thedrifter
03-08-03, 07:54 AM
U.N. believes U.S. Marines cut fence between Iraq and Kuwait
ASSOCIATED PRESS
8:01 a.m., March 7, 2003
UNITED NATIONS – International peacekeepers have complained to the U.N. Security Council about U.S. Marines that they believe are cutting holes in a U.N.-patrolled fence between Kuwait and Iraq.
U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard said peacekeepers who monitor a demilitarized zone set up after the 1991 Persian Gulf War between Iraq and Kuwait reported "numerous violations," since Tuesday "by personnel in civilian clothes in 4 x 4 vehicles, at least some of whom were armed and identified themselves as U.S. Marines."
Marine Maj. David Andersen, a public affairs officer for the U.S.-led coalition command center in Kuwait City, said the Marines were investigating the report.
Col. Youssef al-Mullah, spokesman for Kuwait's Defense Ministry, told The Associated Press: "This is Kuwaiti land, and if we deem that any changes should be done to the fence in the interest of defending the country, we will do them."
Eckhard said peacekeepers observed three breaches that had been cut in an electric fence that Kuwait erected after a U.S.-led coalition forced Iraqi troops out of the country in 1991. The peacekeepers didn't see the Marines cut the fence but believe the Marines did so.
In one incident on Tuesday, observers saw four men in a car near the fence, said Daljeet Bagga, a spokesman for the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM).
The men identified themselves as U.S. Marines who were cleared by Kuwaiti authorities to be in the area, Bagga said.
The men told observers they were testing radio equipment, Bagga said. They were not seen working on the fence, he added. A gap was found in the fence near the site later in the day, though Bagga said he could not confirm the Marines were responsible.
He said, however, that Kuwait has been making extra openings in the fence. In the last two days, workers from Nepal and India have made seven new gaps and have been installing gates on them.
The 120-mile fence already had 19 gated openings.
"We have not seen anyone in uniform," at the sites of the new openings, Bagga said.
He said UNIKOM has reported the seven new gaps to the United Nations and asked the Kuwaiti government for an explanation.
"We are concerned about this," he said "We were not informed about it."
Kuwaiti officials could not be immediately reached for comment.
Eckhard said the complaint was sent to the Security Council in the form of a letter from the U.N. peacekeeping department. Eckhard said the breach may violate the Security Council resolution that set up the zone but that it was up for the council to make that determination.
The United States has amassed more than 300,000 troops in the region in preparation for another possible war with Iraq. In the meantime, it is pushing council members to adopt a new resolution that would authorize military force, as it did in 1991.
Sempers,
Roger
ASSOCIATED PRESS
8:01 a.m., March 7, 2003
UNITED NATIONS – International peacekeepers have complained to the U.N. Security Council about U.S. Marines that they believe are cutting holes in a U.N.-patrolled fence between Kuwait and Iraq.
U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard said peacekeepers who monitor a demilitarized zone set up after the 1991 Persian Gulf War between Iraq and Kuwait reported "numerous violations," since Tuesday "by personnel in civilian clothes in 4 x 4 vehicles, at least some of whom were armed and identified themselves as U.S. Marines."
Marine Maj. David Andersen, a public affairs officer for the U.S.-led coalition command center in Kuwait City, said the Marines were investigating the report.
Col. Youssef al-Mullah, spokesman for Kuwait's Defense Ministry, told The Associated Press: "This is Kuwaiti land, and if we deem that any changes should be done to the fence in the interest of defending the country, we will do them."
Eckhard said peacekeepers observed three breaches that had been cut in an electric fence that Kuwait erected after a U.S.-led coalition forced Iraqi troops out of the country in 1991. The peacekeepers didn't see the Marines cut the fence but believe the Marines did so.
In one incident on Tuesday, observers saw four men in a car near the fence, said Daljeet Bagga, a spokesman for the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM).
The men identified themselves as U.S. Marines who were cleared by Kuwaiti authorities to be in the area, Bagga said.
The men told observers they were testing radio equipment, Bagga said. They were not seen working on the fence, he added. A gap was found in the fence near the site later in the day, though Bagga said he could not confirm the Marines were responsible.
He said, however, that Kuwait has been making extra openings in the fence. In the last two days, workers from Nepal and India have made seven new gaps and have been installing gates on them.
The 120-mile fence already had 19 gated openings.
"We have not seen anyone in uniform," at the sites of the new openings, Bagga said.
He said UNIKOM has reported the seven new gaps to the United Nations and asked the Kuwaiti government for an explanation.
"We are concerned about this," he said "We were not informed about it."
Kuwaiti officials could not be immediately reached for comment.
Eckhard said the complaint was sent to the Security Council in the form of a letter from the U.N. peacekeeping department. Eckhard said the breach may violate the Security Council resolution that set up the zone but that it was up for the council to make that determination.
The United States has amassed more than 300,000 troops in the region in preparation for another possible war with Iraq. In the meantime, it is pushing council members to adopt a new resolution that would authorize military force, as it did in 1991.
Sempers,
Roger