UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Tuesday welcomed the ongoing cooperation between Iraq and Kuwait on searching for Kuwaitis that went missing during a war fought by the two countries almost three decades ago.
In a presidential statement, the council recalled a 2013 resolution that addresses the issue of missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals as well as the return of Kuwaiti property by the government of Iraq.
The council "welcomes the ongoing cooperation between Iraq and Kuwait in the search of missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals, and the positive effort by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense on this important humanitarian endeavor," the statement said.
It encouraged the Iraqi government to ensure that all appropriate institutional, financial and technical support is made available to facilitate future activities in this regard.
Meanwhile, the council noted with regret that there remains 369 cases of missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals still unresolved and that no human remains have been exhumed since 2004.
It encouraged the international community to provide technical equipment to Iraq to assist in identifying burial locations "in accordance with best practices."
"Ascertaining the fate of missing persons and providing answers to their grieving families depend on steadfast commitment, action and the adoption of new and innovative ways to push the issue forward," the council stressed.
According to figures from Kuwait, over 600 people went missing during Iraq's seven-month invasion of the country that started in 1990, most of whom were Kuwaiti nationals. The Security Council has repeatedly called for Iraq's cooperation on resolving the issue.
