clear

Creating new perspectives since 2009

Iraqi parliamentarian calls for UN to review border-defining resolution

February 15, 2014 at 1:27 pm

An Iraqi parliamentarian has called for the permanent members of the UN Security Council to support Iraq against what she calls “Kuwaiti land expansion” at the expense of Iraq’s territory.


In a statement, Alya Nasif of the Free Iraq List Coalition called on the Security Council, especially Russia, to stand beside Iraq to stop Kuwaiti violations as it demarcates the border between the two countries. According to Nasif, Kuwait’s actions are based on the “notorious” UN Security Council resolution 833 issued during the time of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. She said that when resolution 833 was agreed Saddam was only acting to extend his grip on the country, not in the best interests of Iraq and Iraqis. The people of Iraq, she added, should not be made to pay the price with their land for the actions of the former dictator.

Iraqis living in the coastal Um-Alqasr neighbourhood on the outskirts of Al-Basra have expressed their anger and concerns about being told to evacuate their homes because, according to resolution 833, they have been built on Kuwaiti land.

The Security Council issued resolution 833 in 1993. It defines the borders between Iraq and Kuwait at a length of 216 km. Partial implementation of the resolution’s requirements took place in the mid to late 1990s and included swathes of Iraqi land being handed over to Kuwait, notably in the area of Safwan and Um-Alqasr.