HISTORICAL

During the Gulf War, following the plunder of its Central Bank, Kuwait took out of circulation the banknotes of the 3rd printing, series C dated 24/03/1991.These banknotes still in possession of some Yemenis are not valid any more, and Kuwait does not want to change them. In response to what they consider to be an injustice, they chose me as their representative, and I am trying since 1996 to change these banknotes with those in circulation at the present time (banknotes of the 5th printing, series W).

Yemenis were working in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and had to leave Kuwait after the Gulf War (taking with them their savings in Kuwaiti dinars) because of a policy adopted by these two countries. This decision was taken because Yemen supported Iraq. Yemenis were not the only ones that had to leave Kuwait. The banknotes the Central Bank of Kuwait does not want to change are all in possession of the people I represent.

At this time Kuwait asked the Arab countries if they had dinars and located them. However Yemen declared that it had no dinar, without taking into account the dinars in possession of these Yemenis.

At the end of the war Kuwait found the number of series of the banknotes stolen at the Central Bank (most of these banknotes were not in circulation). Kuwait gave a 45 days delay to change the banknotes of the 4th printing, series D, printed during the war, and the banknotes of the series C that were not stolen.

Although this delay can be sufficient for the people living in Kuwait, it is not for the people living out of the country. After this delay, change has been more difficult. During my interviews in Yemen, I learned that the old Kuwaiti dinars were changed now under the responsibility of the United States.

There were other approaches of Kuwait authorities and of the United Nations, but without any result.

I would like to give you the details.

First I sent a series of letters to the Kuwait embassy in Paris: I had no response, neither negative nor positive despite the information and documents I enclosed.

The following days I contacted the Kuwaiti banks. They only asked me for the colour of the banknotes, and told me that there was no possibility of change and that these banknotes were nothing anymore but bits of paper.

Later on, believing that they would give me more information concerning this subject I contacted the Swiss banks. Each time I have been asked to wait a day so that they could contact the Central Bank of Kuwait (in fact I understood that the Swiss banks did not know anything about this subject).

Finally I showed the banknotes I had to the Interpol of Bern, as my last attempt in Swiss. The people I met told me that Kuwait did not want to change any old Kuwaiti dinar and that in 95 they seized and burnt 3 tons of those dinars.

But no word concerning the number of series of these banknotes.

Various departments concerned were also questioned by mail about the number of series of the stolen banknotes.

Kuwait banks only ask for the colour of the banknotes, and the difficulty existing to identify the number of series can lead to various suspicious interpretations (see the copies of the banknotes).

Other investigations were made , asking the media, journalists and various other departments of the United Nations. I wish to talk first about the journalists. Until some time I met journalists with documents in support. I think that some of them did not believe the whole story, while others might have found that I had not enough evidences. Others told me that the subject was too serious for them, lacking in courage especially as Kuwait is not a democratic country.

Nevertheless, European journalists carry on asking for information to Kuwaiti journalists about this subject.

During my stay in Yemen I learnt that about 10 Kuwaiti journalists had gone to Yemen.

My approaches at the United Nations were not successful, however the recent sending of documents to the General Secretary of the legal department in New York led to the opening of an investigation on this subject.

Some days later, a person who wants to keep anonymous phoned me to tell me that this matter excee.