| UNSecurity Council Resolution 687 | |
|---|---|
 Iraq (green) and Kuwait (orange) | |
| Date | 3 April 1991 |
| Meeting no. | 2,981 |
| Code | S/RES/687 (Document) |
| Subject | Iraq–Kuwait |
Voting summary |
|
| Result | Adopted |
| Security Council composition | |
Permanent members | |
Non-permanent members | |
United Nations Security Council Resolution 687 was adopted on 3 April 1991. After reaffirming resolutions660,661,662,664,665,666,667,669,670,674,677,678 (all 1990) and686 (1991), the Council set the terms, in a comprehensive resolution, with whichIraq was to comply after losing theGulf War. Resolution 687 was passed by 12 votes to one (Cuba) against, with two abstentions fromEcuador andYemen, after a very extended meeting.[1] Iraq accepted the provisions of the resolution on 6 April 1991.[2]
Resolution 687, divided into nine sections, firstly urged Iraq andKuwait to respect the boundary between the two countries, calling on the Secretary-GeneralJavier Pérez de Cuéllar to assist indemarcating the border. It requested the Secretary-General to submit, within one month, a plan for the deployment of theUnited Nations Iraq–Kuwait Observation Mission along thedemilitarized zone which was established to be 10 km into Iraq and 5 km into Kuwait.
The Council reminded Iraq of its obligations under theGeneva Protocol and to unconditionally remove and destroy allchemical andbiological weapons andballistic missiles with a range greater than 150 km. As part of this demand, the Council requested Iraq submit, within 15 days, a report declaring all locations of all the aforementioned weapons and agree to urgent, on-site inspections. It then established theUnited Nations Special Commission relating to inspections and set provisions for it, and asked Iraq to abide by its obligations under theTreaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, agreeing not to developnuclear weapons and submitting a report to the Secretary-General andInternational Atomic Energy Agency within 15 days. The resolution noted that these actions "represent steps towards the goal of establishing in the Middle East a zone free from weapons of mass destruction and all missiles for their delivery and the objective of a global ban on chemical weapons".
After discussing the facilitation of repatriations ofprisoners of war and co-operation with theInternational 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.
Resolution 687 then referred torepatriations andcompensation, 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 declarednull and void any statements by Iraq regarding its refusal to repay its foreign debt, and decided to create a fund for these compensation claims (theUnited Nations Compensation Commission, officially established inResolution 692).
Regarding sanctions, the Council reiteratedinternational 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.
Upon Iraq's acceptance of all paragraphs of the resolution, a formal ceasefire began between Iraq and Kuwait and Member States co-operating with Kuwait.
The most important part of the resolution was the concluding paragraph 34, which required that "[the Security Council]...[d]ecides...to take such further steps as may be required for the implementation of the present resolution and to secure peace and security in the area." This paragraph, and similar provisions inResolution 678, were used by the United States and United Kingdom as legal justification for their1996 bombing of Iraq,1998 bombing of Iraq, and2003 invasion of Iraq, with officials claiming the resolutions provided authority to "use all necessary means" to compel Iraq to comply with its UN obligations.[3] This reasoning was heavily criticized at the time by numerous experts in international law,[4] and later called into question by the UK's ownpublic inquiry into the Iraq war.[5]
Works related toUnited Nations Security Council Resolution 687 at Wikisource
