UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 6 (UPI) -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the slow pace of the identification and return of the remains of slain Kuwaitis from Iraq is a "serious concern."
In his bi-annual report to the U.N. Security Council, a copy of which was obtained by KUNA, the Kuwait news agency, Saturday, Ban said, "The inactivity on the exhumation and repatriation of the remains of Kuwaiti and third-country nationals during the last year (2008) is of serious concern."
The remains of Kuwaiti Mostafa Abdulrazzaq Jassem Hassan were recently identified by Iraqi authorities, making for 236 bodies found and repatriated to Kuwait. The whereabouts of some 369 Kuwaiti and third-country nationals, however, are still unknown, KUNA said.
Ban called on all parties concerned to work together, "urging earnest collaboration and practical involvement. I sincerely hope that the quality of effort will increase and progress will be made during the coming months. I believe it is important for Iraq and Kuwait to bring closure to these issues," he said.
