VZCZCXYZ0004
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKU #0779/01 2181536
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (CCY AD99BDC9 MSI3471-695)
P 061536Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3777
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

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