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May
31, 2005 (KRG) The Kurdistan Regional Government and
United Nations signed an agreement this week that
helped open a new chapter in relations between the
Kurdistan administration and the world body.
Sarkis Aghajan, deputy prime minister of the
Kurdistan Regional Government, and Staffan de
Mistura, United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq
(UNAMI) deputy special representative of the
secretary-general, met at the Council of Ministers
in Erbil on Sunday May 29.
The KRG and UN mutually recognised that since 2003
the operating environment in Kurdistan had
dramatically changed. The new relationship
recognises the KRG as the regional authority and the
UN as an honoured guest.
Mr Aghajan welcomed the UN to function in Kurdistan
in a manner that supports and strengthens the
development of essential public services. The KRG
discussed the unsatisfactory relationship that
existed under the UN Security Council Resolution 986
oil-for-food programme. It was recognised that this
programme was a unique case and the UN’s normal mode
of operation is to serve the people in cooperation
with the authorities. The two sides agreed that all
UN-supported programmes would involve the KRG.
Mr Aghajan and Mr de Mistura also discussed other
issues surrounding the SCR-986 oil-for-food
programme that had yet to be resolved. The UN
admitted that its criticism of the KRG last year
regarding UN property had been based on incomplete
information and inadequate understanding about the
UN handover of certain assets to the Kurdistan
authorities. The UN agreed to offer a public
clarification in both Erbil and Amman. Consequently,
the KRG agreed to close this chapter.
The KRG is pursuing all unspent and other
oil-for-food funds to which the people of the
Kurdistan region are entitled. The UN representative
offered to urge the Independent Inquiry Committee
(also known as the Volcker commission) that is
conducting an investigation into UN management of
the programme to look into the funds owed to
Kurdistan.
The meeting also discussed the security of UN staff
and facilities and efforts to attract new UN-managed
resources to the Kurdistan region. The meeting ended
with a view towards developing a new relationship
that aims to serve the people of Kurdistan
effectively and efficiently.
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