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Arab News today states that Kuwait does not oppose changes to sanctions etc, so we shall see what happens in London on Wednesday's meeting of the main United Nations members ? Humanitarians and political activists throughout the globe, with respect, should aware of these relevant points, which directly affect their debates, conferences, petitions and demonstrations. Iraq has agreed in principle and with certain conditions to taking part in a commission charged with examining the fate of the disappeared, 605 Kuwaitis and third-nationals. Kuwaiti hostages were seen inside Iraqi prisons by Baroness Emma Nicholson, she stated publicly on UK Channel 4 TV in London, February 1998. U.N. Security Council five permanent members agreed Friday 10/9/99 to hold a meeting on Iraq in London next week, including China which had refused to attend a similar gathering in Washington, diplomats said. Both British and U.S. officials said the goal of the meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, was to conclude a new Security Council policy on Iraq by the end of September when foreign ministers of the five veto-wielding countries meet on the edges of the UN General Assembly. A Chinese spokesman, Chen Ranfeng, said Beijing had accepted the invitation by Britain for a meeting in London of political directors concerned with Iraqi policy. He said the reason was that the London meeting would be a continuation of U.N. talks on Iraq among the five -- the United States, Russia, France, Britain and China -- rather than a ``new mechanism.'' ''And that's an important point,''. The United States wanted to hold a meeting among political directors in Washington last week but China declined to attend. U.S. officials said they backed a British-Dutch draft resolution but there is little chance China, Russia and France would agree without major changes. Britain will be represented by a political director, Emyr Jones-Parry, while Under Secretary of State Thomas Pickering will attend for the United States. The 15-nation Security Council has made no headway in restoring arms control functions in Iraq since mid-December U.S.-British bombing raids. The British-Dutch draft resolution would suspend Iraqi sanctions on exports such as oil, if Baghdad complied with key disarmament demands. Britain quickly gathered co-sponsors for its draft among the 10 non-permanent council members. They include the Netherlands, which helped draw up the resolution, Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, Gambia, Namibia and Slovenia. France, in a rival draft, would suspend sanctions on Iraqi imports as well as exports immediately after a new arms commission is set up and functioning. In contrast the British-Dutch draft calls for several steps over eight months to make sure Iraq has complied with key arms demands. Nevertheless Britain has indicated it might consider easing sanctions on imports providing arms inspections resumed and financial controls were in place. The sanctions, imposed in August 1990 after Baghdad's troops invaded Kuwait, are linked to weapons demands plus requests for release of 605 hostages and PoWs, Kuwaiti and third-nationals, still held in Iraq since 1990 -1991, included in the syntax of UN Resolutions 1154 signed 1998 and 687 signed 1991. As reported 1998 - 1999 by the British TV, Radio media and national press - it is a fact that a letter regarding 605 Kuwaiti and third-national hostages plus PoWs still held in Iraq, signed 19 March 1998 by Foreign Secretary Robin Cook states quite clearly "sanctions cannot be lifted until this issue is resolved". Some writers choose to focus on non-compliance of weapons' inspections - purposefully omitting the human face of this tragedy and with repeated 'speculation' also misleading concerned individuals about sanctions. It has been confirmed verbally again to H.E.L.P. by telephone with the British Foreign Office, Middle East Department recently, when A New Draft Proposal was submitted to the UN by Britain appertaining to all aspects of this whole issue. i.e. Release of the 605 has always been requested within the syntax of United Nations Resolutions 1154 signed March 1998 and 687 signed February 1991. Moonirah - H.E.L.P. Voluntary Humanitarian Co-ordinator Hostages Envoys' for Liberty of Prisoners in Iraq help-kuwaiti.hostages-pows-iniraq@dtn.ntl.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a discussion list run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To be removed/added, email soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk, NOT the whole list. Please do not sent emails with attached files to the list *** Archived at http://linux.clare.cam.ac.uk/~saw27/casi/discuss.html ***