Allow me
at the outset to congratulate the President of the
General Assembly at its sixty-fifth session, and the
friendly people of Switzerland, on his election. Our
delegation will cooperate with him to its fullest extent
in the performance of his task. We are confident that
his experience and wisdom will be important factors in
the success of the Assembly’s work and in the
achievement of the purposes of the United Nations. I
also thank his predecessor, my close friend Mr. Ali
Abdussalam Treki, for presiding over the Assembly at
its last session.
The political process in Iraq since the collapse of
the dictatorial regime in 2003 has resulted in radical
political change, as well as in the building of a federal,
democratic, independent and united Iraq with respected
constitutional institutions and a Government elected in
accordance with the Constitution. Achieving that goal
41 10-54833
was neither easy nor simple. Iraq faced many
challenges, foremost of which was confronting
extremist, sectarian and factional forces and countering
terrorist groups and groups of the former dictatorial
regime that are attempting to take Iraq back to the dark
era of mass graves and fruitless wars.
Those groups have used various means, including
the most heinous crimes, and have allied themselves
with organized crime and transnational terrorist
networks in order to destabilize the security situation
in Iraq. The main task of the Government of Iraq was
to provide security throughout the country and to
strengthen national unity and the rule of law.
There have been significant developments in Iraq
since I stood before the Assembly last year. This year
and last have witnessed a significant decrease in
violence and a marked improvement in security in Iraq.
Although there were some terrorist acts targeting
innocent civilians in different places in the country, the
overall security situation has improved, and that paved
the way for the withdrawal of United States combat
forces operating in Iraq. The complete pullout of those
forces on 31 August 2010 was based on the Agreement
Between the United States of America and the
Republic of Iraq On the Withdrawal of United States
Forces from Iraq and the Organization of Their
Activities during Their Temporary Presence in Iraq,
signed by both parties on 17 November 2008.
This year has also seen successful legislative
elections, which were held on 7 March with
considerable Arab, regional and international interest.
The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq and the
observers from the Organization of the Islamic
Conference, the League of Arab States, the
international community and civil society organizations
all expressed their belief that the elections were
transparent, free and fair.
The principal political parties have been in
continuous communication with the aim of holding a
fruitful session of the newly elected Iraqi Council of
Representatives to elect a Speaker for the new
parliament and the President of the Republic of Iraq,
after which, according to the provisions of the Iraqi
Constitution, the elected President will ask a new
Prime Minister to form a Government. It is our hope
that that new Government will be formed as soon as
possible, as any delay will negatively affect the
security situation, reconstruction and prosperity.
The improved security situation in Iraq has
encouraged many Arab and other countries to reopen
their diplomatic missions and has helped to develop
Iraqi relations regionally and internationally. The
appointment of new Iraqi ambassadors to various
countries around the world has also helped to promote
and broaden the horizons of those relations. Iraq’s
assuming the presidency of the current session of the
Arab League and of the Arab Summit Conference in
March of next year will promote Iraq’s regional role
and will be considered an important step in its efforts
to regain its global standing as an effective and
responsible member of the international community.
The Government of Iraq will continue to move in that
direction through strengthening its friendships,
cooperation and good-neighbourly efforts, thus creating
greater opportunity for stability and security in the region.
In the development arena, on 4 April 2010 the
Government of Iraq initiated a national development
plan for the five-year period from 2010 to 2014. It
contains around 2,700 strategic projects in various
sectors at a total cost of $186 billion. That plan will
help to develop the Iraqi economy and enhance the
quality of services provided to Iraqis. It will also create
4 million jobs, thus helping the unemployment problem
in Iraq.
The national development plan will also help
Iraqi refugees return to their homes. The Government
of Iraq believes that the real solution for the problem
of Iraqi refugees and displaced persons lies in their
return to their homeland and their residences. Iraq
needs the experience of all its citizens to help build the
country’s future. We therefore call upon countries
hosting Iraqi refugees, international organizations and
civil society organizations to promote awareness of the
culture of voluntary return.
Iraqi women enjoy important status in the new
federal and united Iraq and enjoy political rights equal
to those of men. Women have been granted 25 per cent
of the seats in the Iraqi Council of Representatives.
Additionally, for the first time in many decades, the
women of Iraq have assumed many important
ministerial positions and have represented their country
as ambassadors, this after having been deprived of
those rights for more than 30 years. The Constitution
also guarantees that women grant their nationality to
their children.
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The Constitution formulated the basic principles
of Iraq’s foreign policy, which focuses on observing
good-neighbourliness and non-interference in the
internal affairs of other States, the resolution of
disputes by peaceful means and the establishment of
international relations based on shared interests and
respect for Iraq’s international obligations. On that
basis, we seek to establish the best relations with
sisterly Arab and Islamic countries and are committed
to the resolutions of the Arab League and the
Organization of the Islamic Conference.
In this spirit we support the Palestinian people’s
just struggle to secure their inalienable rights,
including the establishment of a Palestinian State on
the land of Palestine, as we work to implement the
internationally legitimate resolutions aimed at
returning the occupied Arab territories. We consider the
Arab Peace Initiative to be a practical step towards
resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict and achieving
security, peace and stability in the Middle East.
We also call for making the Middle East a zone
free of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass
destruction, which would enhance the prospects for
peace and security in the region. We call on all States
that have not yet done so to accede to the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and
comply with its provisions.
With regard to the Iranian nuclear issue, Iraq
believes in the legitimate right of States to use nuclear
energy for peaceful purposes. That is a right
guaranteed by international conventions, including the
NPT. We stress the importance of reaching a peaceful
solution to that issue, and that dialogue and quiet
diplomacy are the most effective ways to achieve that
goal. Any escalation would harm the interests of all
parties and would endanger regional security.
The most important issue Iraq continues to face is
the removal of the burden created by Security Council
resolutions adopted against it under Chapter VII of the
United Nations Charter. By reviewing those
resolutions, in accordance with Council resolution
1859 (2008) and in response to the report of the
Secretary-General in document S/2009/385, we have
been working diligently with our friends and members
of the Council to settle all the outstanding issues
concerning the situation in Iraq.
At the forefront of those issues are the remaining
restrictions on Iraq in the field of disarmament, the
conclusion of the remaining contracts under the Oil-
for-Food programme and finding the right mechanism
for guaranteeing Iraqi funds following the replacement
of the Development Fund for Iraq and the International
Advisory and Monitoring Board for Iraq. Iraq would
like to see those dossiers closed by the end of this year.
The newly elected Iraqi Government will also
deal with the situation between Iraq and sisterly
Kuwait and related issues, such as the maintenance of
border pillars, compensation and missing Kuwaiti
persons and properties. We will work seriously with
our Kuwaiti brothers, other stakeholders and United
Nations organs to reach a settlement that satisfies all
parties without prejudice to our obligations under
Security Council resolutions, concerning which we
emphasize our respect and commitment.
The situation in Iraq has changed as a result of
the important positive developments since the collapse
of the former regime and the end of the dictatorship. It
is drastically different from the situation at the time the
Security Council adopted resolution 661 (1990). For
that reason, and following the adoption of resolution
1859 (2008) and the publication of the report of the
Secretary-General pursuant to paragraph 5 of that
resolution (S/2009/385), we believe that the time is
ripe for the Council to act in accordance with the
Secretary-General’s report and the mandate set out in
resolution 1859 (2008). Also, in keeping with its
responsibility for the maintenance of international
peace and security, it is time for the Council to review
resolutions pertaining specifically to Iraq, beginning
with resolution 661 (1990), with a view to helping Iraq
achieve the international standing it enjoyed before
those resolutions were adopted.
The current political process in Iraq aims at
building a federal, democratic, independent and united
Iraq, where citizens work within a constitutional
framework that guarantees the rule of law, where
human rights are protected and where all segments of
the Iraqi people are treated with full respect. We have
great faith in our ability and potential, as a country rich
in natural and human resources, to achieve those
objectives.
However, at this important stage in the life of the
Iraqi people, we continue to need the political and
economic support of and cooperation from the
international community in order to stand on a firm
foundation — one that will enable us to advance
43 10-54833
towards a future in which not only can we promote our
country’s and our people’s stability, progress and
prosperity, but also contribute fully as a member of the
international community to the achievement of peace,
security and sustainable development for all nations.