The Contemporary Middle East. A Documentary History

Following are seven documents pertaining to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait on August 2,

1990: UN Security Resolution 660, condemning the invasion, adopted on Au-

gust 2 (with Yemen abstaining); Resolution 661, imposing economic sanctions against

Iraq, adopted on August 6 (with Cuba and Yemen abstaining); an address to the

people of Saudi Arabia by King Fahd, on August 9, 1990, on the deployment of for-

eign troops to the kingdom; UN Security Council Resolution 665, authorizing

enforcement of sanctions against Iraq, adopted on August 25 (with Cuba and Yemen

abstaining); excerpts from a speech by Iraqi president Saddam Hussein on August

12, 1990, in which he defends Iraq’s invasion; a joint statement issued in Helsinki

by U.S. president George H. W. Bush and Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev on

September 9, 1990, pledging to take action to reverse the Iraqi invasion; and UN

Security Council Resolution 678, authorizing the use of military force against Iraq,

adopted on November 29 (with Cuba and Yemen voting no and China abstaining).

DOCUMENT

UN Security Council

Resolution 660 (1990)

AUGUST2, 1990

The Security Council,

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

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

Actingunder Articles 39 and 40 of the Charter of the United Nations,

1. Condemns the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait;


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


3. Calls uponIraq 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. Decidesto meet again as necessary to consider further steps to ensure compli-
   ance with the present resolution.
   Adopted at the 2932nd meeting by 14 votes to none. One member (Yemen) did not par-
   ticipate in the vote.

SOURCE: United Nations, http://www.un.org/Docs/scres/1990/scres90.htm.

446 IRAQ AND THE GULF WARS