[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 205 (Thursday, October 23, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63439-63440]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-25152]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Foreign Claims Settlement Commission


Program for Adjudication: Commencement of Claims Program

AGENCY: Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States, DOJ.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the commencement by the Foreign Claims 
Settlement Commission (``Commission'') of a program for adjudication of 
certain categories of claims of United States nationals against

[[Page 63440]]

the Republic of Iraq, as defined below, within the scope of the 
``Claims Settlement Agreement Between the Government of the United 
States of America and the Government of the Republic of Iraq,'' dated 
September 2, 2010 (``Claims Settlement Agreement'').

DATES: These claims can now be filed with the Commission and the 
deadline for filing will be October 23, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian M. Simkin, Chief Counsel, 
Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States, 600 E Street 
NW., Room 6002, Washington, DC 20579, Tel. (202) 616-6975, FAX (202) 
616-6993.

Notice of Commencement of Claims Adjudication Program

    Pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Secretary of State and 
the Commission under subsection 4(a)(1)(C) of Title I of the 
International Claims Settlement Act of 1949 (Pub. L. 455, 81st Cong., 
approved March 10, 1950, as amended by Pub. L. 105-277, approved 
October 21, 1998 (22 U.S.C. 1623(a)(1)(C)), the Foreign Claims 
Settlement Commission hereby gives notice of the commencement of a 
program for adjudication of certain categories of claims of United 
States nationals against the Republic of Iraq. These claims, which have 
been referred to the Commission by the Department of State by letter 
dated October 7, 2014, are defined as follows:

    Category A: This category shall consist of claims by U.S. 
nationals for hostage-taking \1\ by Iraq \2\ in violation of 
international law prior to October 7, 2004, provided that the 
claimant was not a plaintiff in pending litigation against Iraq for 
hostage taking \3\ at the time of the entry into force of the Claims 
Settlement Agreement and has not received compensation under the 
Claims Settlement Agreement from the U.S. Department of State.
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    \1\ For purposes of this referral, hostage-taking would include 
unlawful detention by Iraq that resulted in an inability to leave 
Iraq or Kuwait after Iraq invaded Kuwait on August 2, 1990.
    \2\ For purposes of this referral, ``Iraq'' shall mean the 
Republic of Iraq, the Government of the Republic of Iraq, any agency 
or instrumentality of the Republic of Iraq, and any official, 
employee or agent of the Republic of Iraq acting within the scope of 
his or her office, employment or agency.
    \3\ For purposes of this category, pending litigation against 
Iraq for hostage taking refers to the following matters: Acree v. 
Iraq, D.D.C. 02-cv-00632 and 06-cv-00723, Hill v. Iraq, D.D.C. 99-
cv-03346, Vine v. Iraq, D.D.C. 0 l-cv-02674; Seyam (Islamic Society 
of Wichita) v. Iraq, D.D.C. 03-cv-00888; Simon v. Iraq, D.D.C. 03-
cv-00691.
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    Category B: This category shall consist of claims of U.S. 
nationals for death while being held hostage by Iraq in violation of 
international law prior to October 7, 2004.
    Category C: This category shall consist of claims of U.S. 
nationals for any personal injury resulting from physical harm to 
the claimant caused by Iraq in violation of international law prior 
to October 7, 2004, provided that the claimant: 1) had pending 
litigation against Iraq arising out of acts other than hostage 
taking; 2) has not already been compensated pursuant to the Claims 
Settlement Agreement; and 3) does not have a valid claim under and 
has not received compensation pursuant to category B of this 
referral.

    In conformity with the terms of the referral, the Commission will 
determine the claims in accordance with the provisions of 22 U.S.C. 
1621 et seq., which comprises Title I of the International Claims 
Settlement Act of 1949, as amended. The Commission will then certify to 
the Secretary of the Treasury those claims that it finds to be valid, 
for payment out of the claims fund established under the Claims 
Settlement Agreement.
    The Commission will administer this claims adjudication program in 
accordance with its regulations, which are published in Chapter V of 
Title 45, Code of Federal Regulations (45 CFR 500 et seq.). In 
particular, attention is directed to subsection 500.3(a) of these 
regulations which, based on 22 U.S.C. 1623(f), limits the amount of 
attorney's fees that may be charged for legal representation before the 
Commission. These regulations are also available over the Internet at 
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html.
    Approval has been obtained from the Office of Management and Budget 
for the collection of this information. Approval No. 1105-0100, 
expiration date 11/30/2016.

Brian M. Simkin,
Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2014-25152 Filed 10-22-14; 8:45 am]
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