Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KUWAIT909
2007-06-13 03:36:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:  

TRIPARTITE COMMISSION TECHNICAL SUBCOMMITTEE 54TH

Tags:  MARR PHUM PREL IZ SA KUWAIT IRAQ RELATIONS KU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4059
RR RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHKU #0909/01 1640336
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130336Z JUN 07 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9343
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0913
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 3062
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1396
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1097
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1222
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000909 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA/ARP, OSD FOR ASD/DPMO CRONAUER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MARR PHUM PREL IZ SA KUK KUWAIT IRAQ RELATIONS
SUBJECT: TRIPARTITE COMMISSION TECHNICAL SUBCOMMITTEE 54TH
SESSION

KUWAIT 00000909 001.4 OF 002


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000909

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA/ARP, OSD FOR ASD/DPMO CRONAUER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MARR PHUM PREL IZ SA KUK KUWAIT IRAQ RELATIONS
SUBJECT: TRIPARTITE COMMISSION TECHNICAL SUBCOMMITTEE 54TH
SESSION

KUWAIT 00000909 001.4 OF 002



1. Summary: Kuwait hosted the 54th session of the
Tripartite Commission's Technical Subcommittee (TSC) on June
5, 2007 with representatives from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait,
France, the United Kingdom, the International Committee for
the Red Cross (ICRC) and Poloff in attendance. The session
closed no cases. Kuwait refined its request to the U.S. for
assistance with satellite imagery research and analysis and
requested a meeting with representatives from the U.S.
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). Kuwait, Iraq,
the UK and ICRC agreed to coordinate on interviewing several
witnesses. There was no new information on CAPT. Speicher.
His DNA profile remains in the Kuwaiti database and continues
to be checked against all newly received profiles. The next
TSC meeting will take place on November 12, 2007 in Kuwait.

SIPDIS
The next Tripartite Commission Meeting will take place in
Kuwait on November 14, 2007. End Summary.

Mass Graves Update
--------------


2. The 54th session of the TSC was held in Kuwait on June 5,

2007. The United States opened the meeting by informing the
attendees that the U.S. Department of State liaison to the
U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) had
responded to Kuwait,s revised request for satellite imagery
research and analysis of areas in Nasseriya and Kerbala
during a six month period from August, 1990 to February,

1991. The U.S. delegation noted that the NGA would not be
able to provide assistance at this time because the images
from that time period were not in a searchable database but
would require a manual search of the NGA archives. The
Kuwaiti delegation inquired whether it would be useful to
have a meeting between its technical experts and the NGA
representative either in Kuwait or the U.S. The U.S.
delegation agreed to inquire on behalf of the Kuwaiti
delegation and inform the ICRC of the outcome. ICRC
requested that both France and the UK investigate with their
respective governments whether any technical assistance is
available to assist with this matter. The ICRC said that the

coordinates for the possible grave sites would be delivered
to both delegations.


3. Regarding the possibility of visits to potential grave
sites in Samawa, Kerbala III, Nasseriya and Najaf, the
Kuwaiti delegation noted that many security issues would have
to be clarified with Iraq through the ICRC before any visit
could be considered.

Witnesses
--------------


4. The Iraqi and Kuwaiti delegations agreed to try to
convince a witness with knowledge of grave sites in Kuwait,
who is now living in Iraq, to be debriefed on site in Kuwait.
Kuwait reiterated that no legal action would be taken
against the witness should he come to Kuwait. If
unsuccessful, the delegations will try to arrange to meet the
witness at the ICRC office in Damascus.


5. Kuwait, the UK and the ICRC expressed willingness to
assist in contacting a witness residing in London.

Other Activities
--------------


6. No cases were closed, no new mortal remains were
identified, no new information regarding new burial sites was
received and no new exhumations were conducted since the last
TSC meeting in February, 2007. However Kuwait concluded that

SIPDIS
40 human remains received from Iraq did not correspond to
either Kuwaiti or Saudi cases and would be returned to Iraq
along with a complete file for each set of remains containing
exact exhumation coordinates, description and photos of the
remains and results of DNA test profiles.


7. There was no new information on CAPT. Michael S.
Speicher's case. His DNA profile remains in the Kuwaiti
database and continues to be checked against all newly
received profiles. The U.S. delegation renewed its
commitment to continue the effort to resolve CAPT.
Speicher,s case.

Next TSC Meeting
--------------

KUWAIT 00000909 002 OF 002




8. The next TSC meeting will take place on November 12, 2007
in Kuwait at the Sheraton Four Points. The next meeting of
the Tripartite Commission will be in Kuwait on November 14,

2007. Activities to be undertaken before the next session
are:

- By July, the U.S. will contact the NGA representative about
a possible meeting with Kuwaiti technical experts concerning
satellite imagery analysis assistance and the ICRC will
deliver the coordinates to the delegations from France and
the UK.

- Kuwait and Iraq will contact the witness in Iraq.

- Contact with the witness in London will be pursued by the
ICRC. UK authorities will be available to assist if required.

- Kuwait will repatriate 40 mortal remains along with
relevant documentation to Iraq.

- ICRC will deliver information to the UK regarding Iraqis
known to be buried in Kuwait for the purpose of planning an
operation by a joint committee.


9. Delegations:

State of Iraq
--------------
Mr. Kazem M. Kazem, Head of Delegation
Mr. Ammar A. Abdelkarim
Mr. Mohammad J. Mohammad

State of Kuwait
--------------
H.E. Ibrahim M. Al-Shaheen, Head of Delegation
Mr. Fozan Al-Fozan
Mr. Rabea Al-Adsani
Dr. Mohammad Al-Hadda
Dr. Soltan Al-Khalaf

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. Bernard Bonnet, Head of Delegation

United Kingdom
--------------
Mr. Tim Stew, Head of Delegation
Ms. Jamie Turner

International Committee for the Red Cross
--------------
Mr. Jean-Michel Monod, Regional Delegate for the GCC Countries
Ms. Jamila Al-Hammami, Delegate for Missing, Files for Iraq
Mr. Micha Wedekind, Delegate for 'Missing' files for Iraq
Ms. Dalia Emrazian, Protection Department
Ms. Tina Faltermeier, chancellery

United States
--------------
Mr. DeWitt Conklin, Head of Delegation

********************************************* *
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