TRIPARTITE COMMISSION TECHNICAL SUBCOMMITTEE 54TH

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