United Nations Security Council Resolution 687
Encyclopedia
United Nations
Security Council Resolution
687, adopted on April 3, 1991, after reaffirming resolutions 660
, 661
, 662
, 664
, 665
, 666
, 667
, 669
, 670
, 674
, 677
, 678
(all 1990) and 686
(1991), the Council set the terms, in a comprehensive resolution, with which Iraq
was to comply after losing the Gulf War
.
The resolution, divided into nine sections, firstly urged Iraq and Kuwait
to respect the boundary between the two countries, calling on the Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar
to assist both in demarcating
the border. It requested the Secretary-General to submit, within three days, a plan for the deployment of the United Nations Iraq–Kuwait Observation Mission along the demilitarised zone which was established to be 10km into Iraq and 5km into Kuwait.
The Council reminded Iraq of its obligations under the Geneva Protocol
and to unconditionally remove and destroy all chemical
and biological weapons
and ballistic missile
s with a range greater than 150km. As part of this demand, the Council requested Iraq submit, within 15 days, a report declaring all locations of all the aforementioned and agree to urgent, on-site inspection. It then established the United Nations Special Commission
relating to inspections and set provisions for it, and asked Iraq to abide by its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
, agreeing not to develop nuclear weapon
s and submitting a report to the Secretary-General and International Atomic Energy Agency
within 15 days.
Resolution 687 then referred to repatriations and compensation, stating Iraq is liable for any loss, damage and injury inflicted upon Kuwait, further demanding that Iraq hand over any remaining property seized from Kuwait. It also declared null and void
any statements by Iraq regarding its refusal to repay its foreign debt, and decided to create a fund for these compensation claims (the United Nations Compensation Commission
, officially established in Resolution 692
).
Regarding sanctions, the Council reiterated international sanctions
against Iraq do not apply to foodstuffs or medical aid to the civilian populations of Iraq and Kuwait, as well as removing sanctions placed on Iraq in Resolution 661 (1990) and decided to review these restrictions every 60 days. However, sales of weapons and other related material to Iraq will continue to be prohibited.
After discussing the facilitation of repatriations of prisoners of war
and co-operation with the International Committee of the Red Cross
, the Council required Iraq to inform the Council that it did not commit to or support terrorism
and would not allow such acts to take place in its territory. Upon Iraq's acceptance of all paragraphs of the resolution, a formal ceasefire between Iraq and Kuwait and Member States co-operating with Kuwait.
The resolution was passed by 12 votes to one against (Cuba
) with two abstentions from Ecuador
and Yemen
after a very extended meeting. Iraq accepted the provisions of the resolution on April 6, 1991.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Security Council Resolution
United Nations Security Council Resolution
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security"....
687, adopted on April 3, 1991, after reaffirming resolutions 660
United Nations Security Council Resolution 660
United Nations Security Council Resolution 660, adopted on August 2, 1990, after noting its alarm of the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq, the Council condemned the invasion and demanded Iraq withdraw immediately and unconditionally to positions as they were on August 1, 1990.Yemen called upon Iraq and...
, 661
United Nations Security Council Resolution 661
In United Nations Security Council Resolution 661, adopted on August 6, 1990, reaffirming Resolution 660 and noting Iraq's refusal to comply with it and Kuwait's right of self-defence, the Council took steps to implement international sanctions on Iraq under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter...
, 662
United Nations Security Council Resolution 662
United Nations Security Council Resolution 662, adopted unanimously on August 9, 1990, recalling resolutions 660 and 661 , the Council decided that the annexation of Kuwait by Iraq under any form was illegal....
, 664
United Nations Security Council Resolution 664
United Nations Security Council Resolution 664, adopted unanimously on August 18, 1990, reaffirming resolutions 660 , 661 and 662 , the Council recalled Iraq's obligations under international law and acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, demanded that Iraq permit and facilitate...
, 665
United Nations Security Council Resolution 665
United Nations Security Council Resolution 665, adopted on August 25, 1990, after demanding the full and immediate implementation of resolutions 660, 661, 662 and 664, the Council authorised a naval blockade to enforce the embargo against Iraq, in the aftermath of its invasion of Kuwait on August...
, 666
United Nations Security Council Resolution 666
United Nations Security Council Resolution 666, adopted on September 13, 1990, after recalling resolutions 661 and 664 which discussed the humanitarian situation in Iraq and Kuwait and the detention of nationals from foreign countries, the Council decided to ask the Security Council Committee to...
, 667
United Nations Security Council Resolution 667
United Nations Security Council Resolution 667, adopted unanimously on September 16, 1990, after recalling resolutions 660 , 661 , 664 , 665 and 666 , the Council expressed its outrage and condemned "aggressive acts" by Iraq against diplomatic missions and personnel in occupied Kuwait, including...
, 669
United Nations Security Council Resolution 669
United Nations Security Council Resolution 669, adopted unanimously on September 24, 1990, after recalling Resolution 661 and Article 50 of Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the Council was conscious of the increasing number of requests for assistance have been received under Article 50,...
, 670
United Nations Security Council Resolution 670
United Nations Security Council Resolution 670, adopted on September 25, 1990, after recalling resolutions 660 , 661 , 662 , 664 , 665 , 666 and 667 on the topic of Iraq, the Council condemned the continued Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, the violence against Kuwaiti citizens and its defiance of...
, 674
United Nations Security Council Resolution 674
United Nations Security Council Resolution 674, adopted on October 29, 1990, after recalling resolutions 660 , 661 , 662 , 664 , 665 , 666 , 667 and 670 on the topic of Iraq, the Council condemned the continuing situation in occupied Kuwait after the Iraqi invasion on August 2, 1990, reaffirming...
, 677
United Nations Security Council Resolution 677
United Nations Security Council Resolution 677, adopted unanimously on November 28, 1990, after recalling resolutions 660 , 662 and 674 , the Council condemned attempts by Iraq to alter the demographic information of Kuwait and the restrictions on the movement of its citizens.Acting under Chapter...
, 678
United Nations Security Council Resolution 678
United Nations Security Council Resolution 678, adopted on November 29, 1990, after reaffirming resolutions 660, 661, 662, 664, 665, 666, 667, 669, 670, 674 and 677 , the Council noted that despite all the United Nations efforts, Iraq continued to defy the Security Council.-Details:The Council,...
(all 1990) and 686
United Nations Security Council Resolution 686
United Nations Security Council Resolution 686, adopted on March 2, 1991, after reaffirming resolutions 660, 661, 662, 664, 665, 666, 667, 669, 670, 674, 677 and 678 , the Council noted the suspension of military activities against Iraq and that all twelve resolutions continue to have full force...
(1991), the Council set the terms, in a comprehensive resolution, with which Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
was to comply after losing the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
.
The resolution, divided into nine sections, firstly urged Iraq and Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
to respect the boundary between the two countries, calling on the Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar
Javier Pérez de Cuéllar
Javier Pérez de Cuéllar y de la Guerra is a Peruvian diplomat who served as the fifth Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1, 1982 to December 31, 1991. He studied in Colegio San Agustín of Lima, and then at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. In 1995, he ran unsuccessfully...
to assist both in demarcating
Demarcation
Demarcation is the act of creating a boundary around a place or thing.Demarcation may also refer to:*Demarcation line, a temporary border between the countries...
the border. It requested the Secretary-General to submit, within three days, a plan for the deployment of the United Nations Iraq–Kuwait Observation Mission along the demilitarised zone which was established to be 10km into Iraq and 5km into Kuwait.
The Council reminded Iraq of its obligations under the Geneva Protocol
Geneva Protocol
The Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare, usually called the Geneva Protocol, is a treaty prohibiting the first use of chemical and biological weapons. It was signed at Geneva on June 17, 1925 and entered...
and to unconditionally remove and destroy all chemical
Chemical warfare
Chemical warfare involves using the toxic properties of chemical substances as weapons. This type of warfare is distinct from Nuclear warfare and Biological warfare, which together make up NBC, the military acronym for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical...
and biological weapons
Biological warfare
Biological warfare is the use of biological toxins or infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi with intent to kill or incapacitate humans, animals or plants as an act of war...
and ballistic missile
Ballistic missile
A ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering one or more warheads to a predetermined target. The missile is only guided during the relatively brief initial powered phase of flight and its course is subsequently governed by the...
s with a range greater than 150km. As part of this demand, the Council requested Iraq submit, within 15 days, a report declaring all locations of all the aforementioned and agree to urgent, on-site inspection. It then established the United Nations Special Commission
United Nations Special Commission
United Nations Special Commission was an inspection regime created by the United Nations to ensure Iraq's compliance with policies concerning Iraqi production and use of weapons of mass destruction after the Gulf War...
relating to inspections and set provisions for it, and asked Iraq to abide by its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as the Non-Proliferation Treaty or NPT, is a landmark international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to...
, agreeing not to develop nuclear weapon
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
s and submitting a report to the Secretary-General and International Atomic Energy Agency
International Atomic Energy Agency
The International Atomic Energy Agency is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. The IAEA was established as an autonomous organization on 29 July 1957...
within 15 days.
Resolution 687 then referred to repatriations and compensation, stating Iraq is liable for any loss, damage and injury inflicted upon Kuwait, further demanding that Iraq hand over any remaining property seized from Kuwait. It also declared null and void
Void (law)
In law, void means of no legal effect. An action, document or transaction which is void is of no legal effect whatsoever: an absolute nullity - the law treats it as if it had never existed or happened....
any statements by Iraq regarding its refusal to repay its foreign debt, and decided to create a fund for these compensation claims (the United Nations Compensation Commission
United Nations Compensation Commission
The United Nations Compensation Commission was created in 1991 as a subsidiary organ of the United Nations Security Council. Its mandate is to process claims and pay compensation for losses and damage suffered as a direct result of Iraq's 1990-1991 invasion and occupation of Kuwait...
, officially established in Resolution 692
United Nations Security Council Resolution 692
United Nations Security Council Resolution 692, adopted on May 20, 1991, after recalling resolutions 674 , 686 and 687 , as well as taking the report by the Secretary-General, the Council decided to establish the United Nations Compensation Commission to deal with compensation claims resulting...
).
Regarding sanctions, the Council reiterated international sanctions
International sanctions
International sanctions are actions taken by countries against others for political reasons, either unilaterally or multilaterally.There are several types of sanctions....
against Iraq do not apply to foodstuffs or medical aid to the civilian populations of Iraq and Kuwait, as well as removing sanctions placed on Iraq in Resolution 661 (1990) and decided to review these restrictions every 60 days. However, sales of weapons and other related material to Iraq will continue to be prohibited.
After discussing the facilitation of repatriations of prisoners of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
and co-operation with the International Committee of the Red Cross
International Committee of the Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross is a private humanitarian institution based in Geneva, Switzerland. States parties to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977 and 2005, have given the ICRC a mandate to protect the victims of international and...
, the Council required Iraq to inform the Council that it did not commit to or support terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
and would not allow such acts to take place in its territory. Upon Iraq's acceptance of all paragraphs of the resolution, a formal ceasefire between Iraq and Kuwait and Member States co-operating with Kuwait.
The resolution was passed by 12 votes to one against (Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
) with two abstentions from Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
and Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
after a very extended meeting. Iraq accepted the provisions of the resolution on April 6, 1991.
See also
- Gulf WarGulf WarThe Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
- Invasion of KuwaitInvasion of KuwaitThe Invasion of Kuwait, also known as the Iraq-Kuwait War, was a major conflict between the Republic of Iraq and the State of Kuwait, which resulted in the seven-month long Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, which subsequently led to direct military intervention by United States-led forces in the Gulf...
- Iraq and weapons of mass destructionIraq and weapons of mass destructionDuring the regime of Saddam Hussein, the nation of Iraq used, possessed, and made efforts to acquire weapons of mass destruction . Hussein was internationally known for his use of chemical weapons in the 1980s against Iranian and Kurdish civilians during and after the Iran–Iraq War...
- Iraq–Kuwait relationsIraq–Kuwait relationsThe international relations of Iraq and Kuwait have been turbulent, fuelled by Iraqi debt and conflicts over oil.-History:In 1990, Iraq accused Kuwait of stealing Iraqi oil through slant drilling, however some Iraqi sources indicated Saddam Hussein's decision to attack Kuwait was made only a few...
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 601 to 700 (1987 – 1991)