S/PV.5878
5878th meeting
Monday, 28 April 2008, 10 a.m.
New York
The situation concerning Iraq
Mr. Ettalhi (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) (spoke in Arabic): I would like to begin by thanking the Secretary-General for his report (S/2008/266). I would also like to thank Mr. Lynn Pascoe, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, for his briefing to the Council on recent developments in Iraq. I also wish to thank the Permanent Representative of the United States, Ambassador Khalilzad, for his briefing on the activities of the multinational forces in Iraq. We welcome the presence of our brother Mr. Hamid Al Bayati, Permanent Representative of Iraq.
During our consideration of this item on 21 January (see S/PV.5823), hopes arose that the security situation would improve in the light of figures from the fourth quarter of 2007. According to the report before the Council at that meeting (S/2008/19), the number of violent incidents had fallen from 200 a day in July and August 2007 to approximately 90 in September and October. Unfortunately, the report before us today reflects a renewed upsurge of violent incidents, which average around 130 per day countrywide, and that figure does not take into account the most recent events. We hope that this situation is merely temporary.
Libya supports all efforts intended to bring an end to violence in Iraq, whether by rebuilding Iraq’s armed forces or its other security and police forces or by the demilitarization of the militias, ensuring that only the Government engages in such operations to restore security and law and order. However, that can occur only if all factions and religious sects in Iraq truly believe that the door is open to equal participation in power and wealth-sharing. Fortunately, that is what the Government of Iraq is currently seeking to promote. We invite all political parties to genuinely participate in efforts to achieve national reconciliation and to foster dialogue and a spirit of accord.
That being said, however, we feel that real progress has been made on all fronts and we hope that such progress will continue. We also welcome improved economic figures, particularly last year’s growth rate, and the expected upward trend this year.
My delegation is of the view that improved relations between Iraq and neighbouring countries, particularly Arab countries, are central to guaranteeing Iraq’s stability. We particularly encourage Iraq’s endeavours in conjunction with its neighbours, and we welcome the statements emanating from the recent conference in Kuwait regarding the importance of respecting the national unity, full sovereignty, territorial integrity and Arab and Islamic identity of Iraq, as well as of respecting Iraq’s internationally recognized borders, together with a commitment comprehensively to respect the principle of non‑interference in the internal affairs of Iraq and the right of the Iraqi people freely to decide their political future and to administer their national wealth and resources and financial affairs as they see fit.
We welcome the political efforts made by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and the expansion of its activities through the provincial liaison offices. We also welcome UNAMI’s role in providing assistance, particularly to the Independent High Electoral Commission and the Constitution Review Committee, and to the Iraqi parliament as it enacts important legislation aimed at enhancing the security and political situation, the provincial Powers Law and the Law on Governorates.
We urge UNAMI, whose activities we highly commend, to undertake further action on the humanitarian front. Indeed, the reports of governmental and non-governmental organizations reveal that the situation is worrisome, particularly with regard to Iraqi refugees in neighbouring countries, as is the situation of internally displaced persons, millions of whom are living in deplorable conditions. February’s report of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and reports from non‑governmental organizations all describe the magnitude of suffering and highlight the need to reach the target subscription of $265 million, only a small portion of which has been obtained. Even if the total amount were to be obtained, it would still be insufficient to meet the needs of all IDPs and refugees and to remedy the problems of the countries hosting them, Syria and Jordan in particular. Of course, it is Iraq’s responsibility to cater to the needs of its own IDPs and refugees, but the international community also has a duty to help alleviate their suffering.
Another important humanitarian issue that is not addressed in the report concerns the legal and humanitarian situation of Iraqi detainees. We are under the impression that their number is steadily increasing. Some reports show that the number of detainees has now exceeded 51,000. We call on all concerned parties to remember that detainees also have legal rights that must be respected.
Lastly, I should like briefly to raise two other issues. The first relates to the request for supplies under the oil-for-food programme that ended on 31 December 2007. The legal and financial governmental entities of Iraq can meet the country’s needs only if the legal documents are provided.
Secondly, the compensation committee is looking into Iraq’s participation in activities to ensure that it can protect Iraq’s legal and sovereign interests. It is doing so not in order to help Iraq shirk its responsibilities, but to encourage direct coordination between Iraq and its neighbours to find solutions acceptable to all parties that will alleviate material and other pressures.
We all know that Iraq is facing many challenges, but its history has always demonstrated the Iraqi people’s ability to meet all challenges and overcome all difficulties with the utmost resilience and resolve.
