UN AMBASSADOR VORONTSOV ASK U.S. TO PRESS TUNISIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 004789

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARPI AND IO/UNP; PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV KU IZ TS UN
SUBJECT: UN AMBASSADOR VORONTSOV ASK U.S. TO PRESS TUNISIA
TO ACCEPT KUWAITI-IRAQI AGREEMENT ON STOLEN PLANE PARTS


Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)


1. (U) This is an action request. See paragraph 7.


2. (C) Summary: UN Special Envoy Vorontsov requested
November 16 that the U.S. press the Government of Tunisia to
accept an agreement reached between the UN, Kuwait, and Iraq
on the return to Kuwait of spare airplane parts stolen by
Saddam Hussein during the 1990-1991 Gulf War. Tunisia is
trying to link return of the parts to Iraqi payment of $10
million in storage fees for the four Iraq-owned planes
housing the parts. Vorontsov considers the parts and plane
issues to be separate matters, the latter a bilateral issue
to be resolved by the GOT and ITG. He asked the U.S. to
approach the GOT and stress: the airplane parts as well as
an engine are stolen property which the UN, GOK, and ITG
agreed should be returned immediately to Kuwait, the four
planes and any associated storage fees should be resolved by
the GOT and the ITG without UN involvement, GOT failure to
cooperate will be noted in Vorontsov's December 13 report the
UN Security Council. End Summary.

Tunisia Blocking Kuwaiti-Iraqi-UN Pact on Plane Parts
-------------- --------------


3. (C) UN Special Envoy Ambassador Yuli Vorontsov met with
the Ambassador on November 16 to request the U.S. press the
Government of Tunisia (GOT) to accept a September 16 protocol
signed by the Government of Kuwait (GOK) and the Iraqi
Transitional Government (ITG) on the return of spare airplane
parts stolen from Kuwait by the Saddam Hussein regime and
located in Tunisia for the past 14 years. Vorontsov
explained that in mid-September, he and delegations of
airline representatives from Kuwait and Iraq traveled to
Tunisia to inspect the spare parts. The Kuwaiti, Iraqi, and
UN representatives all agreed that the parts, including a
spare Boeing 747 engine, were GOK property and should be
returned. (Note: The GOT facilitated the internal travel of
the delegations, but was not a party to the agreement which
strictly addressed ownership of the parts and engine. End
note.)

Kuwaiti Parts Held Hostage Pending Plane Deal
--------------


4. (C) Vorontsov reported that as he prepared to depart
Tunisia, he was contacted by the Kuwaiti delegation which had
received a note from the GOT informing it that the mission
was over and that the delegation should leave immediately,
which meant departing without the parts. Vorontsov said the
GOT seeks a package deal for the spare parts and the planes
and will not release the Kuwaiti parts until an agreement is
reached with the ITG on the planes. The GOT wants $10
million in storage fees for the aircraft. Vorontsov, the
ITG, and the GOK, consider the four Iraqi planes, located in
Tozur and at a military base in the south, to be a separate
issue from the parts. (Note: The two planes in Tozur are in
flying condition. The other two will never fly again
according to Iraqi mechanics. End note.) The parts are
stolen property and should be returned to the rightful owner.
The planes, which include Saddam's private jet, were taken
to Tunisia by the former regime and the matter should be
resolved bilaterally, not in the UN context.


5. (C) Vorontsov said he considered the spare parts to be
held hostage by the GOT while it settles a property dispute
with Iraq. He urged GOT officials to release the parts to
the GOK and told them their interference would be cited in
his December 13 report to the UN Security Council. He
commented that the deal sought by the GOT appeared to be a
simple money-grab: the GOT knows the ITG cannot afford $10
million and hoped the GOK might pay the ransom in order to
speed up the parts' release. If this ploy fails, Vorontsov
is concerned the GOT will attempt to impose a duty on the
parts. Despite the age of the parts, Vorontsov said the 747
engine has a market value of $1 million.

Key Points for the Tunisian Government
--------------


6. (SBU) Vorontsov informed the Ambassador that the GOK
welcomes U.S. assistance on this issue and asked that the
following points be made to the GOT:

-- The U.S. supports the protocol signed in Tunisia by the
Government of Kuwait and the Iraqi Transitional Government
regarding the return to Kuwait of spare airplane parts stolen
by the former Iraqi regime.

KUWAIT 00004789 002 OF 002



-- The U.S. urges Tunisia to facilitate the immediate return
of these stolen items to Kuwait. Failure to support the
protocol will be cited in the December 13 report to the UN
Security Council.

-- The return of the spare parts and engine should not be
linked to the four Iraqi planes in Tunisia, a matter which
should be resolved bilaterally.


7. (SBU) Action requested: Post endorses Vorontsov's
request that the U.S. intervene and support Kuwait.
Vorontsov said the GOK is aware that he planned to ask for
USG help. Post asks that the Department issue appropriate
instructions, incorporating para 6 points, to Embassy Tunis
and USUN on engaging the GOT. End action request.

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LEBARON