Kuwait says Iraq has not returned stolen property

Arab League Secretary-General Esmat Abdul Meguid received a written communique from Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sabah al-Ahmed tackling a number of issues concerning the Arab League's role in Kuwait. The message was delivered within a meeting between the league's Kuwaiti deputy, Magdi El-Zafiri and Abdul Meguid.

El-Zafiri said the issue of prisoners of war remaining from the Gulf War is one of the most important issues in Kuwaiti external policy adding that Kuwait appreciates the important role of Secretary-General Meguid on this issue.

El-Zafiri criticized the stance of the Iraqi government toward the Kuwaiti prisoners of war, saying that Iraq is still procrastinating on cooperating with the committee under the supervision of the International Red Cross and that the whole subject is not progressing.

He said there is a legal responsibility on Iraq to adhere to, in addition to Iraq's responsibility of implementing U.N. resolutions, especially articles 30 and 31 of the cease fire agreement, thus the subject is linked essentially and naturally to the lifting of the sanctions and the restoration of Kuwaiti properties.

Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Al-Ahmed said Iraq has not given back all the property stolen in Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait.