U.S. Wants 50% of Iraq Oil Income in Reparations Fund

WASHINGTON —  State Department spokeswoman Margaret Tutwiler said Monday that the United States will ask the U.N. Security Council to confiscate 50% of Iraq’s future oil revenues to pay Persian Gulf War reparations instead of the 30% recommended last week by U.N. Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar.

“We do not think that the 30% level suggested is adequate to compensate on a timely basis Kuwaitis and the others who have suffered so grievously at Iraq’s hands,” Tutwiler said. “As a result of the damages incurred, and Iraq’s continued repressive policies, we believe the figure suggested is too low. The Security Council is not obligated to approve the secretary general’s recommendation, although certainly his recommendation will carry great weight.”

When Perez de Cuellar announced his recommendation Friday, he said that a 30% ceiling on reparations would leave Baghdad enough money to service its foreign debt, feed its people and rebuild its devastated economy.

The actual percentage Iraq must pay will be set later by the U.N. Compensation Commission’s governing council, made up of all 15 countries on the Security Council.