UN: U.N. Security Council Members give support for Iraq election and urge Iraqi citizens to vote

Record ID: 336693

  • Title: UN: U.N. Security Council Members give support for Iraq election and urge Iraqi citizens to vote
  • Date: 15th December 2005
  • Summary: (W5) UNITED NATIONS (FILE) (REUTERS) REPORTERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 30th December 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA9QOA4DDJAWOI2EIPM8H8YG7UX
  • Story Text: The U.N. Security Council On Wednesday (December 14) discussed Thursday's (December 15) Iraqi parliamentary election. Many encouraged Iraqis to vote, and warned insurgents against disrupting Iraq's democratic process.
    U.N. Under-Secretary-General Ibrahim Gambari summarised the long process leading up to the election and said he saw a positive outlook for the future of the country.
    "To have kept this process on track, under very difficult conditions is a testimony to the commitment of most Iraqis to participate in shaping their country's future through peaceful, democratic means. The growing strength and popular participation in the three polls held this year, which were very much encouraged and supported, is a sign of new political dynamic developing in Iraq and it's a positive one."
    U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., John Bolton, gave his well-wishes to the people of Iraq and encouraged citizens to vote.
    "It is important that Iraq's election be transparent and inclusive. We urge all Iraqis to participate in the election to make their views known regarding the future of Iraq. We welcome the efforts of the Iraqis, the United Nations, and other members of the international community that are enabling Iraqi citizens to participate in their political process."
    With Sunni Arabs ending their boycott of the U.S.-sponsored process, voter turnout could reach 70 percent, up from 58 percent in January. That alone is likely to deprive Vice-President Adel Abdel Mehdi's United Iraqi Alliance, the Shi'ite Islamist coalition, of its narrow majority in the 275-seat chamber.
    Tarek al-Hashemi, a leader of the Iraqi Accordance Front, forecasted at least 50 seats for his Sunni bloc, a major improvement on the 17 Sunni Arabs in the present parliament.
    Among favourites for premier are Mehdi and Iyad Allawi, a secular Shi'ite and tough-talking former prime minister, who is picking up tacit approval from Washington and possibly Sunni Arab votes.
    Although many are concerned that violence will erupt across Iraq when voters hit polls, Iraqi Ambassador to the U.N. Samir Shakir Mahmood Sumaidaie said that terrorist violence will not deter Iraqi democracy.
    "Iraq will show the world that the great majority of its people are interested in peaceful means of deciding their future and the way their country is governed. We expect a very high turnout irrespective of any challenges or attempts by terrorists to hinder or impede the voting process, we believe that it will be an overwhelming statement by the Iraqi people that this is the way they want to go."
    Results of the election are likely to take many days to be announced, while horsetrading over a president, prime minister and government could take months.
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