IRAQ: UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONER SAYS UNITED NATIONS WILL PLAY LONG TERM ROLE IN HELPING IRAQ CREATE DEMOCRACY

Record ID: 338201

  • Title: IRAQ: UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONER SAYS UNITED NATIONS WILL PLAY LONG TERM ROLE IN HELPING IRAQ CREATE DEMOCRACY
  • Date: 24th June 2003
  • Summary: (W5) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JUNE 24, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. WIDE OF UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS SERGIO VIERRA DE MELLO SEATED FOR NEWS CONFERENCE 0.06 2. SCU SOUNDBITE (English) UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS SERGIO VIERRA DE MELLO SAYING: "I have learned, and this is my penultimate point, that we must not impose anythi
  • Embargoed: 9th July 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVAEXMKO48TF167512VIIBG3KBKC
  • Story Text: A leading United Nations official in Baghdad says the
    organisation is in the country for "the long haul".



    United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
    Sergio Vierra De Mello said on Tuesday (June 24) in Baghdad
    that he had learned that "we must not impose anything on this
    nation (Iraq). Rather we must assist where needed, where
    invited by the Iraqis, in rebuilding a pluralistic, democratic
    country that the Iraqis so deeply yearn for and so richly
    deserve."
    He said that Iraqis, despite their mixed feelings about
    the role of the U.N. in their recent history, wish the United
    Nations to play a strong and important role in the future, not
    just in the short but in the long term.

    "We are here for the long haul and we will be here long
    after the coalition has left", de Mello said.

    De Melo said that Iraqis had told him "they see in the
    United Nations a source of legitimacy for the transitional and
    the longer term political processes in Iraq."
    And he stressed again that: "We are all here - in
    particular the coalition that has the primary responsibility
    as long as it is in charge to create new, representative
    institutions in this country."

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