S/PV.7556 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representative of Iraq to participate in this meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite Mr. Ján Kubiš, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, to participate in this meeting. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2015/819, which contains the first report of the Secretary-General pursuant to paragraph 7 of resolution 2233 (2015), and to document S/2015/826, which contains the eighth report of the Secretary- General pursuant to paragraph 4 of Security Council resolution 2107 (2013). I now give the floor to Mr. Kubiš. Mr. Kubiš: September 2015 marked one year in office of the Government led by Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi. The Prime Minister continues to actively lead efforts to fulfil the Government’s programme and his reform agenda, even as the scope and complexity of Iraq’s security, political, social, budgetary and humanitarian challenges increase. At the same time, the Prime Minister faces immense challenges to implementing his planned reforms, primarily due to disagreements and political polarization among political forces. Last week, the Council of Representatives unanimously voted to bar the Government from enacting key reforms that would infringe on the separation of powers between the three branches of Government and the Constitution. Since taking office, the Prime Minister has been struggling to exercise his authority while his opponents grow bolder. Meanwhile, the scope and impact of the reforms have not met public expectations. Despite hopes that he would be able to move national reconciliation forward and bring the broader Sunni community into the political process, the Prime Minister’s efforts have been obstructed by elements within all Iraqi components, the main reasons being lack of trust and vested interests. Yet, the majority of Iraqis believe that Prime Minister Al Abadi remains their best hope for a better, united, less sectarian and prosperous Iraq, and they support him. The Prime Minister has so far retained sustained political backing from the highly influential Grand Ayatollah Al-Sistani and the Marja’iya. I have stressed to the Prime Minister and other political forces the need for openness, partnership, inclusiveness and broad consultations in decision-making to work in unity and to promote effective governance. Intensified political confrontation is the last thing the country needs at this point of time. In the wake of the steep drop in global oil prices, Iraq’s fiscal crisis and growing budget deficit are of increasing concern and highlight the need for urgent economic reform in the country. I urge the Government, as well as its foreign partners, including international and regional financial institutions, to undertake urgent measures to address the pressing economic and budgetary challenges. The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) has continued its efforts to promote inclusive national reconciliation among the leaders of all Iraqi components and political groups, civil society and local communities, and neighbouring countries, in support of and coordination with the Government of Iraq. UNAMI stands ready to assist all efforts to promote an inclusive reconciliation process that upholds respect for Iraq’s unity, sovereignty and constitutional order. There is a vital need to show political will, ownership and a commitment to historic compromise and national reconciliation, regardless of opposite views and political risk, to capitalize on signals from some Sunni leaders and groups outside of the political process that they are ready to join it. The Government, the Council of Representatives and the political forces should not lose sight of the need to proceed with the Government’s national reconciliation programme, including priority legislation to promote a genuine, inclusive Iraqi political system based on equal rights for all Iraqis and to counter sectarianism and the radical ideology of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Progress on the Syrian file towards a political solution would also have a critical positive impact on national reconciliation in Iraq. The stabilization efforts led by the central and local authorities and supported by the United Nations Development Programme Funding Facility for Immediate Stabilization are progressing. The stabilization of Tikrit has been a success, as nearly its entire displaced population — some 155,000 peopl — has returned home. Now, four governorates — Anbar, Diyala, Salah al-Din and Ninewa — have asked for additional assistance from the Funding Facility. The United Nations family in Iraq is ready to respond positively. As often is the case, funding is the problem. In areas reclaimed from ISIL, the Government must continue to make every effort to ensure that good governance and the rule of law are restored as quickly as possible. UNAMI is actively engaging with the respective authorities on that issue, as well as with the leadership of the popular mobilization forces. The Kurdistan Region of Iraq has long been a source of stability and development in Iraq. Deep disagreements between the major political parties of the region, however, threaten that. I have engaged Kurdish interlocutors extensively, encouraging them to swiftly reach a compromise solution, based on an inclusive political dialogue and democratic principles, to remain united for the critical task of fighting ISIL. Concerning Baghdad-Erbil relations, it is imperative that differences over the December 2014 oil- and revenue-sharing agreement be quickly resolved through dialogue. UNAMI is ready to support this. Furthermore, the current impasse — at a time when the 2016 budget is being discussed in the Council of Representatives — hurts the relationship between the central Government and the Kurdistan Regional Government, which is critical to Iraq’s stability and unity, the fight against ISIL, and to addressing the growing economic, budgetary and social challenges through reforms. During the reporting period, ISIL was successfully pushed back. In Central Iraq, the Iraqi security forces, the popular mobilization forces and tribal volunteers have retaken key areas, including Baiji, which is now under Government control. The pro-Government forces have proven their ability to conduct military operations in several areas simultaneously. The Global Coalition to Counter ISIL has become more effective in supporting the Iraqi security forces and the Peshmerga, both in direct military activities and training and in providing supplies of materiel. In addition, the Government of Iraq has recently begun to cooperate with Russia, Iran and Syria in intelligence-sharing through a cell in Baghdad. Yet, ISIL continues to possess the funding and military capacities to prolong its reign of terror over large swathes of Iraq. Notwithstanding ISIL’s sophisticated and massive use of improvised explosive devices, suicide attacks and ability to conduct operations in complex urban environments, the Iraqi security forces continue to make slow progress, while at the same time doing their utmost to avoid civilian casualties. In addition, the reported use of chemical weapons by ISIL against the Peshmerga is currently under investigation. Representatives of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons recently visited Baghdad to discuss this matter with Iraqi officials. During his visit to Iraq last week, the Secretary- General’s Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Mr. Adama Dieng, made a strong plea for strengthened mechanisms for the protection of minorities, stressing the need for crime perpetrators to be held accountable and the importance of national reconciliation at the community level. The protection of minorities remains one of the critical tasks of the United Nations family. The humanitarian situation remains of the gravest concern. The scale of the crisis is outstripping our collective capacity to respond. With limited funding, the United Nations humanitarian community has had to cut and reorganise its programmes in support of Iraqi internally displaced persons (IDPs). Since the vast majority of IDPs want to remain in Iraq, the best way to encourage this is to provide humanitarian support at the point of origin. They will be less inclined to flee the country and migrate to third countries, primarily in Europe. Allow me now to turn to the eighth report of the Secretary-General pursuant to paragraph 4 of resolution 2107 (2013), on the issue of missing Kuwaiti and third- country nationals and missing Kuwaiti property, including the national archives. In spite of all the instability plaguing the region, good relations, a positive atmosphere and closer dialogue and cooperation are prevalent in the relations between Iraq and Kuwait. Good will between the two countries was further evidenced when, on 28 October, the payment of the remaining $4.6 billion in reparations owed to the Government of Kuwait was extended until 1 January 2017. While the challenging security and political situation in Iraq and the burden placed on State finances are fully recognized, the Government of Iraq is nonetheless expected to demonstrate complete commitment to this international obligation and to make efforts to move the file forward. The steps it has taken so far and the results to date are insufficient. I would like to touch upon the issue of the residents of Camp Hurriya and the need to alleviate Iraq of this burden. On 30 October, the Camp was again the target of a rocket attack that claimed the lives of 24 residents and wounded many others. The only solution guaranteeing the security of the residents is their speedy relocation to third countries. While strongly reminding the Government of Iraq of its obligation to ensure the safety of the residents, I equally strongly urge all countries to work with the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser to consider hosting these residents in their territories or to use their influence to assist in their relocation in the shortest possible time. I will also continue to remind the Council of our United Nations national staff member who was taken hostage earlier this year. I urged the Iraqi authorities to redouble their efforts to secure his release. It has now been more than six months that we have had no credible information about our colleague or a positive solution to this case. UNAMI, in close consultation with the Iraqi authorities, has embarked on implementing the Secretary-General’s recommendations, as outlined in his last report (S/2015/518) and endorsed through the adoption of our new mandate in July. The new mandate gives the Mission the flexibility it needs to respond to the evolving challenges in Iraq and enables UNAMI, together with the United Nations country team, to prioritize its activities. With the continued support of the Council, we will continue working hand in hand with the Government of Iraq, political forces and civil society to achieve results in all critical areas, while increasingly mobilizing regional and international support and cooperation.

I thank Mr. Kubiš for his very focused briefing and for the longer written remarks that he circulated to all members of the Council. I now give the floor to the representative of Iraq.

At the outset, I should like to congratulate the delegation of the United Kingdom on its assumption of the presidency of the Council for this month. I also thank the Spanish delegation for its able leadership of the Council last month. The main problem facing Iraq today is a complex amalgam of military, humanitarian, economic and security challenges. More than 3 million Iraqis from all communities remain internally displaced due to their cities and towns having fallen under the control of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The Iraqi Government is making every effort to take the appropriate measures to protect the internally displaced persons, including children, women and members of religious and ethnic minorities, and to prepare and establish conditions conducive to their safe return. We thank all the countries participating in the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, the European Union and its member States, and the neighbouring countries for their fight against terrorism and their military and logistical support for the Iraqi security forces. Our thanks and gratitude also go to the Security Council for urging the international community to expand its support to Iraq in fighting ISIL. We call on the States of the region to suppress, weaken and disable the terrorists. We confirm that terrorism can be countered and defeated only through the concerted efforts of all international and regional organizations and the States of the region concerned. My country pays tribute to the valiant security forces, the popular mobilization forces, the Kurdish Peshmerga and the tribal volunteers operating under a single, central command, for their military successes in Diyala, Salah al-Din, Jurf Al-Nasir, Amerli and Kirkuk; the liberation of Baiji and its refinery, the entire town of Al-Siniya, and some towns of Anbar governorate; and the completion of the siege of all of Anbar town and Ramadi as a prelude to driving out the terrorist entity ISIL. We are pursuing our efforts to enhance relations with neighbouring countries, particularly the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran and Turkey, in addition to our ongoing cooperation with Syria. We take this opportunity to pay tribute to the State of Kuwait for postponing our payment of reparations until 2017, and we underscore our commitment to making progress on the issues of missing persons and the Kuwaiti national archives. We are using state-of- the-art technology to expedite our search for the missing Kuwaiti citizens. We are also making constructive efforts to update our maps of the Kuwait-Iraq border. We are committed to protecting the inhabitantts of Camp Hurriya. We are implementing strict security measures to secure their protection. We have also been conducting investigations into the most recent missile attack on the Camp. In closing, we wish to express thanks and appreciation to Mr. Ján Kubiš and his team, who have been providing advice and humanitarian assistance to Iraqi internally displaced persons. We also thank the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq for its capacity-building and other tasks in Iraq.

There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. I now invite Council members to informal consultations to continue our discussion.