TRIPARTITE COMMISSION'S TECHNICAL SUBCOMMITTEE'S

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 000881 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, OSD FOR ASD/DPMO CRONAUER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL MARR IZ SA KU KUWAIT IRAQ RELATIONS SUBJECT: TRIPARTITE COMMISSION'S TECHNICAL SUBCOMMITTEE'S 50TH SESSION: NO NEW SEARCHES, NO NEW IDENTIFICATIONS REF: 05 KUWAIT 4813 ¶1. Summary: Kuwait hosted the 50th session of the Tripartitite Commission's Technical Subcommittee (TSC) on March 14, 2006 with representatives from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, France, Britain, the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC),and Embassies Kuwait and Baghdad in attendance. The session closed three cases, each involving an Iraqi found alive in either Iran or Iraq. Investigations into the mass graves sites previously discussed (reftel) were unable to proceed in the time period since the 49th session due to security issues. There was no new information on CAPT. Speicher's case. End Summary. Mass Graves Update -------------- ¶2. The 50th session of the TSC was held in Kuwait on March 14, 2006. The Kuwaitis opened the meeting by informing the attendees that no assessments or exhumations had taken place in the period since the 49th TSC because of security concerns. As soon as conditions improve, the Kuwaitis said they would coordinate with the Iraqis to pursue their missions in Nasseriya and Karbala III. In addition, there were no identifications made of mortal remains previously exhumed. Reporting on the eight samples of mortal remains provided by the Iraqis to the Kuwaitis from a site in Amarah/Missan, no match could be made with Kuwaiti missing. The number of identified Missing/POWs from the Iraqi invasion stands at 227 of 605. Jahra -------------- ¶3. The Kuwaitis reported that an incomplete assessment was made on gravesites in the city of Jahra, Kuwait, within a military compound January 29, 30, and 31 as well as February 20 and 21, 2006. The gravesites were mapped out by an eyewitness who was unable to travel from Iraq. Due to recent construction within the military compound, the gravesites could not be positively located. The direct witness is expected to travel to Kuwait with the assistance of the ICRC, sometime in the future to assist in locating the gravesites. Tel Al-Laham -------------- ¶4. The Iraqis reported that the site at Tel Al-Laham may contain about 450 mortal remains. The Iraqi Ministry of Human Rights (IMHR) is interviewing a "high official" from Saddam's regime regarding this site and stated that as soon as additional information became available they would contact Kuwait via the ICRC. Kuwait acknowledged that since it was believed that there was a high number of remains at the site, it is likely to contain more than Kuwaiti remains. ¶5. The Iraqis also reported that a female professor from Baghdad informed the IMHR that a gravesite containing 250-300 Kuwaiti mortal remains was located in Baghdad. Further investigation of the witness and an assessment of the site by the Iraqis and Kuwaitis is expected. Al-Kaffel and Salman-Pak -------------- ¶6. The Saudis reported to the Iraqis that they had no further information to provide on the site at Al-Keffel. Regarding Salman-Pak, according to the Iraqis the site is inaccessible at this time due to security concerns. The Kuwaitis asked if the cemetery official could be interviewed in the meanwhile in order to ascertain how many unnamed graves are located in Salman-Pak. The Iraqis stated that the IMHR had already requested contact with a cemetery official. Iraq/Saudi Mission -------------- ¶7. The Saudis informed the ICRC that a joint Iraqi-Saudi mission would take place in Saudi Arabia beginning April 29th and that formal notification of the mission was already sent to the ICRC. The purpose of the mission is to discuss the repatriation of Iraqi remains currently located in Saudi gravesites. The Saudi proposal was met with thanks and the ICRC will observe the mission. Closed Cases and an Iraqi Request Regarding Missing Servicemen -------------- -------------- KUWAIT 00000881 002 OF 003 ¶8. The Iraqis closed three cases. The first was an Iraqi repatriated alive from Iran in late 2003 while the other two involved Iraqis who were in the Rafha refugee camp and who returned to Iraq without notifying the ICRC. The Iraqis also asked the Kuwaitis to look into information that eight Iraqi pilots were killed and buried on Ali Al-Salem airbase as well as information that 10 Iraqi soldiers were buried in Umm Al-Manaqish oilfield near Al-Ahmadi. The Kuwaitis welcomed the request and asked that any further information be passed through the ICRC. The Kuwaitis further reasserted that any mortal remains not identified by their DNA lab were returned to Iraq. ¶9. There was no new information on CAPT. Speicher's case. Next TSC Meeting -------------- ¶10. The next TSC meeting will take place during the second half of June 2006 at the request of the Kuwaitis. The Iraqi delegation insisted that the meeting should take place in northern Iraq, either Erbil or Suleimaniya, a request the ICRC will take into consideration. Following is the activities plan to be undertaken before the 51st session: - Assessment and exhumation mission in Nasseriya and Karbala III. - Further assessment of the Tel Al-Laham site. - Visits by Iraqi witnesses to assist in locating gravesites in Kuwait. - Pursuing investigation efforts regarding Najaf/Al-Kaffel and Salman-Pak. - Joint assessment mission to Saudi Arabia starting April 29, 2006. - Transmission of coordinates of gravesites by U.S. and U.K. regarding Iraqi mortal remains (Note. The ICRC delegate told poloff that his office was in possession of military map or grid coordinates from 1991 which do not match longitude and latitude. He asked for assistance in transcribing the coordinates into ones which could be easily plotted. End note.) - Transmission of coordinates and possible visits by Iraqi witnesses to assist in locating gravesites at Umm Al-Manaqish oilfield, near Al-Ahmadi and Ali Al-Salem airbase. ¶11. Delegations: State of Iraq -------------- Mr. Hesham A. Al-Suhail, Head of Delegation Mr. Kazem M. Kazem Mr. Ali M. Thumad Mr. Thabit M. Hussain Mr. Ammar A. Abdelkarim State of Kuwait -------------- H.E. Ibrahim M. Al-Shaheen, Head of Delegation Mr. Forzan Al-Forzan Dr. Mohammed Al-Hadad Ambassador Khaled Al-Maqamis Mr. Rabea Al-Adsani Kingdom of Saudi Arabia -------------- Mr. Zuhair M. Al-Idrissi, Head of Delegation Dr. Abdulrahman S. Al-Shareif Mr. Ahmad M. Omar Mr. Khalid Al-Treiri Mr. Fahad Al-Juraid Republic of France -------------- Mr. Jacques Corday Great Britain -------------- KUWAIT 00000881 003 OF 003 Ms. Jaime Turner International Committee for the Red Cross -------------- Mr. Jean-Michel Monod, Regional Delegate for the Arabian Peninsula Mr. Micha Wedekind Ms. Dalia Emrazian U.S. -------------- Ms. Andrea F. Gastaldo Mr. Thomas L. Dorwin (Embassy Baghdad/RCLO office) ********************************************* * For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* * LEBARON