July 20, 2011Iraq outlines progress in key areas at UN Security Council meeting
Hamid al-Bayati, the permanent representative of Iraq to the UN, said here on Tuesday that his country has made progress on several political, economic, and security fronts in recent months.
Al-Bayati's statements came at a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Iraq.
"The political and security situation in Iraq has witnessed a huge development after the success of the Iraqi parliamentary elections, which were held in March of 2010 with large participations from all components of the Iraqi people," said Al- Bayati.
"These elections resulted in forming a national government from all the political blocs that won in the elections, which strengthened the democratic process and achieved more security and stability," he said.
He explained that recent events in the Middle East have validated Iraq's democratic shift.
"The Arab World is witnessing a wave of political changes and reform movements that prove the rightness of Iraq's political direction, in terms of achieving political change and adopting democracy, elections, and peaceful transition of power as a way of governing," he said.
Al-Bayati said that Iraq is also attempting to mend its relationship with neighboring Kuwait. Iraq, under the leadership of Saddam Hussein, invaded Kuwait in 1990 during the First Gulf War, but was driven out of the country by coalition forces the following year.
"The government of Iraq, as a part of its commitment to enforce its relations with the state of Kuwait, has expressed an absolute cooperation on different levels to solve all the outstanding issues," Al-Bayati said.
Iraq's invasion of Kuwait caused the UN Security Council to impose extensive sanctions and place Iraq under Chapter VII status. The sanctions were eased significantly by three Council resolutions passed in December 2010.
"These resolutions represented the beginning of the end of sanctions and restrictions imposed on Iraq as a result of the crimes of the Saddam regime," said Al-Bayati. "The Iraqi government is working on following up on those three resolutions adopted by the Security Council."
Al-Bayati said that Iraq has also formulated a plan to spur development domestically.
"Regarding the development field, the Iraqi government has coordinated its efforts with its international partners to implement the contents of the National Development Plan for the next five years from 2010 to 2014," he said.
The plan will aim to provide a "quantum leap" in Iraq's economy and services provided to citizens, said the envoy, adding that 2, 700 strategic projects totaling 186 billion dollars will be conducted under the plan.
"From a security perspective, the Iraqi government is continuing to improve the ability of its security forces in a way that prepares those forces to stand in the face of terrorist attacks, protect internal security and defend democracy in Iraq," said Al-Bayati.
Iraq is still working on its security situation, which is changing as U.S. combat troops leave the country with the aim of achieving a withdrawal by the end of the year.
"The next stage, which will follow the withdrawal of the American forces at the end of this year, will put immense challenges and responsibilities on the Iraqi government," the permanent representative said.
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