Speech by H.E Dr. Nabil Elaraby, The Secretary General of the League of Arab States at the “International Conference on Peace and Security in Iraq”.
Delivered in Paris, France on September 15, 2014.
Excellency, Mr. Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development of the Republic of France Excellency, Mr. Ibrahim al-Jaafari, Minster of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq Excellencies the Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen, At the beginning, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude and appreciation to H.E. President Francois Hollande, President of the Republic of France and H.E. President Fouad Massoum, President of the Republic of Iraq for their initiative to convene this important conference and for their joint sponsorship of the conference’s proceedings which we expect that would contribute and effectively mobilize regional and international support for the new Iraqi government, and help it to achieve security, stability and to maintain the national unity of the Iraqi people with all their components and multi-cultural, social fabric. This Iraqi national unity represents the guarantee and the essential foundation for enhancement of the Iraqi national unity government led by H.E President Haidar Al-Abbadi. I also take this opportunity to congratulate Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari who participates in this conference today, stressing the need to provide every support for the new Iraqi government and to help it to carry out its responsibilities in maintaining peace and security in Iraq and to face the surrounding hazards and challenges, in particular, the fateful confrontation that Iraq faces, in partnership with the Arab brothers and the international community, against ISIS terrorist group and its extended branches in the region, and which has no relation with the true religion of Islam. In this context, I would like to emphasize the following points:
First: The importance of concerted efforts to develop joint action plans and programs that would help implement all the provisions of the Security Council Resolution No. 2170 (2014) into effect.
Second: The Arab League Ministerial Council issued an important resolution on 7/9/2014 expressing unanimous commitment of the Arab States to undertake practical and comprehensive political, security, judicial, intellectual and cultural measures to face the hazards of terrorism in all its forms. In this regard, the Council stressed the disposition to full cooperation with various initiatives and international efforts to combat terrorism and eradicate this phenomenon and its causes. Here, I express full support for the initiative of the Kingdom of Bahrain on the fight against terrorism funding sources.
Third: the phenomenon of terrorism and extremism requires good preparation for its comprehensive confrontation everywhere regardless of the name under which it materializes. In addition, terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality, race or civilization, together with the need to enhance the culture of interfaith and intercultural dialogue. In this context, it is necessary to take into consideration the state of paralysis or stagnation that has stricken efforts to achieve peace and security in the region, first and foremost ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, in addition to the inability of the international community and the Security Council to deal with other volatile crises in Syria, Yemen, Libya Somalia, which all feed the waves of extremism and terrorism.
Fourth: The need to respond to the challenges posed by the conditions and requirements for inclusive confrontation with terrorism, which should not be confined to security and military aspects, but also include means to establish the concepts of freedom, justice, citizenship and equality of rights and duties and good governance as concepts that constitute the foundations of the social charter and coexistence and public peace among the diverse components of the Arab communities rich with cultural plurality, without exclusion or discrimination.
Fifth: I would like to be explicit when I describe the heinous crimes committed against Christians, Yezidis, Turkmen, Kurds, Shiites, Sunnis and others, because they are not crimes against ethnic or religious minorities in the structure of Arab societies and their history, but these crimes are rather committed against all humanity and also against basic social, and original components in the history of the Arab region and the present and future of its people.
Sixth: Finally, emphasis should also be made on the need to adhere to full respect of Iraq’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, political stability and national unity, and to reject any interference in its internal affairs, and with this, I end my speech.
Thank you Mr. President.
