Zebari Insists Iraq Has Disarmed, Urges UNSC to Lift Restrictions

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 28 — Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said Iraq has fulfilled its obligations under Security Council resolutions pertaining to the field of disarmament, and therefore the international community should lift the restrictions on the country’s technological and scientific research.

In a letter transmitted to the council president, China, by Iraqi UN Ambassador Hamid Al-Bayati, Zebari said “as you are aware, outstanding issues related to disarmament obligations are among the constraints that continue to prevent Iraq from regaining its status as a responsible and active member of the international community and, at the same time, deprive it of the benefits of technological progress and scientific research.

“Now that Iraq has fulfilled its obligations under the relevant Security Council resolutions, the international community should lift those restrictions.” Zebari argued that “we trust that the Security Council and IAEA will acknowledge the measures and the fact that the situation in Iraq has fundamentally changed since the Security Council resolutions on Iraq pertaining to disarmament were adopted.” “We hope that the Security Council will give immediate consideration to the removal of all the restrictions that were imposed pursuant to its resolutions on Iraq pertaining to disarmament, weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles, including resolutions 687 of 1991 and 707 of 1991,” he added.

The Government and people of Iraq, he insisted, are “determined to build democracy, live peacefully in a stable and secure homeland and play a constructive role that contributes to regional stability and security. We hope that the international community will help us to play that role and to overcome the legacy of the irresponsible policies of the previous regime.” Zebari reiterated in his letter his country supports the international non-proliferation regime and complies with disarmament treaties and other relevant international instruments.

He vowed that Baghdad will continue to report on additional disarmament measures taken by the Government, and recalled Iraq’s reports detailing the positive steps taken by Iraq so far with regard to disarmament and non-proliferation.

He added that Iraq has taken a number of other measures in observance of international disarmament and non-proliferation standards and in keeping with the Constitution which states that the Iraqi Government shall respect and implement Iraq’s international obligations regarding the non-proliferation, non-development, non-production and non-use of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, and shall prohibit associated equipment, materiel, technologies and delivery systems for use in the development, manufacture, production and use of such weapons.

Zebari also informed the Council that Iraq has made progress on several significant disarmament issues during the last two years.

He stated that Iraq acceded to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction and, after depositing the instrument of accession, became the 186th State party on 12 February 2009. He recalled that Iraq has signed the Additional Protocol to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and that the Additional Protocol is currently before Parliament for ratification, as is the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. He also stated that the National Monitoring Directorate, in cooperation and coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Science and Technology, is making preparations for Iraq’s accession to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material.

“The Government of Iraq, which was established democratically and in accordance with the principles set forth in the Constitution, is committed to taking additional steps to comply with non-proliferation and disarmament standards,” Zebari said in his letter. In order to achieve that aim, he explained, the Government actively ensures that the Directorate continues to establish and enforce controls on Iraqi exports that are consistent with international standards.

He also said that Iraq will move towards accession to the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage and the Convention on Nuclear Safety and compliance with an international ballistic missile non-proliferation regime, and the country will take the necessary steps to sign the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation. In addition, he continued, Iraq will proceed towards endorsement of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, and application of the IAEA Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources and supplementary Guidance on the Import and Export of Radioactive Sources. “The measures the Iraqi Government intends to take clearly demonstrate and confirm to the international community the extent of its commitment to non-proliferation,” he said.

On the basis of its legal and legislative authority, and in compliance with international norms, he noted, the Government will inform the Security Council, IAEA and other relevant agencies of the progress made towards implementing those measures. It is worth mentioning that the disarmament issue is just one factor preventing Iraq from getting out from under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter. Among the other issues, still pending and waiting implementation by Baghdad, are related to the maintenance of the border posts between Iraq and Kuwait and the Kuwaiti missing and stolen property

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