(SBU) GULF WAR MISSING: TSC MEETING SET FOR SEPT.

UNCLAS KUWAIT 002217

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/I, IO/UNP, D, NEA/FO
GENEVA FOR STONECIPHER
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH
PARIS FOR ZEYA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPOW PHUM IZ KU ICRC
SUBJECT: (SBU) GULF WAR MISSING: TSC MEETING SET FOR SEPT.
7 IN KUWAIT

REF: KUWAIT 731


1. (SBU) Embassy has received a diplomatic note from the
Regional Delegation of ICRC announcing that the 46th session
of the Technical Sub-Committee (TSC) of the Tripartite
Commission on Gulf War POWs and Missing Persons (TPC) will be
held at the Hilton Hotel in Kuwait on September 7, 2004 at
9:00 a.m. The note invites the Embassy to inform ICRC of any
specific subjects it wishes to have included in the agenda.


2. (SBU) COMMENT: This meeting was originally expected to
be held in May, then in June, ahead of the transfer of
sovereign authority to the Iraqi Interim Government. From
our discussions with ICRC, we understand there are basically
two reasons for the delay until September:

-- while there has been progress in the sense that more of
the Kuwaiti missing have been positively identified through
DNA examination of mortal remains, there were no significant
developments in that process;

-- once the Iraqi Interim Government took power, it made
sense to hold off on meeting, both to give the Iraqis time to
get organized and because many of the regular TSC
participants would be unavailable during the intense heat of
summer.

3. (SBU) COMMENT CONTINUED: As always, we will raise the
case of our own Captain Michael Scott Speicher. If there is
any other issue that Washington wishes to see placed on the
agenda, please advise.


4. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.
JONES