UN Security Council renews full support for Iraq (Roundup)

Jun 18, 2009, 18:12 GMT

New York - The UN Security Council reiterated on Thursday its full support for Iraq and its mission there, which has been tasked to help Baghdad build democratic institutions, political dialogue and national reconciliation.

The 15-nation council issued a statement following a debate on the situation in Iraq. The debate was presided over by Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu, who also gave his government's full support to the Iraqi government.

The council commended Baghdad's accomplishments in democratic reform, rule of law and improved security, its fight against terrorism and sectarian violence throughout the country.

It called on the UN mission to continue advising , supporting and assisting the Iraqi people and government.

'The Security Council reaffirms its commitment to the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Iraq, and emphasizes the importance of the stability and security of Iraq for its people, the region, and the international community,' the council said in its statement.

Steffan de Mistura, the UN special envoy for Iraq, urged the council to expand the mandate of the UN Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) and increase the presence of the UN staff.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was called upon to provide clear direction that will be 'proactive and results-oriented,' de Mistura said during a council's review debate on the situation in Iraq.

De Mistura said the UN could make a difference and be allowed to act as 'honest brokers' in Iraq.

'We sought to be selective and incremental in identifying 'quick wins' to build our credibility by trying to demonstrate that we can deliver, by proving that we can be creative and reliable in the use of our main asset - international legitimacy,' he said.

'The Iraqi people have shown remarkable resilience and are now more than ever able to determine the course of events in their own country,' he said.

UNAMI's current staff includes 300 internationals and about a similar number of locals. Its mandate has been mostly to assist the government in Baghdad in its reconstruction and recovery efforts.