C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000363
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/05/2019
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, IZ, KU
SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST: RESOLVING IRAQ-RELATED ISSUES AT
THE SECURITY COUNCIL
Classified By: AMBASSADOR SUSAN RICE, FOR REASONS 1.4 B/D
1. (C) On April 6, Iraqi PR Bayati met with Ambassador
DiCarlo to ask for U.S. assistance to lift Iraq,s remaining
Security Council obligations. Noting the scheduled April 16
Security Council briefing by Gennady Tarasov (the UN,s
high-level envoy for Kuwaiti missing persons and the missing
Kuwaiti national archives), Bayati said Iraq had done all it
could to help Tarasov with his work. Therefore, Bayati asked
that the Council close this mandate, and work to close all
remaining mandates as soon as possible. He also asked that
the U.S. share with Iraq our thoughts regarding how best to
lift Iraq,s Security Council obligations, given that the UN
will issue a report on this issue, probably in June. ACTION
REQUEST AT PARA 3.
2. (C) Bayati raised a litany of complaints about Kuwait,s
refusal to cooperate with Iraq, and its insistence "to keep
all the Security Council files open." He said Kuwait was
treating Iraq as if Saddam Hussein was still in power, and
Iraq would defend its rights and emphasize to all that it
should not be held hostage to the actions of the former
regime. Ambassador DiCarlo told Bayati that the U.S. would
like to help Iraq, although she noted that the Security
Council would also listen to the Kuwaiti point of view. She
added that Tarasov,s report is due on April 9, and after
consideration of this report, the U.S. would have a view
regarding this specific mandate.
3. (C) ACTION REQUEST: USUN requests Department guidance
regarding action and coordination with the Iraqi Mission in
advance of the June UN report on Iraq,s Security Council
obligations. END ACTION REQUEST.
Rice