A U.N. envoy on Wednesday praised Iraqi cooperation in organizing a return of Kuwait's national archives that were looted during the 1990 invasion, saying the process was expected to start "within weeks." Iraq agreed to return the archives during talks last month with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, one of the demands of the U.N. Security Council for lifting the sanctions imposed after its invasion of Kuwait.

"I do not foresee any difficulties and the Iraqi officials indicated they will be helpful in every possible way ... I expect the operation to commence within few weeks," Richard Foran, Annan's envoy for Kuwaiti documents and archives missing in the 1991 war, said after meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri.

He said no specific time was set for the operation.

"Iraq has been very helpful and our meeting today confirms this," he said.

Kuwait maintains that during Iraq's seven-month occupation in 1990-91, Iraq took archives from the Foreign Ministry, prime minister's office and other government departments, and a significant quantity of military hardware plus valuable pieces from the Islamic and National Museums.

Foran described the anticipated return of the looted property to Kuwait as a positive step toward normalizing relations between the two countries, which have had no diplomatic or other relations since the war.

The U.N.-Iraqi talks in Vienna last month failed in their principal objective, which was to convince Baghdad to allow the return of U.N. weapons inspectors.

Under U.N. Security Council resolutions, the sanctions imposed on Iraq after its invasion of Kuwait can be lifted only when inspectors certify that Iraq has eliminated its weapons of mass destruction and the long-ranges missiles to deliver them.

U.S. President George W. Bush has threatened unspecified consequences if inspectors are not allowed to return

PHOTO CAPTION

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, right, holds a sword that was presented to him for his 65th birthday by the people of Iraq in Baghdad, in this Saturday, Aug. 10, 2002 photo. Saddam Hussein's birthday is celebrated the entire year. Man at left is an unidentified aide. (AP Photo/INA, HO)
- Aug 14 6:34