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FM criticizes US' occupation of Iraq as wrongful unilateralism

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

United Nations, New York, Sept 19, IRNA
UN-Iran-Iraq
Iranian Foreign Minister Manoucher Mottaki here Monday strongly criticized the US' occupation of Iraq as an example of its wrong policy of unilateralism, blaming it for serious problems now facing the country.

Mottaki's remarks came as he addressed a special meeting on Iraq held hours before the opening of the 61st annual session of the United Nation General Assembly. Foreign ministers of the five permanent members states of the UN -- China, Russia, Britain, France and the United States -- and Iraqi neighboring states were key participants in the meeting.

"Three years after the US' war on Iraq, the fundamental question remains: Why and under what logic should a state be allowed to invade another (sovereign) state, inflict damage to its people and bring instability to an important part of the region?"

He said the US' war and eventual occupation of Iraq was another instance of its policy of unilateralism which has drawn condemnation from all quarters of the world, most recently by member states of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in their 14th summit held in (Havana) Cuba," he added.

Pointing to the continuing security problems in Iraq, the minister said the concern is that attacks are directed at holy sites and Shi'ite gatherings by terrorists striving to sow seeds of discord in Iraq in order to achieve certain ominious goals.

Blaming the continuing violence in Iraq on the occupation, he said "it should not be ignored that the cause of ongoing problems in the country is the unilateral decision of the US in March 2003 (to attack Iraq)."
Mottaki further pointed out that current developments in Iraq, particularly the daily attacks on civilians, are intended to cause hatred and discord among the Iraqi nation and can be traced to the activities of secret and skillful elements which have always tried to put obstacles in the way of peaceful co-existence of Iraqi Shi'ites, Sunnis and Kurds for centuries.

He stressed the importance of giving the Iraqis full control over their country's security affairs, noting that Iraqi neighboring states and other members of the international community had a "pivotal role" to play in this regard as with the country's development and reconstruction.

He highlighted Iranian assistance to Iraq in the reconstruction of the country as well as Tehran's willingness to expand relations with Baghdad in all fields, saying Iran enjoys a vantage position in helping Iraq regain its status in the international community on account of its "geographical proximity, deep-rooted historical and cultural bonds and convenient ground, sea and air routes." Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa, Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu and European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana were among other participants at the meeting jointly presided by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.

2327/2321/1414