Riad al-Qeisi. He elaborated the meeting which was scheduled for two days was completed in one day with no problems.

Kuwait, asks for information about 600 persons (of Kuwaiti nationality or residence in Kuwait) thought to be detained in Iraq in 1991. Baghdad admits that the Iraqi army took prisoners after its withdrawal from Kuwait, but it asserted that contacts ceased with those prisoners following the Shiite rebellion that took place after the defeat of the Iraqi troops in the Gulf War.

Representatives from the two states meet once every month to discuss the fate of those who are still missing. The meeting is usually held in the presence of representatives of the US, Britain, France and Saudi Arabia. These are the main countries in the alliance of countries which liberated Kuwait. The Geneva meeting, is the 22nd since the two sides started discussions of this issue.

Last Sunday, Iraqi Foreign Minister Muhammad Saeed al-Sahaf called upon Kuwait to give up using the issue of persons missing in the Gulf War. He noted that his country does not hold any Kuwaiti prisoners of war.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi daily al-Itihad said on Tuesday that the UN sanctions committee refused a request submitted by Jordan to carry out maintenance work on six Iraqi civil aircraft which have been landing at Amman's airport since the Gulf War in 1991.

Iraq had sent its civil aircraft to airports outside the country to protect them against possible attacks in the Gulf War.

Previous Stories:
  Kuwaiti, Iraqi representatives to meet on missing-in-action   (7/4/1998)
  Kuwait and Iraq exchanged accusations at Arab parliamentary conference   (6/27/1998)
  Iraq recognizes borders with Kuwait   (6/17/1998)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search