Role of the U.N. in Persian Gulf Security

The panelists discussed the United Nations actions leading up to and through the Persian Gulf war. The allied forces actions were said to rest on the Security Council’s 12 key resolutions. But now that the war is over, the panelists said the role of the United Nations is more unclear as they oversee the transition from war to peace. On 3 April, the Security Council adopted the “Cease Fire Resolution” to which Iraq reluctantly agreed. They discussed the recent Security Council authorization for a 1400 member observer force, the UN-Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM). The UN forces are to replace the allied forces currently patrolling the borders. Other issues of discussion included the verification and removal weapons, the determination of war crimes, economic redevelopment of the region, the fund for compensation of environmental damages, humanitarian assistance, establishing a “safe haven” territory for the Kurds, the return of Kuwaiti property, and a review of the sanctions agai close