Permit me
to congratulate our brother and friend Mr. Ali
Abdussalam Treki on his assumption of the presidency
of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session. Let
me assure him of our delegation’s assistance and
support as he discharges his task. Given his wisdom
and experience, we are certain that he will successfully
fulfil the tasks assigned to him and further the
objectives of the United Nations. I would like also to
thank his predecessor, Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann,
for his presidency of the General Assembly during the
previous session.
The current political process in Iraq, ongoing
since the collapse of the former regime in 2003, has
produced radical political change, pushing towards
building a unified, independent and democratic federal
Iraq with respected constitutional institutions.
Realizing these objectives has not been easy and has
not been without challenges, chief among which were
domestic and regional forces attempting to return Iraq
to the period prior to the change. These forces have
used various means to attain that goal, including
committing the worst of crimes, allying themselves
with organized crime and joining with networks of
international terrorism to disrupt the security and
stability of Iraq.
Significant developments have taken place in Iraq
since I stood here last year. The most important of
them were the signing of the agreement with the
United States on the withdrawal of its troops,
organization of the American forces’ temporary
presence in Iraq and the signing of the Strategic
Framework Agreement with the United States. Based
on that agreement, United States troops withdrew from
Iraqi cities at the end of last June, and Iraqi forces
assumed responsibility for security throughout Iraq.
The security situation has greatly improved under the
Government of National Unity, thanks to its tireless
endeavours towards national dialogue and national
reconciliation projects. These efforts seek to include all
political parties and social groups, within the political
process and outside it, that believe in the peaceful
transfer of power. The Iraqi Government is also
continuing its policy of imposing law and order in
confronting terrorist groups, armed militias and
outlaws, including those working to sabotage the
political process and undermine security and stability
in Iraq and the region.
The year’s great successes for Iraq have brought
progress in its external relations. This year witnessed
high-level visits from Arab, regional and other
international Powers, many of which reopened their
embassies in Baghdad. This has taken place within the
framework of the Iraqi Government’s efforts to restore
its international standing. The Iraqi Government will
continue to deepen its good-neighbour policy of
friendship and cooperation in order to restore its role in
the Arab, regional and international communities, and
to promote security and stability in the region.
The economic situation also saw significant
improvement through a number of economic and
financial laws enacted by the Iraqi Government, which
led to increased personal income, purchasing power
and social welfare services for our citizens. The Iraqi
Government prepared an ambitious budget for this
year, aiming not only at reconstruction, but also at
building a sound and healthy economy to promote
progress and general prosperity. The Iraqi Government
has reviewed this budget and its economic programmes
in the light of the financial crisis facing the world.
Improvements in the economic sphere have
encouraged a significant number of internally and
externally displaced Iraqis to voluntarily return to the
country. The Iraqi Government has taken a series of
practical measures and decisions aimed at facilitating
the voluntary return of displaced Iraqis because it
believes that the best solution for them is to return to
their homeland. We therefore call upon States hosting
Iraqi refugees and on international and civil society
organizations aiding refugees to help promote a culture
of voluntary return, because Iraq needs the capacities
of all Iraqis to help build the future of their country.
25 09-52425
The most important challenge we face in the near
future is the round of legislative elections scheduled
for January 2010, for which the political parties have
already started preparations. Successful elections will
solidify the current political regime’s basis in
democracy, pluralism and the peaceful transfer of
power. Successful elections will move the political
process forward from this initial stage to one of
permanence and stability and will promote stability and
security in Iraq. They will also help us build national
institutions strong enough to support a State that is
based on law and order, that is at peace with its own
people and its neighbours and that is a solid force for
security and stability in the region. This in turn will
improve Iraq’s Arab, regional and world relations and
foster its active return to the international community.
The real danger currently facing Iraq is outside
interference in its internal affairs. The forces of such
interference have committed the worst crimes against
innocent Iraqis from many segments of society — men,
women, children and the elderly. In an attempt to derail
the security and stability achieved in Iraq during 2008
and 2009, they have recently engaged in a series of
criminal bombings and terrorist attacks, the most
recent of which were the Bloody Wednesday
explosions of 19 August 2009, which targeted the Iraqi
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Finance —
sovereign institutions of the country. These attacks
killed many innocent victims, including many
Government employees, as well as foreign
administrators and diplomats.
These criminal acts claiming such large numbers
of victims have reached the level of genocide and
crimes against humanity, which are subject to
punishment under international law. We believe that
acts at this level of organization, complexity and
magnitude could not have been planned, funded and
implemented without the support of external forces and
parties. Indeed, preliminary investigations and
evidence indicate the involvement of external parties in
these attacks.
Therefore, the Government of the Republic of
Iraq wishes to place this important matter before the
Secretary-General. Because of the nature and scope of
the crimes committed, which require an investigation
beyond Iraq’s jurisdiction, we request the Security
Council to form an international independent
investigation commission to refer those responsible to
a special international criminal court. The Iraqi
Government found itself obliged to turn to the United
Nations to protect its people and stop the
haemorrhaging of innocent Iraqi lives. We seek the
international community’s support and assistance in
establishing an independent international commission
to investigate the crimes of terrorism against the Iraqi
people and to label those crimes as genocide.
We look forward to improved cooperation and
coordination with neighbouring countries and other
concerned States to protect Iraq’s borders, exchange
information, coordinate efforts, and to thwart groups
that support terrorism and work against Iraq under any
cover.
We are currently working towards the settlement
of issues regarding Iraq vis-à-vis the Security Council;
these were inherited from the former regime and led to
commitments which we are attempting to meet. Iraq
will continue to work with relevant parties and
stakeholders at the United Nations to reach a
settlement satisfactory to all parties and without
prejudice to our obligations under Security Council
resolutions.
As a result of major positive developments that
have taken place in Iraq since the fall of the former
regime and the removal of the dictatorship, the current
situation is fundamentally different from the situation
that existed when the Security Council adopted
resolution 661 (1990).
Along with the adoption of Security Council
resolution 1859 (2008) and the report of the Secretary-
General pursuant to paragraph 5 of that resolution
(S/2009/385), this shows that the time has come for the
Security Council to act in response to the Secretary-
General’s report pursuant to the aforementioned
resolution, and on the basis of its responsibility for the
maintenance of international peace and security. It
should review resolutions relevant to Iraq adopted
under Chapter VII, starting with resolution 661 (1990),
with a view to restoring Iraq’s international standing.
Here, I must point out that since the collapse of
the former regime in 2003, Iraq has been eager to
respect international legitimacy and to deal with
Security Council resolutions relevant to Iraq and to the
situation between Iraq and brotherly Kuwait with the
highest degree of responsibility and respect.
The current Iraqi Government inherited political
and financial burdens and difficult commitments from
09-52425 26
the former regime through dozens of resolutions issued
against the former regime because of its domestic
practices and foreign policies. The Iraqi people are still
bearing the consequences. After more than six years of
hard and continuous work with the United Nations and
its agencies, and within the framework of international
and bilateral cooperation, Iraq has proven its desire and
determination to return to the international community
with all its resources and capabilities.
Therefore, because the situation which
necessitated the adoption of the aforementioned
resolutions no longer exists, we request a clear
resolution by the Security Council to terminate all
resolutions issued under Chapter VII which affected
the sovereignty of Iraq and gave rise to financial
obligations that are still binding on Iraq.
We and the Iraqi people look forward to the day
when Iraq is released from Chapter VII sanctions. In
this regard, I must point to the positive role of the
United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI)
in providing advice and assistance. The promotion of
mutual endeavours and cooperation between Iraq and
the United Nations, and improved results of that
cooperation in many fields, pursuant to Security
Council resolution 1770 (2007) and other resolutions,
require that the United Nations agencies and
institutions step up their presence in Iraq, undertake
field activities and re-open their offices in Baghdad, as
other diplomatic missions have done.
The Iraqi Constitution sets the basic principles of
Iraq’s foreign policy, which focus on good-
neighbourliness, non-interference in the internal affairs
of other countries, the peaceful settlement of disputes
and establishing international relations based on
common interests and respect of Iraq’s international
obligations. These are the established principles of
Iraq’s foreign policy.
On this basis, we seek to establish the best
possible relations with other Arab and Islamic
countries and are committed to the decisions of the
League of Arab States and the Organization of the
Islamic Conference. Accordingly, we endorse and
support the struggle of the Palestinian people to uphold
their inalienable rights, including the right to establish
the State of Palestine on the land of Palestine.
We are also working to implement the legitimate
international resolutions concerning the return of
occupied Arab land. We consider the Arab Peace
Initiative to be a practical step in the right direction
towards resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict in order to
achieve security, peace and stability in the Middle East.
We call for the Middle East to be made a zone free of
nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass
destruction, so as to promote opportunities to achieve
peace and security in the region.
In this context, we call upon all States that have
not yet acceded to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty to do so and to be bound by its provisions.
Following years of isolation during the previous
regime, Iraq seeks to form a new integrated economic
partnership with the international community through
the International Compact with Iraq. The Iraqi
Government, in cooperation with the United Nations, is
working towards convening the second review
conference, to be held in Baghdad next November. We
will seek the greatest degree of international
participation at the conference, following on from the
success of the first review conference, held in
Stockholm last year.
The current political process in Iraq is aimed at
building a federal, democratic and unified Iraq where
the Iraqi people work under constitutional institutions,
the rule of law, protection of human rights and full
respect for all segments of society. We attach key
importance to our ability and potential, as a country
rich in natural and human resources, to achieve these
goals.
However, at this most critical stage, we need
political and economic support and international
cooperation to gain firm footing that will enable us to
move towards a future where we will be able not only
to develop our country and our people but also to
cooperate with the international community in
achieving peace, security and sustainable development
for all peoples.