IRAQ STEPS UP EFFORTS TO LOCATE MISSING KUWAITIS

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000779 SENSITIVE SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D COPY CAPTION NEA/ARP, NEA/I, OSD-DPMO FOR LTC BILL THOMAS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM MARR PGOV IZ SUBJECT: IRAQ STEPS UP EFFORTS TO LOCATE MISSING KUWAITIS REF: A. KUWAIT 566 ¶B. KUWAIT 354 ¶C. KUWAIT 587 ¶1. (U) Key points: -- The ICRC-brokered Technical Subcomittee meetings (TSC) continue to serve as a constructive venue for Iraq-Kuwait bilateral engagement. -- In recent months, the GOI has shown a "new determination" in following-up on leads in the search for those still missing from the 1990-91 invasion and occupation of Kuwait. In particular, the producing of eyewitnesses to executions and burials earned the GOI commendation from Kuwaiti delegation members. Kuwait, for its part, indicated it will continue to move quickly in allocating resources and providing other assistance in the search for missing Iraqis in Kuwait. -- Increased excavation activities are likely in the coming months. -- Kuwaiti delegates paid tribute to the sacrifice of CAPT. Michael S. Speicher and his family; his file will be officially closed in November's Tripartite Commission (TC). -- Showing new initiative, the GOI offered to host November's TC in Baghdad. The GOI Tracks Down Eyewitnesses -------------- ¶2. (U) At the August 4 Technical Subcommittee (TSC),the ICRC hosts praised recent Iraqi efforts to close case files of Kuwaiti POW/MIAs as showing a welcome "new determination." Delegates from France, Iraq, KSA, Kuwait, the UK, and US also commented favorably on Iraqi efforts, particularly the tracking down of eyewitnesses. Iraqi Ministry of Human Rights (MOHR) representative Arkan Thamer Saleh provided the following updates: -- Jahra military base. In late July, under the aegis of the ICRC, the GOI brought to Kuwait a witness who claimed knowledge of the whereabouts of the remains of two Kuwaiti lieutenants who were executed on the grounds of Kuwait's Jahra Military Base. Though 18 years have passed, the witness claimed to recognize various landmarks at the base and led Kuwaiti GOK officials to sites he believed plausible to hold the remains. Excavations are still underway. -- Ramadi witness. After months of playing cat and mouse with TSC delegates, an Iraqi witness with supposed knowledge of mass grave sites in Ramadi, Iraq, agreed to an August 4 meeting in Damascus with the Iraqi Ambassador to Syria. The results of the meeting have not yet been provided to TSC delegates. -- Responding to GOK reports that a "Ba'ath Party Court" in 1990-91 tried and executed Kuwaiti nationals and buried them in an intelligence apparatus compound in Salman Pak, Iraqi MOHR officials visited the area June 7 but found no evidence to support this claim. -- Since the June 1 TSC, the GOI sent an MOHR team to Kerbala, Nasiriya and Samawa to locate and demarcate 20 sites -- provided to the Iraqis by the GOK as possible mass graves sites -- for future excavations. (Note: The TSC called for the GOI to conduct preliminary investigations of the sites to determine the plausibility of their containing mortal remains, and if so, an ICRC-led team of forensics specialists would begin excavations. End Note). -- At the behest of the GOK, ICRC has transferred pictures and/or biographic details of 379 Kuwaitis still missing to the GOI. Pending approval from the office of the PM, the Iraqi MOHR, working with the Ministry of Information, intends to disseminate details from these files in a public awareness campaign to attract the attention of eyewitnesses. Kuwait Also Acts on Iraqi Concerns -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Kuwaiti officials provided the following update on their activities: -- Ali Al-Salem Airbase witness. Following-up on a lead obtained during the 60th TSC, the Iraqis contacted a witness claiming knowledge of the whereabouts of an unknown number of Iraqis killed and buried at Kuwait's Ali Al-Salem Airbase (home to USAF's 386th Air Expeditionary Wing). Both Kuwaiti and Iraqi sides expressed a desire to bring this witness to Kuwait to have him physically identify the site. The GOK agreed to seek prompt approval for such a visit and subsequent excavations and will inform the GOI of feasible dates to arrange for the visit. TSC delegates will likely be invited to observe the excavations. (Note: GOK approval for searches and excavations at the airbase, as seen in previous attempts to locate Iraqis, will likely be forthcoming soon. Though outside of the ICRC TC mandate, but hoping for reciprocal Iraqi actions, the GOK (per ref B) has moved quickly to pursue leads on finding missing Iraqis in Kuwait, to include paying for forensic teams. End note). -- Excavations for Iraqi KIAs in the Kuwaiti desert are likely to resume in the Fall. (Note: According to the UK delegate, new information has come to light that due to changes in applying 1991 GPS technology, some of the grid coordinates listed by British soldiers to mark burial sites of these Iraqis may need to be recalibrated. End Note.) Rest in Peace, CAPT Speicher -------------- ¶4. (U) Poloff expressed USG appreciation to the TSC for its continued support in the search for US Navy CAPT Michael S. Speicher, and in particular, to the GOK for its crossmatching of Speicher's DNA against that of all remains brought to Kuwait. ICRC Regional delegate Jean-Michel Monod confirmed that he would announce the official closure of the file, under the Tripartite auspices, at the November 25 TC. Kuwaiti National Committee for Missing and POW Affairs (NCMPA) head Dr. Ibrahim Al-Shaheen expressed the gratitude of the State of Kuwait for the sacrifice of CAPT Speicher and his family. Iraq Stepping up to the Plate -------------- ¶5. (U) In a surprise and encouraging twist, the Iraqi delegation, which included MOHR, MOH (Dr. Munjid Al-Rezali) and MOD (Gen. Saleh Qaduri Salman) representatives, in an unanticipated move requested that the scheduled November 25 TC be convened in Baghdad. ICRC Regional Delegate Jean-Michel Monod said that he had hoped that the GOI would host the first (working level) TSC of 2010 in Baghdad, but was not immediately prepared to respond to the Iraqi request to host Chiefs of Mission from TC partners. The offer was warmly received by each of the TSC delegates, especially Kuwait, with only the Saudi team expressing some reservations about whether Saudi MFA U/S Prince Turki would be able to visit Baghdad. Not deterred, the Iraqi MOHR promised that an official, formal invitation would be issued shortly. ********************************************* ********* For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: visit Kuwait's Classified Website at: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Kuwa it ********************************************* ********* WILLIAMS