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New York, 22 Sept. (AKI) - Whatever happens in
the next steps in Iraq's transition to democracy, in
the long-term it was crucial that Iraqis take
ownership of the political process and the
maintenance of security in their country, the top
envoy of the United Nations in Iraq told the
Security Council on Wednesday.
"While the referendum and the elections are necessary instruments in
Iraq's transition to democracy, they are only
staging posts along an evolving transition," said
Ashraf Qazi, special representative of
secretary-general Kofi Annan, as he introduced
Annan's latest report on Iraq.
Other factors that would become crucial for
long-term success were the development of good
governance practices and regional engagement
supporting the transition, he said.
Because of the importance of Iraqi ownership in the
process, it was essential that the United Nations
and other outside entities not advocate for certain
outcomes in the transition, he said.
"The United Nations does not and should not take
positions of questions such as the merits of the
draft constitution, which lie exclusively within the
sovereign political domain of the Iraqi people," he
said.
The secretary-general's report does find, however,
that the draft process of the Iraqi constitution
could have been more transparent and inclusive, and
that the Iraqi interim government will need to
ensure that a much broader political consensus
shapes the upcoming constitutional referendum and
national elections.
In the report, Annan also notes that the continued
atmosphere of terror and violence, as well as "a
disconcerting source of human rights violations in
the country," continue to threaten the democratic
process.
The Security Council has already pledged to assist
Iraq through the difficult process of building a
democracy. Thus, despite the many difficulties,
Annan pledges that the UN will provide a public
education programme for the upcoming referendum and
elections, and technical and capacity building
assistance.
He also calls on member states to provide the 107
million dollars in international financial support
needed to pay for the referendum and the elections
that follow.
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