The French Role in the Economic and Military Sanctions on Iraq through the United Nations Security Council 1990–1991

Abstract

From the onset of the 1990 Iraq-Kuwait crisis, the French administration was actively involved, proposing international initiatives and solutions through both direct and indirect interventions—including engaging with the Iraqi and Kuwaiti governments. However, these efforts fell on deaf ears, and the situation shifted rapidly when the Iraqi army entered Kuwaiti territory on the morning of August 2, 1990. This development prompted a shift in French policy, leading France to take open, official action through the UN Security Council. Driven by its political perspective—which emphasized its influence and commercial interests in the Gulf—and a determination not to cede the arena to rival nations during the crisis, France participated in issuing new resolutions to impose economic sanctions. It also sought to enforce land and sea blockades, aiming to compel the Iraqi government to reverse its decisions regarding the annexation of Kuwait—which it had designated an Iraqi province—and the closure of embassies. Foreign nations demanded that the Iraqi government immediately and unconditionally withdraw from Kuwait. However, the Iraqi government rejected all UN Security Council resolutions regarding the Kuwait crisis and insisted on its military superiority during the crisis's early days—a stance that shifted the balance of international politics. Consequently, the French government, in cooperation with Western nations—led by the United States and Great Britain—worked to secure the adoption of the pivotal UN Security Council Resolution 678. This resolution authorized the use of all necessary force and capabilities to expel the Iraqi army from Kuwaiti territory. This indeed took place in January 1991, forcing the Iraqi government to retreat and submit to the UN Security Council's resolutions.