Thursday, August 09, 2007
U.N. staff pass resolution not to increase members in Iraq
U.N.
(IPS) - The U.N. Staff Council, representing 25,000 staff members, unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday calling on Secretary General Ban Ki-moon not to deploy any additional staff members to Iraq and to remove those currently serving at the duty station in Baghdad. The resolution cites the "unacceptably high level of risk to the safety and security of U.N. personnel currently serving in Iraq," and stresses that, "the breakdown of law and order in Iraq has created a place where aid workers have become targets and pawns."
"The security situation in Iraq is getting worse every day," Emad Hassanin, first vice president of the Staff Union, told IPS. Against this backdrop, the U.S. and Britain are circulating a draft resolution aimed at expanding the U.N. Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).
"The U.N. needs to play an enhanced role in helping Iraqis at the present time," Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., told reporters here. "This is a very important issue, the issue of Iraq for the region, for the country, and for the world and therefore the U.N. needs to play a bigger role and help Iraqis," Khalilzad said. "One of the advantages of the U.N. is that it can reach out to many groups and some groups that do not want to talk to other external players are willing to talk to the U.N.," Khalilzad said, pointing out that, "Ayatollah Sistani, one of the influential figures of Iraq did not speak to the U.S./UK reps but does engage with the U.N. envoy."
"We are on a very strong effort to increase the numbers of international staff in Iraq," B. Lynne Pascoe, U.N. under-secretary-general for political affairs, said after briefing the Security Council Tuesday. "The current ceiling is 65. I think by the fall, by October, we'll be up to about 95," he said. Asked about a timetable for the withdrawal of the U.S. troops to go hand in hand with the expansion of the U.N. role, Khalilzad said, "We understand that the issue of the coalition presence is an issue on which Iraqis disagree. But I also know, you all know that I was in Iraq for almost two years, that no community in Iraq would like a precipitous U.S. withdrawal."
"The U.S. has been talking about a 'new and important role' for the U.N. in Iraq, as part of a public relations campaign about how things are getting better, stability is just around the corner, and so on," James Paul, executive director of the Global Policy Forum in New York, told IPS. "But in fact, the security environment is deteriorating there and the U.N. cannot operate safely or effectively."
"The U.N. Security Council is closing its eyes to the reality of the world's most serious security and humanitarian crisis," Paul continued, stressing that, "There is astounding neglect of the real situation in Iraq." Four million Iraqi refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) have left their homes as sectarian fighting has spread through the country. The U.N. estimates that more than 100,000 people are fleeing Iraq each month. "Iraq is far from being stable," an Asian diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity told IPS. "With the incidence of bombings daily, there is an appalling humanitarian problem," the diplomat stressed.
The Security Council is expected to vote on the UNAMI resolution on Thursday. Some Security Council delegations, including Belgium, France, Indonesia and South Africa, have reportedly raised concerns with the draft which was circulated on Aug. 1, just nine days before the expiration of the current resolution on Aug. 10.
Labels: B. Lynne Pascoe, Emad Hassanin, Global Policy Forum, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, U.N. Staff Council, UNAMI, UNSC, Zalmay Khalilzad
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, March 29, 2007
U.S. Ambassador sworn in
U.S.
(AP) U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker was sworn in as the new top U.S. envoy to Iraq on Thursday, saying that he was taking over the "most critical foreign policy mission" facing his country. A series of bomb blasts in Baghdad and its suburbs underlined how tough his job will be. Crocker, a fluent Arabic speaker, used that language when he told the embassy's Iraqi employees, "You are the heroes of the country, in the true meaning of the word."
Taking up where his predecessor, Zalmay Khalilzad, left off, the 57-year-old Crocker warned Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki that his government "must take all the necessary steps to unite the country." He left no doubt of his commitment to the Bush administration's policy in Iraq, which is under withering attack in the Democrat-controlled Congress.
Taking up where his predecessor, Zalmay Khalilzad, left off, the 57-year-old Crocker warned Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki that his government "must take all the necessary steps to unite the country." He left no doubt of his commitment to the Bush administration's policy in Iraq, which is under withering attack in the Democrat-controlled Congress.
Labels: Ryan Crocker, Zalmay Khalilzad
Monday, March 26, 2007
Al-Maliki pressuried to make progress by June 30 or lose U.S. support
Politics, Security
(AP) - Zalmay Khalilzad, who is leaving his post after 21 months that had seen a massive increase in violence in Baghdad overall, declared that insurgent and militia attacks had decreased by 25 percent in the six weeks since the start of U.S.-Iraqi security plan on Feb. 14. "I know that we are an impatient people, and I constantly signal to the Iraqi leaders that our patience, or the patience of the American people, is running out," said the Afghan-born Khalilzad, who has been nominated by President Bush as American ambassador to the United Nations.
Aides to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki have said that Washington has signaled that he must make progress on a series of benchmark legislative and political measures by June 30 or face a withdrawal of American support for his government. The United States has denied making the threat but Khalilzad was clear that al-Maliki was under heavy U.S. pressure to move rapidly on several issues, especially a law that would provide a fair distribution of Iraqi oil wealth among all ethnic and sectarian groups, a measure that is especially important to the White House.
He also said the Iraqis need to act on political and sectarian reconciliation between Sunnis and Shiites, and on amending the constitution to make it more palatable to the Sunnis. Despite repeated promises of quick action from the Iraqis and heavy pressure from the Americans, those measures still await action in parliament. Khalilzad also said U.S. contacts with Sunni insurgents were ongoing and he noted progress in splitting some Sunni tribes away from the insurgency and from al-Qaida in Iraq in particular.
Aides to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki have said that Washington has signaled that he must make progress on a series of benchmark legislative and political measures by June 30 or face a withdrawal of American support for his government. The United States has denied making the threat but Khalilzad was clear that al-Maliki was under heavy U.S. pressure to move rapidly on several issues, especially a law that would provide a fair distribution of Iraqi oil wealth among all ethnic and sectarian groups, a measure that is especially important to the White House.
He also said the Iraqis need to act on political and sectarian reconciliation between Sunnis and Shiites, and on amending the constitution to make it more palatable to the Sunnis. Despite repeated promises of quick action from the Iraqis and heavy pressure from the Americans, those measures still await action in parliament. Khalilzad also said U.S. contacts with Sunni insurgents were ongoing and he noted progress in splitting some Sunni tribes away from the insurgency and from al-Qaida in Iraq in particular.
Labels: constitution amendment, draft oil law, Nouri Al-Maliki, sectarian reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad
