Security Council resolution 670 (1990) [on air embargo against Iraq]
Symbol: S/RES/670(1990)
Date: 1990-09-25
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/45 [89] IRAQ--KUWAIT
Subjects: Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (1949)|Charter of the United Nations (1945). Chapter VII|SANCTIONS|SHIPS|IRAQ|FOOD SUPPLY|FROZEN ASSETS|AIR TRANSPORT|IRAQ|KUWAIT|MEDICAL SUPPLIES|IRAQ-KUWAIT SITUATION
Votes in favour: 14
Votes against: 1
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: CANADA
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: CÔTE D'IVOIRE
vote: yes
country: COLOMBIA
vote: yes
country: CUBA
vote: no
country: ETHIOPIA
vote: yes
country: FINLAND
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: MALAYSIA
vote: yes
country: ROMANIA
vote: yes
country: USSR
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes
country: YEMEN
vote: yes
country: ZAIRE
vote: yes

Resolution 670 (1990)
of 25 September 1990

The Security Council,

Reaffirming its resolutions 660 (1990) of 2 August 1990,
661 (1990) of 6 August 1990, 662 (1990) of 9 August 1990,
664 (1990) of 18 August 1990, 665 (1990) of 25 August
1990, 666 (1990) of 13 September 1990 and 667 (1990) of
16 September 1990,

Condemning Iraq’s continued occupation of Kuwait, its
failure to rescind its actions and end its purported annexation and its holding of third-State nationals against their
will, in flagrant violation of resolutions 660 (1990), 662
(1990), 664 (1990) and 667 (1990) and of international
humanitarian law,

Condemning also the treatment by Iraqi forces of Kuwaiti nationals, including measures to force them to leave
their own country and mistreatment of persons and property in Kuwait in violation of international law,

Noting with grave concern the persistent attempts to
evade the measures laid down in resolution 661 (1990),

Noting also that a number of States have limited the
number of Iraqi diplomatic and consular officials in their
countries and that others are planning to do so,

Determined to ensure by all necessary means the strict
and complete application of the measures laid down in
resolution 661 (1990),

Determined also to ensure respect for its decisions and
the provisions of Articles 25 and 48 of the Charter of the
United Nations,

Affirming that any acts of the Government of Iraq which
are contrary to the above-mentioned resolutions or to Articles 25 or 48 of the Charter, such as Decree No. 377 of
16 September 1990 of the Revolutionary Command Council of Iraq, are null and void,

Reaffirming its determination to ensure compliance with
its resolutions by maximum use of political and diplomatic
means,

Welcoming the Secretary-General’s use of his good offices to advance a peaceful solution based on the relevant
resolutions of the Council and noting with appreciation his
continuing efforts to this end,

Underlining to the Government of Iraq that its continued
failure to comply with the terms of resolutions 660 (1990),
661 (1990), 662 (1990), 664 (1990), 666 (1990) and 667
(1990) could lead to further serious action by the Council
under the Charter, including under Chapter VII,

Recalling the provisions of Article 103 of the Charter,

Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter,

1. Calls upon all States to carry out their obligations
to ensure strict and complete compliance with resolution
661 (1990) and in particular paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 thereof,

2. Confirms that resolution 661 (1990) applies to all
means of transport, including aircraft;

3. Decides that all States, notwithstanding the existence of any rights or obligations conferred or imposed by
any international agreement or any contract entered into or
any licence or permit granted before the date of the present
resolution, shall deny permission to any aircraft to take off
from their territory if the aircraft would carry any cargo to
or from Iraq or Kuwait other than food in humanitarian
circumstances, subject to authorization by the Security
Council or the Security Council Committee established by
resolution 661 (1990) concerning the situation between
Iraq and Kuwait and in accordance with resolution 666
(1990), or supplies intended strictly for medical purposes
or solely for the United Nations Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group;

4. Decides also that all States shall deny permission to
any aircraft destined to land in Iraq or Kuwait, whatever
its State of registration, to overfly their territory unless:

(a) The aircraft lands at an airfield designated by the
State outside Iraq or Kuwait in order to permit its inspection to ensure that there is no cargo on board in violation
of resolution 661 (1990) or the present resolution, and for
this purpose the aircraft may be detained for as long as
necessary; or

(b) The particular flight has been approved by the
Security Council Committee; or

(c) The flight is certified by the United Nations as
solely for the purposes of the Military Observer Group;

5. Decides further that each State shall take all necessary measures to ensure that any aircraft registered in its
territory or operated by an operator who has his principal
place of business or permanent residence in its territory
complies with the provisions of resolution 661 (1990) and
the present resolution;

6. Decides moreover that all States shall notify in a
timely fashion the Security Council Committee of any
flight between its territory and Iraq or Kuwait to which the
requirement to land in paragraph 4 above does not apply,
and the purpose for such a flight;

7. Calls upon all States to co-operate in taking such
measures as may be necessary, consistent with international law, including the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation of 7 December 1944, 111 to ensure the
effective implementation of the provisions of resolution
661 (1990) or the present resolution;

8. Also calls upon all States to detain any ships of Iraqi
registry which enter their ports and which are being or have
been used in violation of resolution 661 (1990), or to deny
such ships entrance to their ports except in circumstances
recognized under international law as necessary to safeguard human life;

9. Reminds all States of their obligations under resolution 661 (1990) with regard to the freezing of Iraqi assets,
and the protection of the assets of the legitimate Government of Kuwait and its agencies, located within their
territory and to report to the Security Council Committee
regarding those assets;

10. Further calls upon all States to provide to the
Security Council Committee information regarding the
action taken by them to implement the provisions laid
down in the present resolution;

11. Affirms that the United Nations, the specialized
agencies and other international organizations in the
United Nations system are required to take such measures
as may be necessary to give effect to the terms of resolution
661 (1990) and of the present resolution;

12. Decides to consider, in the event of evasion of the
provisions of resolution 661 (1990) or of the present resolution by a State or its nationals or through its territory,
measures directed at the State in question to prevent such
evasion;

13. Reaffirms that the Geneva Convention relative to
the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12
August 1949,!% applies to Kuwait and that, as a High
Contracting Party to the Convention, Iraq is bound to
comply fully with all its terms and in particular is liable
under the Convention in respect of the grave breaches
committed by it, as are individuals who commit or order
the commission of grave breaches.

Adopted at the 2943rd meeting by
14 votes to 1 (Cuba).