The payments included some compensation for environmental damage inflicted on Iraq’s neighbours during the seven-month occupation which began in August 1990, the UN Compensation Commission (UNCC) said in a statement.
Kuwaiti companies and state entities received the lion’s share of the latest round of compensation, $ 725.1 million, followed by Saudi Arabia ($ 148m), the United States ($ 76m) and Turkey ($ 23.3m).
Iraq’s government has become more vocal in calling on world powers to lower the percentage of its oil exports earmarked for the Geneva-based fund, the largest programme ever set up to settle post-conflict damage claims.
Iraqi troops destroyed and stole property and also set oil fires during the occupation which ended when a US-led coalition drove them from the emirate in February 1991.
Under the UN-imposed peace terms, Iraq must pay a share of its oil income to the UNCC to compensate people, companies and governments which prove losses. It currently receives five percent of Iraqi oil income to pay claims, roughly $ 220m in a month, UNCC officials said.
In all, the UNCC’s Governing Body has approved $ 52.3 billion worth of claims, but $ 28 billion is still owed. Speed of payment will depend on its income, but will take years at current rates. Iraq said last week Kuwait had agreed to review the question of reducing Iraq’s compensation payments. But Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed Al Salem Al Sabah said any change in the compensation regime must be decided by the Security Council.
Kuwait, which has received nearly $ 14 billion from the UNCC, is still owed some $ 27 billion.
Iraq lobbied to cut the percentage from five percent at the Governing Council session in April, they said.
"The Governing Council considered it very seriously. Due to a question of priority for the environment, it did not agree but has encouraged the two governments to find a solution," Mojtaba Kazazi, Governing Council secretary, said yesterday.
