Iraqi PM Regrets Lack of Arab Participation at UN Conference, Discusses Debt
Baghdad Al-Iraqiyah Television in Arabic – government-sponsored television station, run by the Iraqi Media Network – at 1805 gmt on 29 May carries within its “In the Middle of the Event” programme a live or recorded seven-minute news conference by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in Stockholm, following the International Pact with Iraq conference in the Swedish capital. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is seen sitting beside Al-Maliki but does not participate in the news conference.
Al-Maliki begins by saying that “I suppose you have heard about the decision, which has been made by the Paris Club member states and other parties to reduce Iraq’s debts to others by 100 or at least 80 per cent.” This “positive decision will allow Iraq to get rid of its economic burden,” he says, adding that “the said parties have fulfilled their promise to back the Iraqi Government-led political process and project under the new constitution and help us resolve the refugee and energy issues.” Yes, “we can assure you that the participants in the International Pact conference have fulfilled their promise,” he says, adding that “some countries, which demand war reparations from Iraq, have not yet decided to reduce the debts following the pattern of the Paris Club member states.” We hope that “this positive atmosphere will send a message to the other friendly and sisterly countries.”
Discussing corruption in Iraq, Al-Maliki says that “corruption has previously spread in Iraq on a large scale as a result of the former regime’s adventures and wars, which destroyed the state and caused a huge loss of lives and property.” Even after the fall of the former regime, “corruption went on in the Iraqi institutions,” he says, stressing that “the government has recently made progress in fighting corruption.” He also says: “I assure you that what is being said now about a large-scale corruption in Iraq has political purposes and is aimed at tainting the image of Iraq. Corruption has dropped to its minimal level, and we have been able to reduce embezzlement through a host of institutions, including the National Centre for Fighting Corruption.”
Asked by the Al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper’s correspondent if he was surprised by the failure of the Arab countries to participate in today’s conference at the ministerial level, Al-Maliki says that “we wish they had participated in the conference, since Iraq is an Arab country and part of the Arab perimeter.” He also says that that “what harms Iraq will harm its perimeter” and that “we do not see any negative position on the conference.”
Asked by an unidentified correspondent if the Iraqi Government is able to block neighbouring countries from interfering in Iraq’s domestic affairs and control its borders with them, Al-Maliki says that “non-interference is an international, legal, and constitutional principle.” He says that “we are working to bolster our relations with the neighbouring countries to solve these problems, some which have been inherited from the previous regime, in order to create a new positive atmosphere of cooperation and to put an end to interference in Iraq’s domestic affairs.” Any harm done to a regional country “will harm the others,” he says, adding that “we are trying to establish the best of relations with the neighbouring countries.”
Asked by a correspondent how the Iraqi Government views the statement made by the head of the Saudi delegation to the conference on his country’s readiness to consider reducing its $15 billion debt on Iraq, Al-Maliki says that “we have to hold consultations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to clarify the debt’s size and interest rates” and that “we hope we will resolve the issue soon.”
Originally published by Al-Iraqiyah TV, Baghdad, in Arabic 1805 29 May 08.
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