US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT4789

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 004789 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR NEA/ARPI AND IO/UNP; PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KU, IZ, TS, UN 
SUBJECT: UN AMBASSADOR VORONTSOV ASK U.S. TO PRESS TUNISIA 
TO ACCEPT KUWAITI-IRAQI AGREEMENT ON STOLEN PLANE PARTS 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) 
 
1.  (U)  This is an action request.  See paragraph 7. 
 
2.  (C) Summary:  UN Special Envoy Vorontsov requested 
November 16 that the U.S. press the Government of Tunisia to 
accept an agreement reached between the UN, Kuwait, and Iraq 
on the return to Kuwait of spare airplane parts stolen by 
Saddam Hussein during the 1990-1991 Gulf War.  Tunisia is 
trying to link return of the parts to Iraqi payment of $10 
million in storage fees for the four Iraq-owned planes 
housing the parts.  Vorontsov considers the parts and plane 
issues to be separate matters, the latter a bilateral issue 
to be resolved by the GOT and ITG.  He asked the U.S. to 
approach the GOT and stress:  the airplane parts as well as 
an engine are stolen property which the UN, GOK, and ITG 
agreed should be returned immediately to Kuwait, the four 
planes and any associated storage fees should be resolved by 
the GOT and the ITG without UN involvement, GOT failure to 
cooperate will be noted in Vorontsov's December 13 report the 
UN Security Council.  End Summary. 
 
Tunisia Blocking Kuwaiti-Iraqi-UN Pact on Plane Parts 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
3.  (C)  UN Special Envoy Ambassador Yuli Vorontsov met with 
the Ambassador on November 16 to request the U.S. press the 
Government of Tunisia (GOT) to accept a September 16 protocol 
signed by the Government of Kuwait (GOK) and the Iraqi 
Transitional Government (ITG) on the return of spare airplane 
parts stolen from Kuwait by the Saddam Hussein regime and 
located in Tunisia for the past 14 years.  Vorontsov 
explained that in mid-September, he and delegations of 
airline representatives from Kuwait and Iraq traveled to 
Tunisia to inspect the spare parts.  The Kuwaiti, Iraqi, and 
UN representatives all agreed that the parts, including a 
spare Boeing 747 engine, were GOK property and should be 
returned.  (Note:  The GOT facilitated the internal travel of 
the delegations, but was not a party to the agreement which 
strictly addressed ownership of the parts and engine.  End 
note.) 
 
Kuwaiti Parts Held Hostage Pending Plane Deal 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
4.  (C)  Vorontsov reported that as he prepared to depart 
Tunisia, he was contacted by the Kuwaiti delegation which had 
received a note from the GOT informing it that the mission 
was over and that the delegation should leave immediately, 
which meant departing without the parts.  Vorontsov said the 
GOT seeks a package deal for the spare parts and the planes 
and will not release the Kuwaiti parts until an agreement is 
reached with the ITG on the planes.  The GOT wants $10 
million in storage fees for the aircraft.  Vorontsov, the 
ITG, and the GOK, consider the four Iraqi planes, located in 
Tozur and at a military base in the south, to be a separate 
issue from the parts.  (Note:  The two planes in Tozur are in 
flying condition.  The other two will never fly again 
according to Iraqi mechanics.  End note.)  The parts are 
stolen property and should be returned to the rightful owner. 
 The planes, which include Saddam's private jet, were taken 
to Tunisia by the former regime and the matter should be 
resolved bilaterally, not in the UN context. 
 
5.  (C)  Vorontsov said he considered the spare parts to be 
held hostage by the GOT while it settles a property dispute 
with Iraq.  He urged GOT officials to release the parts to 
the GOK and told them their interference would be cited in 
his December 13 report to the UN Security Council.  He 
commented that the deal sought by the GOT appeared to be a 
simple money-grab:  the GOT knows the ITG cannot afford $10 
million and hoped the GOK might pay the ransom in order to 
speed up the parts' release.  If this ploy fails, Vorontsov 
is concerned the GOT will attempt to impose a duty on the 
parts.  Despite the age of the parts, Vorontsov said the 747 
engine has a market value of $1 million. 
 
Key Points for the Tunisian Government 
-------------------------------------- 
 
6.  (SBU)  Vorontsov informed the Ambassador that the GOK 
welcomes U.S. assistance on this issue and asked that the 
following points be made to the GOT: 
 
--  The U.S. supports the protocol signed in Tunisia by the 
Government of Kuwait and the Iraqi Transitional Government 
regarding the return to Kuwait of spare airplane parts stolen 
by the former Iraqi regime. 
 
KUWAIT 00004789  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
--  The U.S. urges Tunisia to facilitate the immediate return 
of these stolen items to Kuwait.  Failure to support the 
protocol will be cited in the December 13 report to the UN 
Security Council. 
 
--  The return of the spare parts and engine should not be 
linked to the four Iraqi planes in Tunisia, a matter which 
should be resolved bilaterally. 
 
7.  (SBU)  Action requested:  Post endorses Vorontsov's 
request that the U.S. intervene and support Kuwait. 
Vorontsov said the GOK is aware that he planned to ask for 
USG help.  Post asks that the Department issue appropriate 
instructions, incorporating para 6 points, to Embassy Tunis 
and USUN on engaging the GOT.  End action request. 
 
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LEBARON