Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KUWAIT881
2006-03-15 10:59:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:  

TRIPARTITE COMMISSION'S TECHNICAL SUBCOMMITTEE'S

Tags:  PHUM PREL MARR IZ SA KU KUWAIT IRAQ RELATIONS 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9362
RR RUEHDE
DE RUEHKU #0881/01 0741059
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 151059Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3468
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1193
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
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

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/
********************************************* *
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