Iraq, 2010

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

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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

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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.