[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
[May 17, 1991]
[Pages 521-522]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Letter to Congressional Leaders on the Situation in the Persian Gulf
May 17, 1991

Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. President:)
    On March 19, 1991, I reported to you, consistent with the 
Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution (Public 
Law 102-1), on the successful conduct of military operations aimed at 
the liberation of Kuwait. Since that time, the United Nations Security 
Council has adopted Resolution 687, which set forth the preconditions 
for a formal cease-fire. Iraq has accepted those terms, and the cease-
fire and withdrawal of coalition forces from southern Iraq have been 
concluded. The Iraqi repression of the Kurdish people has, however, 
necessitated a limited introduction of U.S. forces into northern Iraq 
for emergency relief purposes. I am reporting these matters to you as 
part of our continuing effort to keep the Congress fully informed on 
these developments.

[[Page 522]]

    Resolution 687 required, as a precondition for a formal cease-fire, 
that Iraq officially notify the United Nations of its acceptance of the 
provisions of the resolution. These provisions included: (1) respect for 
the international boundary as agreed between Iraq and Kuwait in 1963, 
which the Security Council guaranteed; (2) the creation of a 
demilitarized zone along the Iraq-Kuwait border and the deployment of a 
U.N. observer unit into that zone; (3) the destruction, removal, or 
rendering harmless of all chemical and biological weapons, ballistic 
missiles with a range greater than 150 kilometers, and nuclear-weapons-
usable material, together with facilities related to them, and 
international supervision and inspection to verify compliance; (4) the 
creation of a fund, drawn from future Iraqi oil revenues, to pay 
compensation for losses caused by the Iraqi invasion and occupation of 
Kuwait; (5) the continuation of the embargo of all exports of arms to 
Iraq; (6) the phased relaxation of certain other aspects of the U.N. 
sanctions against Iraq as Iraq complies with its obligations under the 
resolution; and (7) the renunciation by Iraq of support for 
international terrorism.
    Iraq officially accepted those terms on April 6, and a formal cease-
fire has gone into effect. Accordingly, United States Armed Forces 
deployed in southern Iraq began withdrawing as U.N. peacekeeping 
personnel deployed into the zone, and this withdrawal was completed on 
May 9. The United States has been assisting the U.N. Secretary General 
in his efforts to implement the other provisions of Resolution 687, 
particularly with respect to boundary demarcation, compensation, and 
weapons of mass destruction.
    During this same period, however, Iraqi forces engaged in a campaign 
of brutal repression of internal opposition, with the result that many 
hundreds of thousands of civilians fled their homes in search of safety 
in the regions along the Turkish and Iranian borders. In response to 
this situation, on April 5 the Security Council adopted Resolution 688, 
which insisted that Iraq cease its repression and allow immediate access 
by international humanitarian organizations, and appealed to all Member 
States to assist in these humanitarian relief efforts.
    I immediately ordered United States Armed Forces to begin air-
dropping large amounts of food and other essential items to these 
refugees. However, it soon became clear that even this massive effort 
would not be enough to deal with the desperate plight of the hundreds of 
thousands of men, women, and children stranded and suffering in these 
mountainous areas. Accordingly, on April 16 I directed United States 
Armed Forces to begin to establish immediately several temporary 
encampments in northern Iraq where geographical conditions would be more 
suitable for relief efforts. United States, British, and French forces 
are providing security for these encampments.
    This effort is not intended as a permanent solution to the plight of 
the Iraqi Kurds. It is a humanitarian measure designed to save lives, 
consistent with Resolution 688. It is also not an attempt to intervene 
militarily into the internal affairs of Iraq or to impair its 
territorial integrity. We intend to turn over the administration and 
security for these temporary sites as soon as possible to the United 
Nations (a process that has already begun), and to complete our total 
withdrawal from Iraq. Our long-term objective remains the same: for 
Iraqi Kurds, and indeed for all Iraqi refugees and displaced persons, to 
return home and to live in peace, free from repression.
    I am grateful for the support that the Congress has given, and I 
look forward to continued cooperation in meeting these urgent 
humanitarian goals.
    Sincerely,

                                                             George Bush

                    Note: Identical letters were sent to Thomas S. 
                        Foley, Speaker of the House of Representatives, 
                        and Robert C. Byrd, President pro tempore of the 
                        Senate.