Iraq, 2011

Allow me

at the outset to congratulate you, Sir, and our brothers,

the people of Qatar, on your election to the presidency

of the sixty-sixth session of the General Assembly. Our

delegation will be of assistance to you in the

performance of your duties, and we are confident that

your experience and wisdom will be an important

factor in the success of the Assembly’s work. Our

thanks also go to your predecessor, Mr. Joseph Deiss,

for his presidency of the General Assembly at its

outgoing session. I should also like to warmly

congratulate the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon,

on his appointment to a second term and wish him

every success in his work.

It is an honour to stand in front of the Assembly

one more time to brief members on the most notable

developments that Iraq is witnessing as it works on

building a modern State that lives in peace and security

with its people and its neighbours. Iraq is building a

homeland where everyone lives in peace and stability

regardless of sectarian, ethnic or factional affiliations;

a system where the rule of law prevails and human

rights are respected; and a system that is based on

democracy and the peaceful alternation of power. That

is the basis for the path on which we have embarked

and are continually implementing.

The events currently taking place in the Arab

region have proved the rightness of the path that we

have been following. The values of change and reform,

which Iraq has called and will continue to call for, have

become an essential part of the aspirations of the Arab

people for freedom and for their ability to choose their

own political system on the basis of democracy and

human rights.

We have come a long way in building our

political system, which is based on the National

Collaboration Government. Iraq has started to restore

the elements of strength that were lost due to more than

three decades of internal and external wars conducted

by the former dictatorship, due also to the international

isolation and the sanctions that Iraq experienced and to

the collapse of security institutions and outbreak of

sectarian strife that threatened its national existence

after the collapse of the former regime. We began to

overcome these negative elements and they became

history, thanks to our determination and steadfastness

and with the help and support of the international

community.

With regard to development, having witnessed

the big improvement in security in Iraq, we are still

relying on the five-year plan for the years 2010-2014

announced by the Iraqi Government on 4 April 2010

and on the licensing rounds held between Iraq and

major companies on oil and natural gas investments to

improve our oil industry. That was done to turn the

wheels of development and push the economy to

advanced levels.

It is expected that the five-year plan that has

already started will include about 2,700 strategic

projects in different sectors, with a cost of $186 billion.

The plan would provide about four million job

opportunities, which will positively deal with the

unemployment problem in Iraq. It is hoped that by the

end of this plan, the per capita income of Iraqi citizens

will have increased to $8,000 annually and poverty

levels will have decreased by 16 per cent.

In addition, we were able to get rid of the

sanctions and restrictions imposed on Iraq as a result of

the invasion of Kuwait. On the basis of Security

Council resolutions 1956 (2010), 1957 (2010) and

1958 (2010), adopted on 15 December 2010, Iraq has

been freed completely from all the restrictions imposed

on it, which had prevented the country from taking

advantage of scientific and technological advances, and

has gained sovereignty over its financial resources.

After that important stage in building our State,

we feel that we are taking firm steps on the road to

democracy and development and that we are opening

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the doors to investment in Iraq. Therefore, the

economic policy of Iraq is essentially based on

encouraging investment and providing the appropriate

legislative environment to protect investors and their

capital so that Iraq can become a safe and fertile

investing environment in many essential sectors, such

as oil, natural gas, electricity, reconstruction,

infrastructure and other economic sectors. From this

rostrum I call on all countries to open collaboration

channels with Iraq in the field of investment and to

take advantage of the available opportunities.

Iraqi Kurdistan has witnessed important

developments in the fields of construction, the

economy, the culture and others. Thousands of villages

that were destroyed by the former regime have been

rebuilt. Cities, towns and roadways have been

modernized. The region now has more than 15 public

and private universities with more than 100,000

students, compared to the past when there was only one

university with a few thousand students.

At the end of this year the United States forces

will withdraw, according to the agreement signed

between the two countries in 2008. During this year,

our security forces have shown a great ability to

combat terrorism and provide security. These forces are

capable and will efficiently fill the vacuum that the

withdrawal of the United States forces will create. That

will promote Iraqi national abilities to maintain the

gains achieved in the new Iraq.

However, the need will push the Government of

Iraq to keep numbers of American experts and others in

order to benefit from their experience in the fields of

training and capacity-building, according to Iraq’s

needs. On this occasion, on behalf of the Government

and people of Iraq, I should like to express our thanks

and appreciation to the United States, other friendly

States and the United Nations that provided assistance

and support to the Iraqi people and Government in

order to enhance democracy and reconstruction.

I avail myself of the opportunity of being here in

New York to express to the people of New York and to

all Americans feelings of sympathy and solidarity on

the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on

11 September.

Regarding Iraq’s international and regional

relations, the Constitution of Iraq and the national

programme of the current Iraqi Government determine

the general foundations for our foreign policy. They

provide that Iraq is a founding and effective member of

the League of Arab States and is committed to its

Charter. Iraq is also a member of the Islamic world. On

this basis Iraq is working to host the Arab summit at

the end of March 2012.

Moreover, Iraq respects the principles of good

neighbourliness and is committed to non-interference

in the internal affairs of other States. It seeks to solve

disputes by peaceful means, establishes its relations on

the basis of common interests and reciprocity, and

respects its international obligations. That is why we

invite our two neighbours, Turkey and the Islamic

Republic of Iran, to resort to diplomacy and positive

dialogue in order to solve the issues and to stop

bombing Iraqi territories in the Kurdistan region,

which is causing many innocent civilian victims. I

avail myself of this opportunity to thank His Holiness

Khamenei of the Islamic Republic of Iran for releasing

the two American prisoners in Iran.

With regard to our obligations to disarmament

and nuclear non-proliferation, the Constitution of Iraq

was clear in determining the position of Iraq

concerning this issue. Article 9 E of the Iraqi

Constitution provides that

“The Iraqi Government shall respect and

implement Iraq’s international obligations

regarding the non-proliferation, non-development,

non-production, and non-use of nuclear,

chemical, and biological weapons, and shall

prohibit associated equipment, materiel,

technologies, and delivery systems for use in the

development, manufacture, production, and use

of such weapons.”

On this clear position and commitment of Iraq to

international instruments concerning disarmament, the

Security Council on 15 December 2010 adopted

resolution 1957 (2010), which lifted all restrictions that

were imposed on Iraq.

In this context we wish to confirm the legitimate

right of States to the peaceful use of nuclear power and

its technologies according to the rules and provisions

of the relevant international conventions. This right

constitutes one of the foundations of the disarmament

system and non-proliferation. Within this approach and

with regard to the nuclear issue concerning the Islamic

Republic of Iran, we believe in the legitimate right of

States to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

That right is guaranteed by international instruments, at

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the forefront of which is the Treaty on the

Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

We affirm the importance of reaching a peaceful

solution in dealing with this issue. Dialogue and calm

diplomacy are the best means to achieve that goal. On

the other hand, any escalation will prejudice the

interests of all parties and will put the security of the

region at great risk.

Iraq is concerned about the tragic situation of the

brotherly Palestinian people as a result of Israeli

practices, which are incompatible with international

laws, customs and international humanitarian law. Iraq

is doing everything in its power to support the struggle

of the Palestinian people to obtain all their inalienable

rights, in particular the right to establish an

independent State in its homeland, with its capital in

Jerusalem.

In this regard, Iraq endorses and supports the path

embarked on by the Palestinian Authority to come to

the United Nations to achieve full international

recognition of a Palestinian State during the current

session of the General Assembly. Iraq calls on the

international community and all peace-loving forces to

stand by the Palestinian people in their legitimate

struggle to achieve their goals and demands that the

Israeli Government fully withdraw from all Arab

territories occupied in 1967. That would essentially

contribute to the settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict

and bring a comprehensive and just peace to this vital

region of the world.

Making the Middle East an area free of weapons

of mass destruction is crucial to achieve peace, security

and stability. That requires Israel to join the Treaty on

the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and to put

its nuclear facilities under the comprehensive

safeguards system of the International Atomic Energy

Agency.

The countries of the Arab world are witnessing

significant developments and unprecedented reforms

and political changes, the effects of which will be

reflected in the future of the whole region and will

extend to areas beyond. Iraq, as an early actor in

initiating this change, supports the struggle of the Arab

people of the region to gain their freedom, choose their

political systems and exercise their right to peaceful

demonstrations and protests in the so-called Arab

Spring. We hope that these changes will contribute to

regional stability and security and avoid anything that

might threaten the unity and sovereignty of the

countries of the region or stir up strife or sectarian and

ethnic conflicts.

In the area of international cooperation, Iraq will

work to promote cooperation with all countries that

stood with it and supported it in the stability of the

ongoing political process, in strengthening it and in

reconstruction. We refer here to the United States of

America and to the European Union. When we mention

these two parties we mention them not because they

are the only ones that stood with Iraq, but because we

are linked by mechanisms of action that should be

implemented. There are many other friends who stood

with us in the difficult times that we have experienced,

and we will remember that favour and develop

relations of cooperation with them.

After the withdrawal of the United States forces

from Iraq by the end of this year, we will work to

enhance and expand the scope of cooperation on the

basis of the strategic framework agreement signed

between the two countries in 2008. According to that

agreement, relations will be for the long term and will

cover all aspects of life.

The same is true for the European Union. After

finishing the drafting of the Partnership and

Cooperation Agreement between Iraq and the European

Union and its possible signing in the near future, and

signing a memorandum of understanding on the

strategic partnership in the field of energy between Iraq

and the European Union, the cooperation between the

two parties will take a broader scope in various fields

covered by those agreements.

Our economic, commercial and political relations

with the People’s Republic of China are expanding and

improving. Our relations with neighbouring Arab

countries, India and Pakistan, are also constantly

improving.

Regarding our relationship with the United

Nations, we will continue an approach of constructive

cooperation with all United Nations bodies, in the

forefront of which are the Security Council and the

Secretariat, and we will keep the commitments we have

made.

I should like to take this opportunity to express

my appreciation for the efforts by Special Representative of

the Secretary-General Mr. Ad Melkert throughout his time

in Iraq. I wish him and his family success and good

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health. I welcome the new representative of the

Secretary-General. We will continue to cooperate with

him in a way that will enable him to carry out his task

in accordance with Security Council resolution 1770

(2007) and subsequent resolutions.

The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq

will receive all forms of support and assistance from

us, in particular during the next phase, and we will do

our utmost to provide the necessary protection for its

staff and premises.

We look forward with confidence and optimism

to the future. Iraq is an emerging democracy and a

country brimming with a wealth of natural and human

resources. We are working to make it an important

factor in regional stability, security and prosperity and

a living example of democracy, federalism and the

voluntary coexistence of different ethnic and sectarian

groups and communities.