11/12/2010 Clinton welcomes Iraqi agreement on new government
WASHINGTON, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton welcomed on Friday the agreement over forming the new Iraqi government and reiterated US commitment to partnership with Iraq.
"Iraqs political leaders have worked together to agree on an inclusive government that represents the will of the Iraqi people and moves their country forward," said Clinton in a statement.
She described the coalition decision to form the government as "a milestone in the emergence of the new Iraq and it is a testament to the determination of the Iraqi people to build their own democracy, a goal only they can achieve." The Iraqi parliament reelected yesterday Jalal Talabani as President who in return tasked Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to form a new government after over eight months of holding parliamentary elections in the country.
Clinton affirmed that this agreement "ensures meaningful representation for the election winners, encompassing all of Iraqs ethnic and sectarian communities. It also includes critical provisions for power-sharing and other reforms, including revisions to the de-Baathification process." Part of the agreement was for former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi to become the head of the newly formed National Council on Strategic Policies, which was described by Clinton as an "important body that will serve as a steering group in the areas of defense policy, foreign affairs, economic policy, and other strategic issues." "It is now up to this government to deliver on an inclusive, comprehensive agenda that serves all Iraqis and strengthens the country as a whole," she added.
Clinton noted that "as Iraqis continue their progress, they will have a committed and consistent partner in the United States. Our relationship is rooted in mutual respect and mutual interest." "We look forward to expanding our cooperation under the Strategic Framework Agreement and together pursuing our shared goal of building a long-term, multidimensional relationship between our two nations that contributes to growing peace and prosperity in Iraq and security and stability in the Middle East," she concluded.
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