United Nations Security
Council Resolutions
Concerning The Situation
Between
Iraq and Kuwait
( 2 August 1990 - 22 May 2003 )
-------------------------
The United Nations Security Council
has played a crucial role throughout the major international crisis which
began on 2 August 1990 when Iraq invaded, occupied and annexed its neighbor - Kuwait. Beginning on 2 August 1990, the Security Council has adopted
29 resolutions directly relating to the situation between Iraq and Kuwait.
In addition, the Council President has issued a number of statements in
this connection.
THE CRISIS On 2 August 1990, Iraqi
armed forces crossed into Kuwaiti territory and invaded that country. On
the same day, the Security Council adopted its resolution 660 (1990), condemning
the invasion and demanding that Iraq immediately and unconditionally withdraw
its forces to the positions they had occupied the previous day. On 6 August,
the Council voted to impose mandatory arms and economic sanctions against
Iraq, except in respect of medical supplies and, in humanitarian circumstances,
foodstuffs. It also established a Sanctions Committee under its authority.
It did so in resolution 661 (1990), citing Iraq’s failure to comply with
the call for troop withdrawal, as well as its usurpation of the authority
of the legitimate Government of Kuwait.
In all, over the period between
2 August and 29 November 1990, the council passed 12 resolutions in connection
with the situation between Iraq and Kuwait, culminating in resolution 678
(1990). That resolution, adopted on 29 November at a meeting at which 13
members of the Security Council were represented by their Foreign Ministers,
specified that if Iraq had not fully implemented by 15 January 1991 all
the Council’s resolutions relating to the occupation of Kuwait, Member
States cooperating with Kuwait’s legitimate Government were authorized
to use "all necessary means" to compel Iraq to do so and restore international
peace and security in the area. These several weeks before the deadline
were seen as one final opportunity, a "pause of goodwill", for renewed
diplomatic efforts to find a just and peaceful solution to the conflict.
Despite the diplomatic initiatives
of a number of Member States and efforts by the Secretary-General, including
his meeting with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in Baghdad on 12-13 January
1991, Iraq continued its occupation of Kuwait. On 15 January 1991, as the
deadline neared, the Secretary-General issued an appeal in which he urged
Iraq to comply with the relevant Security Council resolutions, beginning
with resolution 660 (1990), and thus to "turn the course of events away
from catastrophe".
THE WAR On 16 January 1991, one
day after the deadline, the States cooperating the Government of Kuwait,
acting in accordance with the Council’s authorization but not under the
control of direction by the United nations, began offensive military operations.
On 27 February, after six weeks of intensive air and ground action, Kuwait
City was liberated. The same day, Iraq reported that all of its armed forces
had withdrawn from Kuwait. It also within hours informed the Security Council
that it had decided to comply fully with Council resolution 660 (1990)
and all other Security Council resolutions. Offensive operations were suspended
as of midnight (New York time) on 28 February 1991.
On 2 March, the Security Council
adopted resolution 686 (1991), demanding that Iraq implement its acceptance
of all twelve resolutions and specifying the necessary measures to be undertaken
by that country, which would permit a definitive end to hostilities. On
3 March, Iraq informed the Secretary-General and the President of the Security
Council that it had agreed to fulfill its obligations under resolution
686.
THE CEASE-FIRE On 3 April 1991,
after more than a month of extensive consultations, the Security Council
adopted resolution 687 (1991), setting specific terms for a formal cease-fire
to end the conflict. The Council declared that a formal cease-fire between
Iraq, Kuwait and the countries cooperating with Kuwait would come into
effect after official notification by Iraq of its acceptance of the provisions
of the resolution.
On 6 April, Iraq officially notified
the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council that it
had no choice but to accept the provisions of resolution 687 (1991). On
11 April, the President of the Security Council, on behalf of its members,
formally accepted Iraq’s notification. He noted that the conditions established
in the resolution had been met and that the formal cease-fire was in effect.
Since 3 April 1991, the Security Council has adopted 14 more resolutions
directly relating to the implementation of resolution 687.
In pursuance of resolution 687 (1991),
the following United Nations bodies were established.
The United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation
Mission (UNIKOM) with the mandate to monitor the Khawr’ Abdallah waterway
between Iraq and Kuwait and the demilitarized zone (DMZ) extending 10 kilometers
(6 miles) into Iraq and 5 kilometers (3 miles) into Kuwait; to deter violations
of the boundary through its presence in and surveillance of the DMZ; and
to observe any hostile or potentially hostile action mounted from the territory
of one State to the other. The mandate was later strengthened to enable
UNIKOM to take action to prevent or redress small-scale violations of the
DMZ, violations of the boundary between Iraq and Kuwait, and problems that
might arise from the presence of Iraqi installations and Iraqi citizens
and their assets in the DMZ or on the Kuwaiti side of the newly demarcated
boundary. [For more information, see DPI/1306/Rev.3]
The United Nations Special Commission
to oversee the destruction, removal or rendering harmless of all Iraq’s
chemical and biological weapons and related capabilities and facilities,
and its ballistic missiles with a range greater than 150 kilometers. The
Commission has also assisted the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
in the destruction, removal, or rendering harmless as appropriate of Iraq’s
nuclear capabilities. [For more information, see DPI/1239/Rev.2]
The Iraq-Kuwait Boundary Demarcation
Commission to demarcate the international boundary set out the "Agreed
Minutes between the State of Kuwait and the Republic of Iraq regarding
the Restoration of Friendly Relations, Recognition and Related Matters",
signed by them on 4 October 1963 and registered with the United Nations.
The Commission consisted of five members: three independent experts appointed
by the Secretary-General and one representative each of Iraq and Kuwait
appointed by their respective Governments. The Commission concluded its
work and submitted its final report to the Secretary-General on 20 May
1993. [See document S/25811.]
The United Nations Compensation
Commission to administer the Fund to pay compensation for "any direct loss,
damage, including environmental damage and the depletion of natural resources,
or injury to foreign Governments, nationals and corporations, as a result
of Iraq’s unlawful invasion and occupation of Kuwait". The Commission functions
under the authority of the Security Council, of which it is a subsidiary
organ. The principal organ of the Commission is the Governing Council,
composed of the representatives of the current members of the Security
Council. The Governing Council is assisted by a number of Commissioners
who are experts in fields such as finance, law, accountancy, insurance
and environmental damage assessment and who act in their personal capacity.
They are appointed by the Secretary-General. As of 14 January 1994, 2,335,000
compensation claims had been submitted by 78 Governments on behalf of their
citizens, their corporations and themselves.
Further to this, in the context
of Council resolution 686 (1991), the Secretary-General appointed a senior
United Nations official to coordinate the return of property from Iraq
to Kuwait.
In addition, the Security Council’s
Sanctions Committee, established by resolution 661 (1990), monitors the
prohibitions against the sale or supply of arms to Iraq and related sanctions
set out in resolution 687 (1991), in accordance with the approved guidelines,
and reports to the Council at a 90-day intervals. Resolutions 706 (1991)
and 712 (1991) assigned additional monitoring tasks to the Committee.
* * * * *
The full text of the Security Council resolutions
and Presidential statements relating to the situation between Iraq and
Kuwait is reproduced along with Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.
Security Council Resolution 660(1990)
Security Council Resolution 661(1990)
Security Council Resolution 662(1990)
Security Council Resolution 664(1990)
Security Council Resolution 665(1990)
Security Council Resolution 666(1990)
Security Council Resolution 667(1990)
Security Council Resolution 669(1990)
Security Council Resolution 670(1990)
Security Council Resolution 674(1990)
Security Council Resolution 677(1990)
Security Council Resolution 678(1990)
Security Council Resolution 686(1991)
Security Council Resolution 687(1991)
Security Council Resolution 689(1991)
Security Council Resolution 692(1991)
Security Council Resolution 699(1991)
Security Council Resolution 700(1991)
Security Council Resolution 705(1991)
Security Council Resolution 706(1991)
Security Council Resolution 707(1991)
Security Council Resolution 712(1991)
Security Council Resolution 715(1991)
Security Council Resolution 773(1992)
Security Council Resolution 778(1992)
Security Council Resolution 806(1993)
Security Council Resolution 833(1993)
Security Council Resolution 899(1994)
Security Council Resolution 949(1994)
Security Council Resolution 986(1995)
Security Council Resolution 1051(1996)
Security Council Resolution 1060(1996)
Security Council Resolution 1111(1997)
Security Council Resolution 1115(1997)
Security Council Resolution 1129(1997)
Security Council Resolution 1134(1997)
Security Council Resolution 1137(1997)
Security Council Resolution 1143(1997)
Security Council Resolution 1153(1998)
Security Council Resolution 1154(1998)
Security Council Resolution 1158(1998)
Security Council Resolution 1175(1998)
Security Council Resolution 1194(1998)
Security Council Resolution 1205(1998)
Security Council Resolution 1210(1998)
Security Council Resolution 1242(1999)
Security Council Resolution 1266(1999)
Security Council Resolution 1275(1999)
Security Council Resolution 1280(1999)
Security Council Resolution 1281(1999)
Security Council Resolution 1284(1999)
Security Council Resolution 1293(2000)
Security Council Resolution 1302(2000)
Security Council Resolution 1330(2000)
Security Council Resolution 1352(2001)
Security Council Resolution 1360(2001)
Security Council Resolution 1382(2001)
Security Council Resolution 1409(2002)
Security Council Resolution 1441(2000)
Security Council Resolution 1443(2002)
Security Council Resolution 1447(2002)
Security Council Resolution 1454(2002)
Security Council Resolution 1472(2003)
Security Council Resolution 1476(2003)
Security Council Resolution 1483(2003)
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