Mideastweb: Middle East

UN Security Council Resolution 660
August 2, 1990

Middle East news peacewatch top stories books Documents culture dialog donations

Introduction

During the summer of 1990, the Iraqi government began diplomatic moves intended to establish a claim to certain oil-rich portions of neighboring Kuwait, one of the tiny Gulf states bordering Iraq to the south. On July 25, US ambassador April Glaspie met with Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. The US and other western countries had backed Iraq against Iran in the long war that it had initiated against Iran. Now Saddam was seeking backing regarding claims against Kuwait. Glaspie told Saddam that the United States had "no position" regarding Arab-Arab disputes. Some claim that Saddam interpreted this as a green light to invade Kuwait. Saddam reassured Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that he would not invade Kuwait despite Western fears, and Saudi sponsored mediation talks were held on July 31. These talks were broken off by the Iraqis on August 1, and Iraq invaded and occupied Kuwait August 2. The Security Council met the same day and passed resolution 660, the first of many resolutions dealing with the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. 

Ami Isseroff


Notice - Copyright

This introduction is Copyright 2002 by MidEastWeb http://www.mideastweb.org and the author. Please tell your friends about MidEastWeb and link to this page. Please do not copy this page to your Web site. You may print this page out for classroom use provided that this notice is appended, and you may cite this material in the usual way. Other uses by permission only.  The source material below is in the public domain.


S/RES/660 (1990)

 2 August 1990

United Nations Security Council Resolution 660

Adopted by the Security Council at its 2932nd meeting, on 2 August 1990

The Security Council,

Alarmed by the invasion of Kuwait on 2 August 1990 by the military forces of Iraq,

Determining that there exists a breach of international peace and security as regards the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait,

Acting under Articles 39 and 40 of the Charter of the United Nations,

1. Condemns the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait;

2. Demands that Iraq withdraw immediately and unconditionally all s its forces to the positions in which they were located on 1 August 1990;

3. Calls upon Iraq and Kuwait to begin immediately intensive negotiations for the resolution of their differences and supports all efforts in this regard, and especially those of the League of Arab States;

4. Decides to meet again as necessary to consider further steps with to ensure compliance with the present resolution.

IRAQ History Page

Main Middle East Historical Documents Page

MidEastWeb - Middle East

Middle East Gateway