ACTIVITIES OF SECRETARY-GENERAL IN BELGIUM, 21-22 JUNE
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in Brussels on 21 June, a day in advance of the International Conference on Iraq.
A few hours after arrival, the Secretary-General was briefed on the preparations for the conference by Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, his Special Representative for Iraq.
Later in the evening, he attended an official dinner for the conference participants hosted by the European Commission President, José Manuel Barroso.
By their presence at the International Conference in Brussels, the more than 80 countries and organizations present were sending a clear message to the Iraqi people, the Secretary-General said in his opening remarks. And that message was: the international community supports you and is determined that the reconstruction of the country succeeds. (See Press Release SG/SM/9949.)
The Secretary-General told the participants which included the Prime Minister of Iraq Ibrahim al-Jaafari and United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, that the United Nations was proud to have played its part in ensuring the effective conduct of the elections.
Turning to the ongoing political transition and the constitution-writing process, the Secretary-General urged that this process be participatory, inclusive and transparent. "Iraqis must find it within themselves to reach out to one another and address issues on which they may differ", he said. And without an inclusive political process, security initiatives are unlikely to take hold, he added.
"The United Nations”, he promised, “will continue to implement our mandate to the fullest extent possible, and we are delivering." He stressed that the good offices of the United Nations are being used to bridge differences within the Iraqi population through assistance in the constitution-making process and institutional capacity-building.
In closing, he said that not only the words but also the deeds of the international community will reassure the Iraqis that they will not be let down.
On the sidelines of the conference, the Secretary-General held bilateral meetings with a number of other conference participants.
The Secretary-General met with Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing of China. The Minister briefed the Secretary-General on China’s assistance efforts in Iraq, which includes both financial and in kind contributions. The Secretary-General outlined the scope of the UN’s activities in Iraq. They also spoke about the ongoing UN reform discussions.
Later in the morning, the Secretary-General had a wide-ranging discussion with the Prime Minister of Belgium, Guy Verhofstadt, and the Foreign Minister of Belgium, Karel De Gucht. They discussed the ongoing constitutional drafting process and the possibility of Belgium’s assistance in that process. They also exchanged views on UN reform, which the Prime Minister said was fully supported by Belgium. In addition, the Secretary-General and the Belgian officials discussed the current situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Immediately following that meeting, the Secretary-General met with United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. They discussed a number of issues including Iraq, Security Council resolution 1559, UN reform, and the situation in Uzbekistan.
The Secretary-General then met with Amre Moussa, the head of the Arab League. Mr. Moussa briefed the Secretary-General on recent contacts he had with Palestinian officials following the summit meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. They also discussed UN reform, Iraq and Darfur, which Mr. Moussa had recently visited.
The Secretary-General also held bilateral meetings with the Iraqi delegation led by Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari and Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari.
He continued his bilateral contacts throughout the morning and through the afternoon with meetings with United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim, Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura, Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh.
In between these meetings, the Secretary-General attended an official luncheon hosted by the Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Jean Asselborn.
The Secretary-General took the floor at the closing session of the International Conference. He told delegates that the gathering would be seen as a turning point in Iraq’s transition, as the international community committed itself to respond to the needs and priorities of Iraq. (See Press Release SG/SM/9950.)
He added that improvements in the lives of Iraqis, in all its aspects, can only happen if they have the opportunity to participate in the political transition to contribute to political and economic reconstruction. The Secretary-General stressed that the process of drafting a new constitution is “a seminal opportunity to lay the foundations for a political culture of human rights, the rule of law and inclusiveness. It is an undertaking truly worthy of the obsession of an entire people.”
Immediately after the closing session, which was also addressed by Jean Asselborn, Condoleezza Rice and Hoshyar Zebari, the Secretary-General participated in a press conference with them. Also joining them on the podium were the European Council’s High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, and European External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
In remarks to the press, the Secretary-General said the Iraqi Government and the international community have promised each other to be full partners in the emergence of a new Iraq.
Within that partnership, the Secretary-General said the United Nations was acutely aware of its responsibilities. He told journalists that United Nations personnel are today hard at work, both inside and outside Iraq, assisting in constitution-making, coordinating humanitarian and development aid, and supporting institution-building,
“The people of Iraq”, he said in closing, “have many friends, and we are determined not to let them down.” (See Press Release SG/SM/9951.)
In answering a question on the constitution-drafting process, the Secretary-General said it should be as inclusive as possible and that the consultations should be as wide as possible to include civil society.
Following the press conference, the Secretary-General had a brief meeting with Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos.
The Secretary-General left Brussels for London that evening.