Thursday, September 13, 2007
U.N. concerned about shelling of Kurdistan
Kurdistan
(Voices of Iraq) - The United Nations is deeply concerned about the sporadic shelling of villages in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region, U.N. Special Envoy to Iraq Ashraf Qazi said on Wednesday. "Such incidents cause damage to residents of these areas, create panic and prevent them from performing their daily life activities," Qazi said in a statement received by the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
According to the statement, Qazi called on those concerned to spare no effort to halt the shelling and to refrain from taking any action that would undermine Iraq's political and humanitarian stability. Concerned U.N. agencies contacted local authorities and sent teams to assess the situation and immediate humanitarian needs. The teams supplied hundreds of immigrant families with humanitarian assistance such as clothing, hygiene packages, medical kits and blankets, and work is still underway to provide sufficient amounts of water to the victims, Qazi added.
The Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) UN Coordinator, Dindar Zebari, described on Sunday the Iraqi government's stance on Iranian and Turkish shelling of cross-border regions as "weak," noting that a UN delegation will visit the region to examine the situation.
According to the statement, Qazi called on those concerned to spare no effort to halt the shelling and to refrain from taking any action that would undermine Iraq's political and humanitarian stability. Concerned U.N. agencies contacted local authorities and sent teams to assess the situation and immediate humanitarian needs. The teams supplied hundreds of immigrant families with humanitarian assistance such as clothing, hygiene packages, medical kits and blankets, and work is still underway to provide sufficient amounts of water to the victims, Qazi added.
The Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) UN Coordinator, Dindar Zebari, described on Sunday the Iraqi government's stance on Iranian and Turkish shelling of cross-border regions as "weak," noting that a UN delegation will visit the region to examine the situation.
Labels: Ashraf Qazi, Dindar Zebari, Kurdistan, security, U.N.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Dr. Torhan Al Mufti: It Is Impossible To Implement Article 140 Now
Politics
(Al Qala Newspaper) - 28 AUG - Dr. Torhan Al Mufti, a member of the Kirkuk Governate Council, said that the application of Article 140 of the Constitution cannot be implemented at this time because the government is weak and cannot run the country. He said, “We are not against the original displaced inhabitants of Kirkuk. We call for the [Kirkuk] referendum to be cancelled because the outcome has been [wrongly] determined already. The Turkmen entity members of the Kirkuk Governorate Council have been boycotting the council for ten months.”
In regard to why they have been boycotting the council, Al Mufti said, “The reason behind this boycott is because the Turkmen have not been given a primary role in running Kirkuk and we have been negotiating with the Kurds for four months and we have still not reached any agreement. Recently, the US Councilor in Kirkuk has been heavily involved in the negotiations with the Kurds and he has called on us to end our boycott in exchange for important positions for the Arabs and us. But after the meeting between the Turkmen Front and other Turkmen parties, we have decided to demand we be given the Governor position and to have 32% of the administrative positions in Kirkuk.”
Regarding his opinion of increasing the UN’s role in Iraq, Al Mufti said, “We welcome this development because, frankly, the Iraqi issue needs global involvement in order to reach fair and reasonable solutions. This is particularly true regarding the Kirkuk issue which requires the UN to have a role.” Al Mufti added, “We are waiting for a final answer regarding our demands in Kirkuk and if the answer is negative then we will continue our boycott and we will not be a part of losing our citizens’ rights in Kirkuk.”
In regard to why they have been boycotting the council, Al Mufti said, “The reason behind this boycott is because the Turkmen have not been given a primary role in running Kirkuk and we have been negotiating with the Kurds for four months and we have still not reached any agreement. Recently, the US Councilor in Kirkuk has been heavily involved in the negotiations with the Kurds and he has called on us to end our boycott in exchange for important positions for the Arabs and us. But after the meeting between the Turkmen Front and other Turkmen parties, we have decided to demand we be given the Governor position and to have 32% of the administrative positions in Kirkuk.”
Regarding his opinion of increasing the UN’s role in Iraq, Al Mufti said, “We welcome this development because, frankly, the Iraqi issue needs global involvement in order to reach fair and reasonable solutions. This is particularly true regarding the Kirkuk issue which requires the UN to have a role.” Al Mufti added, “We are waiting for a final answer regarding our demands in Kirkuk and if the answer is negative then we will continue our boycott and we will not be a part of losing our citizens’ rights in Kirkuk.”
Labels: Article 140, Dr. Torhan Al Mufti, Kirkuk, Kirkuk Governate Council, Kurds, Turkmen, U.N.
Iraqi Turkmen Front Calls For Early Election And A Safe Zone For Turkmen
Security, Politics
(Al Qala Newspaper) - 28 AUG - The Iraqi Turkmen Front has rejected the new four party alliance that was recently announced in order to overcome the crisis facing the Iraqi government. The Turkmen Front considers this alliance as being based on sectarianism and discrimination which may lead to the collapse of the political process.
Iraqi Turkmen Front Executive Officer and President of the Turkmen National Party, Jamal Shan, said in a press conference, “Our options to solve this issue is to return to page one, to establish a new parliament, and a strong central government that consists of all sects, religions, and ethnicities. The option is to conduct an early election because the Iraqi people were not politically mature enough during the last election. Now, the Iraqi people realize the facts because of the dangerous developments facing the country.”
He added, “The parties of this alliance are the same ones that have run the country since it was occupied and based upon the political parliamentary majority. The economic, security, administrative, and political crises are worsening day by day and these parties do not care about the suffering of the Iraqi people. The Kurdish parties are using the Kirkuk issue as a bargaining chip with all of the other parties in order to achieve their ambitions against the rights of the Turkmen. The Iraqi Turkmen Front considers Kirkuk a Turkmen city and the center for the Turkmen “Elee” region which begins from Tall Afar in the north to Mandili in the south. The Front will not compromise Kirkuk as a Turkmen city! This is the primary reason for the strategic political dispute between the Front and the other parties.”
He revealed, “There is a national political project to support the Turkmen that includes the establishment of a safe zone in the Turkmen Elee area in order to protect the third ethnicity from dangers, which will be under the supervision of the UN and international forces. This safe zone will last until security and stability are achieved in Iraq.”
He added, “The parties of this alliance are the same ones that have run the country since it was occupied and based upon the political parliamentary majority. The economic, security, administrative, and political crises are worsening day by day and these parties do not care about the suffering of the Iraqi people. The Kurdish parties are using the Kirkuk issue as a bargaining chip with all of the other parties in order to achieve their ambitions against the rights of the Turkmen. The Iraqi Turkmen Front considers Kirkuk a Turkmen city and the center for the Turkmen “Elee” region which begins from Tall Afar in the north to Mandili in the south. The Front will not compromise Kirkuk as a Turkmen city! This is the primary reason for the strategic political dispute between the Front and the other parties.”
He revealed, “There is a national political project to support the Turkmen that includes the establishment of a safe zone in the Turkmen Elee area in order to protect the third ethnicity from dangers, which will be under the supervision of the UN and international forces. This safe zone will last until security and stability are achieved in Iraq.”
Labels: Elee area, Iraqi Turkmen Front, Jamal Shan, Kirkuk, safe zone, U.N.
U.S. to support Iraqi refugees with $30 mn. education grant
Education
(AP) -- The top U.S. envoy on refugees announced Tuesday that the United States will increase its support to countries hosting Iraqi refugees with a $30 million grant for education. Assistant Secretary of State Ellen Sauerbrey said the money will help pay for schooling in countries like Jordan, where tens of thousands of young Iraqis recently began attending government schools.
Jordan and Syria host the largest percentage of the more than 2 million Iraqis who have been displaced by the war and they have complained of the increasing burden on their health and education systems. Smaller numbers of Iraqis have fled to Lebanon, Egypt and Turkey. The grant will go toward a recent joint appeal by the U.N. refugee agency and UNICEF for international donors to provide $129 million that would pay for educating 155,000 Iraqi children in Jordan, Syria, Egypt and Lebanon.
In Damascus, the German development minister, Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, announced that her government would give $5.4 million to help Syria cope with the Iraqi refugees it hosts. This month, more than 40,000 Iraqi children went to school in Jordan for the first time since they fled their homeland, amid concerns about the system being overburdened. Education Minister Khaled Touqan said more classrooms and possibly new schools would be needed.
In the past, Iraqi children could attend Jordanian public schools only if a family had a residency permit or paid fees - a serious strain on the finances of the largely unemployed Iraqi refugees. Sauerbrey told reporters the United States expected to allow in some 2,000 Iraqi refugees by the end of September, but ruled out taking in large numbers.
While Washington has a "moral obligation" to aid refugees "in danger because of their affiliation with U.S. forces," she said it also had an obligation to "provide the assistance necessary to help people continue to be in the region for when the day comes that Iraq is a stable country and people will have a home to return to."
The United States has been criticized by some people for accepting so few Iraqi refugees. Only 57 settled in the U.S. last month, bringing the total over the last year to 190. This month it expects to take in 400 Iraqis.
Jordan and Syria host the largest percentage of the more than 2 million Iraqis who have been displaced by the war and they have complained of the increasing burden on their health and education systems. Smaller numbers of Iraqis have fled to Lebanon, Egypt and Turkey. The grant will go toward a recent joint appeal by the U.N. refugee agency and UNICEF for international donors to provide $129 million that would pay for educating 155,000 Iraqi children in Jordan, Syria, Egypt and Lebanon.
In Damascus, the German development minister, Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, announced that her government would give $5.4 million to help Syria cope with the Iraqi refugees it hosts. This month, more than 40,000 Iraqi children went to school in Jordan for the first time since they fled their homeland, amid concerns about the system being overburdened. Education Minister Khaled Touqan said more classrooms and possibly new schools would be needed.
In the past, Iraqi children could attend Jordanian public schools only if a family had a residency permit or paid fees - a serious strain on the finances of the largely unemployed Iraqi refugees. Sauerbrey told reporters the United States expected to allow in some 2,000 Iraqi refugees by the end of September, but ruled out taking in large numbers.
While Washington has a "moral obligation" to aid refugees "in danger because of their affiliation with U.S. forces," she said it also had an obligation to "provide the assistance necessary to help people continue to be in the region for when the day comes that Iraq is a stable country and people will have a home to return to."
The United States has been criticized by some people for accepting so few Iraqi refugees. Only 57 settled in the U.S. last month, bringing the total over the last year to 190. This month it expects to take in 400 Iraqis.
Labels: education grants, Ellen Sauerbrey, Jordan, refugees, Syria, U.N., U.S.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Al-Sadr pledges to work with the U.N.
Politics
(AFP) - Radical Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has pledged to commit his forces and followers to help the United Nations were it to replace American and British troops in Iraq, in an interview published on Monday. Speaking to The Independent newspaper from his movement's headquarters in Kufa, south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, Sadr said that he would "support the UN if it comes and replaces the American and British occupiers."
"If the UN comes here to truly help the Iraqi people, they will receive our help in their work. I would ask my followers to support the UN as long as it is here to help us rebuild our country. "They must not just be another face of the American occupation." Sadr, who enjoys popular grassroot support among Iraqi Shiites, is a powerful political player in Iraq's embattled government led by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.
His anti-American views have frequently seen his Mahdi Army militia clashing with US soldiers since the US-led March 2003 invasion to topple Saddam Hussein. Sadr told the daily that the British army's downscaling in Iraq was a sign that it had given up and was defeated, saying: "They are retreating because of the resistance they have faced. Without that, they would have stayed for much longer, there is no doubt."
He also warned that Britain's involvement in Iraq had endangered its citizens at home: "The British put their soldiers in a dangerous position by sending them here but they also put the people in their own country in danger. They have made enemies among all Muslims and they now face attacks at home because of their war. That was their mistake." Britain has about 5,500 troops in Iraq, most of whom are based in the southern city of Basra. Sadr said that Basra would become a safer place after the British military left.
On domestic Iraqi politics, Sadr said that Maliki's days as Iraqi leader were coming to a close: "Al-Maliki's government will not survive because he has proven that he will not work with important elements of the Iraqi people ... The prime minister is a tool for the Americans and people see that clearly. It will probably be the Americans who decide to change him when they realise he has failed. We don't have a democracy here, we have a foreign occupation." Sadr also denied American claims that he was being armed by Iran.
"If the UN comes here to truly help the Iraqi people, they will receive our help in their work. I would ask my followers to support the UN as long as it is here to help us rebuild our country. "They must not just be another face of the American occupation." Sadr, who enjoys popular grassroot support among Iraqi Shiites, is a powerful political player in Iraq's embattled government led by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.
His anti-American views have frequently seen his Mahdi Army militia clashing with US soldiers since the US-led March 2003 invasion to topple Saddam Hussein. Sadr told the daily that the British army's downscaling in Iraq was a sign that it had given up and was defeated, saying: "They are retreating because of the resistance they have faced. Without that, they would have stayed for much longer, there is no doubt."
He also warned that Britain's involvement in Iraq had endangered its citizens at home: "The British put their soldiers in a dangerous position by sending them here but they also put the people in their own country in danger. They have made enemies among all Muslims and they now face attacks at home because of their war. That was their mistake." Britain has about 5,500 troops in Iraq, most of whom are based in the southern city of Basra. Sadr said that Basra would become a safer place after the British military left.
On domestic Iraqi politics, Sadr said that Maliki's days as Iraqi leader were coming to a close: "Al-Maliki's government will not survive because he has proven that he will not work with important elements of the Iraqi people ... The prime minister is a tool for the Americans and people see that clearly. It will probably be the Americans who decide to change him when they realise he has failed. We don't have a democracy here, we have a foreign occupation." Sadr also denied American claims that he was being armed by Iran.
Labels: Kufa, Moqtada Al-Sadr, Nouri Al-Maliki, U.N.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
U.N. to hold talks with armed groups
U.N.
(Azzaman) - The United Nations intends to include all parties and factions in the talks it is going to hold to bring about national reconciliation in the country, Iraq U.N. spokesman said. Saaeed Arikat said the talks will involve armed groups currently fighting U.S. troops and the Iraqi government.
He did not reveal whether U.N.’s desire to conduct comprehensive talks with the political factions represented in parliament and those opposing the government would include groups with links to al-Qaeda organization. Iraq-linked Qaeda is better organized and equipped than any other group fighting U.S. occupation troops in Iraq. U.S. tactics to mobilize tribes to oust it from their areas have so far failed in containing its influence. Al Qaeda is responsible for most suicide bombings and attacks targeting U.S. invaders and Iraqi troops and security forces.
The Security Council unanimously approved a resolution on August 10 expanding the U.N.’s role in Iraq in a move aimed at reconciling the country’s rival groups, winning support from neighboring countries and tackling Iraq’s humanitarian crisis. The resolution authorizes the U.N. at the request of the Iraqi government to promote political talks among the country’s ethnic and religious groups and a regional dialogue on issues including border security, energy and refugees.
Arikat said the world body would seek to reach out to all the forces which could play a role in reconciling and rebuilding the country. “The U.N. is not concerned with what America wants from the resolution. We as an international organization will work to fulfill Iraqi ambitions and cooperate with the government,” he said.
Asked whether the U.N. will negotiate with the country’s armed groups, he said: “The U.N. will get in touch with political formations in the hope of reaching joint political agreements bringing the country’s disparate groups together.” The U.N., like the U.S. and Iraqi government, currently operates from the heavily fortified Green Zone but has two other offices in the country one in Arbil in the north and the other in Basra in the south.
Arikat said the U.N. had not forgotten Iraq despite the difficulties involved in operating there. “The U.N. has offered big sacrifices to help the Iraqi people,” he said. Former Secretary General Kofi Annan pull all U.N. international staff out of Iraq after the top U.N. envoy, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and 21 other people died in a huge explosion at the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad in 2003.
The new resolution points out the importance of armed protection by mainly U.S. forces for an enhanced U.N. team on the ground but analysts warn the presence of U.S. troops may complicate U.N. operations and make the staff an easy target for anti-U.S. rebels.
He did not reveal whether U.N.’s desire to conduct comprehensive talks with the political factions represented in parliament and those opposing the government would include groups with links to al-Qaeda organization. Iraq-linked Qaeda is better organized and equipped than any other group fighting U.S. occupation troops in Iraq. U.S. tactics to mobilize tribes to oust it from their areas have so far failed in containing its influence. Al Qaeda is responsible for most suicide bombings and attacks targeting U.S. invaders and Iraqi troops and security forces.
The Security Council unanimously approved a resolution on August 10 expanding the U.N.’s role in Iraq in a move aimed at reconciling the country’s rival groups, winning support from neighboring countries and tackling Iraq’s humanitarian crisis. The resolution authorizes the U.N. at the request of the Iraqi government to promote political talks among the country’s ethnic and religious groups and a regional dialogue on issues including border security, energy and refugees.
Arikat said the world body would seek to reach out to all the forces which could play a role in reconciling and rebuilding the country. “The U.N. is not concerned with what America wants from the resolution. We as an international organization will work to fulfill Iraqi ambitions and cooperate with the government,” he said.
Asked whether the U.N. will negotiate with the country’s armed groups, he said: “The U.N. will get in touch with political formations in the hope of reaching joint political agreements bringing the country’s disparate groups together.” The U.N., like the U.S. and Iraqi government, currently operates from the heavily fortified Green Zone but has two other offices in the country one in Arbil in the north and the other in Basra in the south.
Arikat said the U.N. had not forgotten Iraq despite the difficulties involved in operating there. “The U.N. has offered big sacrifices to help the Iraqi people,” he said. Former Secretary General Kofi Annan pull all U.N. international staff out of Iraq after the top U.N. envoy, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and 21 other people died in a huge explosion at the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad in 2003.
The new resolution points out the importance of armed protection by mainly U.S. forces for an enhanced U.N. team on the ground but analysts warn the presence of U.S. troops may complicate U.N. operations and make the staff an easy target for anti-U.S. rebels.
Labels: armed groups, Iraq, Saaeed Arikat, U.N.
Friday, August 10, 2007
U.N. to expand political role in Iraq
U.N.
(Reuters) - The United Nations will see its role in Iraq expanded to include seeking reconciliation between warring factions and dialogue with neighboring countries under a Security Council resolution planned for Friday. A new mandate for the 4-year-old U.N. Assistance Mission for Iraq, or UNAMI, will add to its past functions of helping with elections and monitoring human rights and require a boost to its modest staffing in Baghdad.
The resolution was drafted by the United States and Britain, which invaded Iraq in 2003 and toppled Saddam Hussein. Despite deep divisions in the Security Council at the time over the invasion, the new measure is set to pass unopposed. Washington's U.N. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said this week the United Nations was uniquely placed to smooth over conflicts between Shi'ites, Sunnis and Kurds that have bedeviled Iraqi politics and fueled rampant violence.
Some major Iraqi players, such as top Shi'ite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, were willing to talk to the United Nations but not the United States or Britain, said Khalilzad, formerly U.S. envoy to Baghdad. By coincidence the new mandate will come amid a fresh political crisis in Iraq, with nearly half the cabinet having quit, or boycotting meetings.
There are currently only some 50 UNAMI international staff in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone government and diplomatic complex, and a ceiling of 65. Security improvements are due to raise that ceiling to 95, U.N. officials say. U.S. and British officials have denied that their aim is to offload Iraq's political problems onto the United Nations, then pull their forces out.
The resolution was drafted by the United States and Britain, which invaded Iraq in 2003 and toppled Saddam Hussein. Despite deep divisions in the Security Council at the time over the invasion, the new measure is set to pass unopposed. Washington's U.N. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said this week the United Nations was uniquely placed to smooth over conflicts between Shi'ites, Sunnis and Kurds that have bedeviled Iraqi politics and fueled rampant violence.
Some major Iraqi players, such as top Shi'ite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, were willing to talk to the United Nations but not the United States or Britain, said Khalilzad, formerly U.S. envoy to Baghdad. By coincidence the new mandate will come amid a fresh political crisis in Iraq, with nearly half the cabinet having quit, or boycotting meetings.
There are currently only some 50 UNAMI international staff in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone government and diplomatic complex, and a ceiling of 65. Security improvements are due to raise that ceiling to 95, U.N. officials say. U.S. and British officials have denied that their aim is to offload Iraq's political problems onto the United Nations, then pull their forces out.
But while Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon endorsed the U.N. role expansion at a meeting last month with U.S. President George W. Bush, some U.N. rank-and-file staff are concerned that safety issues have not been fully addressed. The new resolution was originally slated to be passed on Thursday but was delayed because the text still needed Iraqi government approval, U.N. diplomats said. It must go through on Friday, the day UNAMI's current mandate expires.
The new mandate requires UNAMI to "advise, support and assist" Iraqis on "advancing an inclusive, national dialogue and political reconciliation," reviewing the constitution, fixing internal boundaries and staging a census. The mission would promote dialogue between Iraq and its neighbors on border security, energy and refugees, assist the return of millions who have fled the violence, coordinate reconstruction and aid, and help promote economic reform.
The new mandate requires UNAMI to "advise, support and assist" Iraqis on "advancing an inclusive, national dialogue and political reconciliation," reviewing the constitution, fixing internal boundaries and staging a census. The mission would promote dialogue between Iraq and its neighbors on border security, energy and refugees, assist the return of millions who have fled the violence, coordinate reconstruction and aid, and help promote economic reform.
Labels: Iraq, reconciliation, U.N., UNAMI
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
U.N. expects to raise number of international staff in Iraq
U.N.
(AP) - The United Nations said Tuesday it expects to raise the ceiling for international staff in Iraq from 65 to 95 by October, but the U.N. Staff Council called on the secretary-general to pull all U.N. personnel out of the country until security improves. The flap emerged as Britain and the United States circulated a revised Security Council resolution that would expand the U.N. mandate in Iraq to help promote political reconciliation, settle disputed internal boundaries, and plan for a national census.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has been under pressure from the United States to expand the U.N.'s role in Iraq and said in June he would consider it. But he cited deteriorating security in Iraq as an obstacle. The new text puts more focus on human rights, humanitarian issues, protecting civilians, and promoting the safety of humanitarian personnel than the initial document.
Amnesty International's Secretary General Irene Khan had complained that the original draft was completely "silent on the gross human rights abuses taking place on a daily basis in Iraq, and on the deepening humanitarian crisis in the country." Calling the revised draft "balanced," U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said, "I believe that we are well on our way to the adoption of the resolution this Thursday."
Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynne Pascoe told reporters after briefing the council Tuesday that the new mandate would enable the U.N. to work on issues "that clearly need to be done out there," especially national reconciliation, humanitarian assistance and dealing with the millions of Iraqis who have fled their homes.
"We are on a very strong effort to increase the numbers" of international staff in Iraq, he said. "The current ceiling is 65. I think by the fall, by October, we'll be up to about 95." But Pascoe stressed that there are two constraints to an expanded U.N. role: Iraqi political leaders must decide what they want the U.N. to do and security conditions must be sufficient for U.N. staffers to work. "We will be looking at the security situation everywhere to decide what level is appropriate," he said.
Soon after Pascoe spoke, the U.N. Staff Council, the executive body of the U.N. Staff Union which represents over 5,000 staff at U.N. headquarters, unanimously adopted a resolution calling on the secretary-general "not to deploy any additional staff members to Iraq and to remove those currently serving ... in Baghdad until such time as the security situation and environment improves." The Staff Council's resolution noted "the unacceptably high level of risk to the safety and security" of U.N. personnel.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has been under pressure from the United States to expand the U.N.'s role in Iraq and said in June he would consider it. But he cited deteriorating security in Iraq as an obstacle. The new text puts more focus on human rights, humanitarian issues, protecting civilians, and promoting the safety of humanitarian personnel than the initial document.
Amnesty International's Secretary General Irene Khan had complained that the original draft was completely "silent on the gross human rights abuses taking place on a daily basis in Iraq, and on the deepening humanitarian crisis in the country." Calling the revised draft "balanced," U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said, "I believe that we are well on our way to the adoption of the resolution this Thursday."
Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynne Pascoe told reporters after briefing the council Tuesday that the new mandate would enable the U.N. to work on issues "that clearly need to be done out there," especially national reconciliation, humanitarian assistance and dealing with the millions of Iraqis who have fled their homes.
"We are on a very strong effort to increase the numbers" of international staff in Iraq, he said. "The current ceiling is 65. I think by the fall, by October, we'll be up to about 95." But Pascoe stressed that there are two constraints to an expanded U.N. role: Iraqi political leaders must decide what they want the U.N. to do and security conditions must be sufficient for U.N. staffers to work. "We will be looking at the security situation everywhere to decide what level is appropriate," he said.
Soon after Pascoe spoke, the U.N. Staff Council, the executive body of the U.N. Staff Union which represents over 5,000 staff at U.N. headquarters, unanimously adopted a resolution calling on the secretary-general "not to deploy any additional staff members to Iraq and to remove those currently serving ... in Baghdad until such time as the security situation and environment improves." The Staff Council's resolution noted "the unacceptably high level of risk to the safety and security" of U.N. personnel.
Labels: Iraq, Lynne Pascoe, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, security, U.N., UNSC, Zalmay Khalilzad
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Jordan to hold conference on Iraqi refugees in July
Humanitarian
(RFE/RL) - A Jordanian Foreign Ministry official said on June 26 that the Hashemite kingdom will host a conference of countries sheltering Iraqi refugees sometime in July, AFP reported. "Regional countries, mainly Jordan, Syria, and Iraq, as well as the United Nations, will take part in the conference that will discuss ways of helping these states cope with burdens caused by Iraqi refugees," the unidentified official said.
The decision on holding the conference was made during a meeting between Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdallah Khatib and his Iraqi counterpart, Hoshyar Zebari, in Amman on June 26. Jordan has repeatedly warned the international community that the influx of Iraqi refugees has created a huge strain on its economy. The Jordanian Interior Ministry says the approximately 750,000 Iraqi refugees are costing Jordan an estimated $1 billion a year.
Labels: Abdallah Khatib, conference, Hoshiyar Zebari, Iraqi refugees, Jordan, Syria, U.N.
Monday, June 04, 2007
Turkey to deliver report to U.N. on PKK
Security, Region
(Reuters) - Turkey will deliver a report to the United Nations this week spelling out its concerns about militant Kurdish separatists in Iraq and reaffirming its legal right to take action against them, an official said on Monday. The news comes as Turkey reinforces its troops along the border with Iraq and the powerful army General Staff stresses its readiness for a cross-border operation to crush guerrillas of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
"Diplomacy first," said Monday's Sabah newspaper headline, saying the U.N. move prepared the legal and diplomatic ground for the possible military operation, which has already sparked alarm in the United States, Turkey's NATO ally. The Foreign Ministry official told Reuters Turkey's permanent U.N. representative, Baki Ilkin, would hold talks with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon this week.
"The terrorism incidents will be explained. A report will be presented concerning the explosives and weapons we have determined are coming (into Turkey) from northern Iraq," the official said. "More cooperation from the United Nations is requested on this matter," he added. The official declined to comment on the possibility of military action in northern Iraq.
"Diplomacy first," said Monday's Sabah newspaper headline, saying the U.N. move prepared the legal and diplomatic ground for the possible military operation, which has already sparked alarm in the United States, Turkey's NATO ally. The Foreign Ministry official told Reuters Turkey's permanent U.N. representative, Baki Ilkin, would hold talks with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon this week.
"The terrorism incidents will be explained. A report will be presented concerning the explosives and weapons we have determined are coming (into Turkey) from northern Iraq," the official said. "More cooperation from the United Nations is requested on this matter," he added. The official declined to comment on the possibility of military action in northern Iraq.
Labels: Baki Ilkin, PKK, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Turkey, U.N.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Iraqi Christians call on the government to protect them
Security, Religion
(AFP) - The leaders of Iraq's Christian minority on Thursday called on the country's beleaguered government to protect their community from attacks by Al Qaeda-inspired Muslim extremists. In a joint statement, Patriarch Mar Dinka IV of the Catholic Assyrian Church of the East and the Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Emmanuel Delly of Babylon said Baghdad's remaining Christians were facing persecution. They blamed the so-called "Islamic State of Iraq", an alliance of Islamist insurgent groups that serves as an Al-Qaeda front, for much of the violence.
"Christians in a number of Iraqi regions, especially those under the control of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq, have faced blackmail, kidnapping and displacement," the statement said.
The churchmen expressed surprise that Al-Qaeda's influence has "reached parts of Baghdad while the government has kept silent and not taken a firm stance to stop their expansion."
Before the US invasion in March 2003 there were estimated to be around 800,000 Christians in Iraq, around three percent of the otherwise largely Muslim population, living mainly in urban centres such as Baghdad.
Although there were some attacks on churches in the immediate aftermath of the fall of
Saddam Hussein, Iraq's Christians were not especially targeted while rival Sunni and Shiite Muslim factions went to war. As a relatively wealthy community, however, many Christians fell prey to kidnap and ransom gangs and many -- probably more than half -- of them have fled the country or moved to the relative safety of Iraqi Kurdistan. Now there are reports that Salafist groups such as Al-Qaeda, fundamentalists who believe Islam can be renewed by returning to the values of the era of the Prophet Mohammed, are targeting Christians on purely sectarian grounds.
In recent weeks a "fatwa" or Muslim religious decree has been issued by extremists ordering Christians to flee Dura, a southern suburb of Baghdad which is a hotbed of Sunni insurgent groups. In addition to calling on Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's government to protect them, the patriarchs also urged the United Nations to intervene.
"Christians in a number of Iraqi regions, especially those under the control of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq, have faced blackmail, kidnapping and displacement," the statement said.
The churchmen expressed surprise that Al-Qaeda's influence has "reached parts of Baghdad while the government has kept silent and not taken a firm stance to stop their expansion."
Before the US invasion in March 2003 there were estimated to be around 800,000 Christians in Iraq, around three percent of the otherwise largely Muslim population, living mainly in urban centres such as Baghdad.
Although there were some attacks on churches in the immediate aftermath of the fall of
Saddam Hussein, Iraq's Christians were not especially targeted while rival Sunni and Shiite Muslim factions went to war. As a relatively wealthy community, however, many Christians fell prey to kidnap and ransom gangs and many -- probably more than half -- of them have fled the country or moved to the relative safety of Iraqi Kurdistan. Now there are reports that Salafist groups such as Al-Qaeda, fundamentalists who believe Islam can be renewed by returning to the values of the era of the Prophet Mohammed, are targeting Christians on purely sectarian grounds.
In recent weeks a "fatwa" or Muslim religious decree has been issued by extremists ordering Christians to flee Dura, a southern suburb of Baghdad which is a hotbed of Sunni insurgent groups. In addition to calling on Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's government to protect them, the patriarchs also urged the United Nations to intervene.
Labels: Al Qaeda in Iraq, Doura, Iraqi Christians, Islamic State of Iraq, of Iraq, Patriarch Emmanuel Delly of Babylon, Patriarch Mar Dinka IV, U.N.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Kuwait reluctant to forgive Iraq's debt
Economy, Kuwait
(Associated Press) - Lingering bitterness from the 1990 Iraqi invasion and distrust of the government of Nouri Al Maliki are making it impossible to convince Kuwaitis and their lawmakers to forgive most of the $15 billion (Dh55 billion) of Iraq's debt. But the struggling Iraqi premier was hoping to do just that as he ended a two-day visit to this country on Wednesday, with appeals to Kuwaiti leaders and statements to editors of local dailies that he hoped their parliament was going to be "generous" and write off some of the debt.
Al Maliki said he believed Kuwait was "no less generous" than fellow Gulf country Saudi Arabia, which was writing off 80 per cent of a similar sum in debts. But Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil producer, has no legislature. Kuwait, a constitutional democracy with a ruling royal family, cannot make such a decision without its elected parliament. And while Kuwait's government itself may be willing to oblige Al Maliki and Washington requests, the decision rests with parliament, where strong sentiments prevail.
"Most Kuwaitis and parliament members believe that Iraq must pay," lawmaker Mohammad Al Mutairi said. "A commitment is a commitment; we have suffered enough from that neighbour." The UN panel overseeing compensation for victims of Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait said yesterday it has paid out a $280 million instalment from Iraqi oil funds to cover claims for losses and damages. The latest transfer brings the total amount paid in compensation to more than $22.1 billion. Most of the payments - about $229.5 million - went to 35 claimants in Kuwait, the United Nations Compensation Commission said.
Al Maliki said he believed Kuwait was "no less generous" than fellow Gulf country Saudi Arabia, which was writing off 80 per cent of a similar sum in debts. But Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil producer, has no legislature. Kuwait, a constitutional democracy with a ruling royal family, cannot make such a decision without its elected parliament. And while Kuwait's government itself may be willing to oblige Al Maliki and Washington requests, the decision rests with parliament, where strong sentiments prevail.
"Most Kuwaitis and parliament members believe that Iraq must pay," lawmaker Mohammad Al Mutairi said. "A commitment is a commitment; we have suffered enough from that neighbour." The UN panel overseeing compensation for victims of Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait said yesterday it has paid out a $280 million instalment from Iraqi oil funds to cover claims for losses and damages. The latest transfer brings the total amount paid in compensation to more than $22.1 billion. Most of the payments - about $229.5 million - went to 35 claimants in Kuwait, the United Nations Compensation Commission said.
Labels: debt relief, Iraq, Kuwait, Mohammad Al Mutairi, U.N., United Nations Compensation Commission
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Kurdistan criticised by UNAMI for human rights abuse
Human Rights
(AP) - The United Nations has rebuked Kurdish authorities over their treatment of journalists and detainees in a rare critical assessment of the human rights situation in the oil-rich northern autonomous region that has been hailed as a success story in Iraq.
The U.N. Assistance Mission in Iraq singled out Kurdistan in its 10th human rights report on Iraq, expressing concern over infringements on freedom of expression by the regional government. "Authorities continued to subject journalists to harassment, arrest and legal actions for their reporting on government corruption, poor public services or other issues of public interest," the report said.
The report, which was released Wednesday, also criticized Kurdish security forces, saying hundreds of detainees have been held for prolonged periods, "some for several years", without charge or due process. The report added that the mission has received allegations of the torture or ill-treatment of detainees. Fouad Mohammad, the regional human rights minister, said the report exaggerated the violations and he complained that he was not contacted about the cases.
The human rights report acknowledged the stable security situation but noted abuses in other areas. The report said most arrests of journalists were carried out by a unit that has jurisdiction over economic crimes such as smuggling, espionage and terrorism. The report also expressed concern about the situation of detainees in the area, saying the majority had been arrested on suspicion of involvement in terrorism and other serious crimes, with many accused of being supporters of Islamist groups.
A prominent Kurdish politician acknowledged shortcomings and said efforts were being made to improve them. Mahmoud Othman said journalists were allowed to criticize government officials but restrictions were aimed at preventing slander.
The U.N. Assistance Mission in Iraq singled out Kurdistan in its 10th human rights report on Iraq, expressing concern over infringements on freedom of expression by the regional government. "Authorities continued to subject journalists to harassment, arrest and legal actions for their reporting on government corruption, poor public services or other issues of public interest," the report said.
The report, which was released Wednesday, also criticized Kurdish security forces, saying hundreds of detainees have been held for prolonged periods, "some for several years", without charge or due process. The report added that the mission has received allegations of the torture or ill-treatment of detainees. Fouad Mohammad, the regional human rights minister, said the report exaggerated the violations and he complained that he was not contacted about the cases.
The human rights report acknowledged the stable security situation but noted abuses in other areas. The report said most arrests of journalists were carried out by a unit that has jurisdiction over economic crimes such as smuggling, espionage and terrorism. The report also expressed concern about the situation of detainees in the area, saying the majority had been arrested on suspicion of involvement in terrorism and other serious crimes, with many accused of being supporters of Islamist groups.
A prominent Kurdish politician acknowledged shortcomings and said efforts were being made to improve them. Mahmoud Othman said journalists were allowed to criticize government officials but restrictions were aimed at preventing slander.
Labels: detainees, Fouad Mohammad, human rights, journalists, Kurdistan, Mahmoud Othman, U.N., UNAMI
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Iraqi Constitutional Monarchist Movement call for U.N. intervention
Politics
(Al-Hayat) - The leader of the Iraqi Constitutional Monarchist Movement, Ali Bin al-Husayn, has warned of a calamity if national reconciliation cannot be achieved before foreign forces withdraw from Iraq, "Al-Hayat" reported on April 23. Al-Husayn, secretary-general of the movement, said that mutual distrust among Iraqi factions is preventing reconciliation from moving forward, and he called on the UN to intervene and act as a guarantor of any agreement.
"This military presence continues to hinge on its [UN] resolutions," he said. "So what is the objection to letting the UN Security Council play the role of overseer and guarantor for any solution to help the Iraqi people find a mechanism that will ensure a real and effective reconciliation to emerge from the current impasse?" Al-Husayn warned that if reconciliation is not achieved prior to the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces, Iraq will become an arena of conflict for regional states that have competing interests.
COMMENT: Headed by Sharif Ali bin al-Husayn, cousin of the deposed Iraqi king, Faysal II, who was killed in the 1958 coup in Iraq. The group's website claims: "Constitutional monarchy is the one thing that could rescue Iraq from the factional conflicts between the various groups over the question of the position of the head of the state, because the Monarch would not favor one group to the detriment of another, but rather would represent all the people."
The group supports an elected national assembly, and claims that it can maintain a balance in Iraq because "Monarchy needs not to be affected by the political ideologies of the competing parties because its main role is an arbitrator between all and guarantor of the constitution." The CMM was one of seven opposition groups to receive financial support from the United States prior to Operation Iraqi Freedom. However, the group was not afforded a seat on the interim Governing Council, much to the chagrin of al-Husayn. COMMENT ENDS.
Labels: Ali Bin al-Husayn, Iraqi Constitutional Monarchist Movement, national reconciliation, U.N.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
U.N. considers opening office in Kurdistan
U.N.
(Al-Sabah) - A senior United Nations delegate has held talks with Kurdish officials in Arbil. The talks were in reference to the opening of a U.N. office in the region.
Friday, March 23, 2007
U.N. warns of cholera outbreak
Humanitarian
(Reuters) - United Nations agencies working in Iraq warned on Thursday a chronic shortage of safe drinking water risks causing more child deaths and an outbreak of waterborne disease such as cholera during the summer. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said shortages of drinking water threatened to push up diarrhoea rates, particularly among children. Diarrhoea is already the second highest cause of child illness and death in Iraq, it said. "Latest reports suggest we are already seeing an increase in diarrhoea, even before the usual onset of the diarrhoea season in June," said Roger Wright, UNICEF representative in Iraq. Efforts to repair Iraq's damaged water networks have been hampered by electricity shortages, attacks on technicians, infrastructure and engineering works and underinvestment in the water sector, the agencies said.
The suspension of water tankering services to tens of thousands of people in Baghdad, especially to displaced families and communities hosting them, increased the risk of cholera outbreaks, the agencies warned. "Under the circumstances, Iraq has done extremely well to keep outbreaks of waterborne diseases, especially cholera, largely at bay so far. But this achievement is at risk unless more reliable sources of safe water reach families as soon as possible," the joint statement said. No cholera cases were reported last year and the incidence of typhoid also decreased, according to WHO data.
Labels: cholera, clean water, U.N.
Rocket explodes near U.N. Secretary General
Security, U.N.
(AP) A rocket exploded 50 yards from the U.N. secretary-general during a news conference Thursday in Baghdad's Green Zone, causing him to cringe and duck just minutes after Iraq's prime minister said the visit showed the city was "on the road to stability." The Katyusha rocket that hit near Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was fired from a mainly Shiite area on the east bank of the Tigris River, not far from The Associated Press office. The heavily guarded Green Zone on the opposite bank is home to the U.S. Embassy, Iraq's government and the parliament.
Ban's unannounced stop in the Iraqi capital was the first visit by a U.N. secretary-general since Kofi Annan, his predecessor, came to Baghdad in November 2005. The U.N. Security Council issued a statement strongly condemning the rocket firing as an "abhorrent terrorist attack." The U.N. presence in Iraq has been much smaller than planned since militants bombed the organization's Baghdad headquarters on Aug. 19, 2003, and killed 22 people, including the top U.N. envoy, Sergio Vieira de Mello.
That was one of the first major attacks as Sunni Arab insurgents began rallying against American forces and other foreign troops after the U.S.-led invasion. Foreign U.N. staff withdrew from Iraq in October 2003 after a second assault on its offices and other attacks on humanitarian workers. A small staff has gradually been allowed to return since August 2004.
Iraq's Shiite-dominated government has been quietly pushing for a greater U.N. role and was banking on decreased violence in the capital to show that it was returning to normal six weeks into a joint security crackdown with American forces.
Ban's unannounced stop in the Iraqi capital was the first visit by a U.N. secretary-general since Kofi Annan, his predecessor, came to Baghdad in November 2005. The U.N. Security Council issued a statement strongly condemning the rocket firing as an "abhorrent terrorist attack." The U.N. presence in Iraq has been much smaller than planned since militants bombed the organization's Baghdad headquarters on Aug. 19, 2003, and killed 22 people, including the top U.N. envoy, Sergio Vieira de Mello.
That was one of the first major attacks as Sunni Arab insurgents began rallying against American forces and other foreign troops after the U.S.-led invasion. Foreign U.N. staff withdrew from Iraq in October 2003 after a second assault on its offices and other attacks on humanitarian workers. A small staff has gradually been allowed to return since August 2004.
Iraq's Shiite-dominated government has been quietly pushing for a greater U.N. role and was banking on decreased violence in the capital to show that it was returning to normal six weeks into a joint security crackdown with American forces.
Labels: Katyusha rocket, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, U.N.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
U.N. Secretary-General in Baghdad for talks with al-Maliki
U.N.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was headed to Baghdad on Thursday for a meeting with the Iraqi prime minister, the first visit by the top United Nations official in nearly a year and a half, U.N. officials said. Ban will be in the Iraqi capital for only one day of meetings with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, whose forces are working with the U.S. military in a major operation to curb violence in Baghdad and the surrounding territory. The U.N. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information, would give no other details about the visit. The top U.N. official was last in Baghdad when Ban's predecessor, Kofi Annan, visited the capital in November 2005.
Labels: Baghdad, Nouri Al-Maliki, oon, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, U.N.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Iraq unveils five year reconstruction plan
Reconstruction, International
(BBC) - Iraq's vice-president has spelled out the details of a five-year reconstruction plan at a key UN conference on the country's future. Adel Abdul-Mahdi outlined annual growth targets and a series of pledges on security, the rule of law, protecting human rights and tackling corruption. International pledges for the plan are expected next month.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged members to back the plan and not let Iraq face its problems alone.
Representatives from almost 90 countries were attending the meeting on the International Compact with Iraq, a partnership between Baghdad and donors launched last July.
Mr Abdul-Mahdi, one of two Iraqi vice-presidents, vowed to adopt legislation to share oil wealth among the regions and a scheme to give amnesty to militants who renounced violence. The plan projects economic growth of 15.4% in 2007, compared to 3% last year. It also targets 3.5m barrels a day of crude oil by 2011 - doubling the annual crude export revenue to about $50bn.
Mr Ban said the five-year plan should be seen as "a tool for unlocking Iraq's own potential". He said: "The challenges ahead are immense. I am sure you will all agree that we cannot leave Iraq on its own to cope with them. The UN plans a meeting no later than the end of April for the international response to supporting the compact.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged members to back the plan and not let Iraq face its problems alone.
Representatives from almost 90 countries were attending the meeting on the International Compact with Iraq, a partnership between Baghdad and donors launched last July.
Mr Abdul-Mahdi, one of two Iraqi vice-presidents, vowed to adopt legislation to share oil wealth among the regions and a scheme to give amnesty to militants who renounced violence. The plan projects economic growth of 15.4% in 2007, compared to 3% last year. It also targets 3.5m barrels a day of crude oil by 2011 - doubling the annual crude export revenue to about $50bn.
Mr Ban said the five-year plan should be seen as "a tool for unlocking Iraq's own potential". He said: "The challenges ahead are immense. I am sure you will all agree that we cannot leave Iraq on its own to cope with them. The UN plans a meeting no later than the end of April for the international response to supporting the compact.
Labels: Adel Abdul-Mahdi, Iraq Compact, reconstruction, U.N.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
VP Abdul-Mahdi to update U.N. and donors on Iraq Compact
International
(AP Worldstream) Iraqi Vice President Adel Abdul-Mahdi will update U.N. member states and other potential donors Friday on the war-torn country's plan for economic development and ask for international support, the United Nations said. Abdul-Mahdi, one of two vice-presidents, will be promoting a five-year plan known as the Iraq Compact to ensure the government has funds to survive and enact key political and economic reforms. The compact was set up shortly after Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki took office in June 2006 to "consolidate peace and pursue political, economic and social development."
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who convened the meeting, "looks forward to the participation of the broader international community ... to help put Iraq on a credible path towards sustainable development and economic prosperity," his spokeswoman Michele Montas said Wednesday. Delegations from more than 40 countries plan to attend the meeting, she said. Abdul-Mahdi met Wednesday in Washington with U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Robert Kimmitt, who will lead the U.S. delegation to the meeting.
Kimmitt said in a statement issued after the meeting that he congratulated the vice-president on Iraq's economic progress and lauded the creation of the Iraq Compact as "an ambitious framework for transformation of the Iraqi economy." Ibrahim Gambari, the U.N. special adviser for the compact and the Iraqi delegation, which also includes Planning Minister Ali Baban, will co-chair Friday's meeting. The U.S. Treasury said all parties have agreed to a ministerial meeting in the near future to formally sign the compact.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who convened the meeting, "looks forward to the participation of the broader international community ... to help put Iraq on a credible path towards sustainable development and economic prosperity," his spokeswoman Michele Montas said Wednesday. Delegations from more than 40 countries plan to attend the meeting, she said. Abdul-Mahdi met Wednesday in Washington with U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Robert Kimmitt, who will lead the U.S. delegation to the meeting.
Kimmitt said in a statement issued after the meeting that he congratulated the vice-president on Iraq's economic progress and lauded the creation of the Iraq Compact as "an ambitious framework for transformation of the Iraqi economy." Ibrahim Gambari, the U.N. special adviser for the compact and the Iraqi delegation, which also includes Planning Minister Ali Baban, will co-chair Friday's meeting. The U.S. Treasury said all parties have agreed to a ministerial meeting in the near future to formally sign the compact.
Labels: Ibrahim Gambari, Iraq Compact, Planning Minister Ali Baban, Robert Kimmitt, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, U.N., Vice President Adel Abdul-Mahdi
