Full text of the Joint Statement adopted by International Conference on Peace and Security in Iraq held in Paris
By Agha Iqrar Haroon
The international community including United States, China, France and Russia have joined hands to pour resources, bridge expertise and collaborate to fully mobilize their support for the Iraqi authorities and in the fight against Daech (ISIL). They will ensure that the commitments made are implemented and followed up on, notably in the framework of the United Nations and during the high-level meetings that will be held alongside the United Nations General Assembly.
The most critical speech was of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov who said that West must come out of foul narrative of Good and Bad terrorists.
“There is no such thing as a ‘good’ terrorist, and we call on other nations not to show their political ambitions while fighting with terrorism”, said Lavrov.
Good terrorist and bad terrorist narrative spoiled security of Pakistan while fighting with Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan as United States and government of Pakistan had conflict over the issue that who is Good Terrorist and who is Bad terrorist.
Lavrov has criticized the move not to invite Syria and Iran to the meeting.
“Syria and Iran are our natural allies in the fight against IS, and their participation in today’s meeting could significantly enrich our work. Moral standards on which the anti-terrorism battle is based shouldn’t become vague,” he stated.
Lavrov also stated that the IS is evidently planning to “edge the whole region of the Middle East into the abyss of religious wars,” enlisting their crimes.
Following is the full text of statement adopted by International Conference on Peace and Security in Iraq (Paris, September 15, 2014). Conference was attended by representatives from 30 plus countries and international organisations, including the United States, Russia and China, gathered in Paris for planning battle against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Text of the Joint Statement.
1. At the invitation of the President of the French Republic and the President of the Republic of Iraq, an international conference on peace and security in Iraq was held today in Paris.
2. The conference participants (Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Arab League, European Union, United Nations) expressed their commitment to the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Iraq. They welcomed the formation of a new government under the authority of the Prime Minister, Mr Haïdar al-Abadi, and offered him their full support to strengthen the rule of law, implement a policy of inclusiveness, and ensure that all components are fairly represented within the federal institutions and all citizens are treated equally. All of these measures are necessary in order to successfully combat Daech (ISIL) and terrorist groups, which represent a threat to all Iraqis.
3. The conference participants asserted that Daech (ISIL) is a threat not only to Iraq but also to the entire international community and that confronting such a threat will require a long term effort from the international community. They condemned the crimes and acts of mass violence that Daech (ISIL) commits against civilians, including the most vulnerable minorities, which may amount to crimes against humanity. They agreed to cooperate and do everything to ensure that the culprits are brought to justice. They confirmed support for the inquiry led by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to that end.
4. All participants underscored the urgent need to remove Daech (ISIL) from the regions in which it has established itself in Iraq. To that end, they committed to supporting the new Iraqi Government in its fight against Daech (ISIL), by any means necessary, including appropriate military assistance, in line with the needs expressed by the Iraqi authorities, in accordance with international law and without jeopardizing civilian security.
5. The conference participants also reaffirmed their commitment to the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council on the fight against terrorism and its sources of recruitment and financing, in particular Resolution 2170. They will make sure that this resolution is correctly implemented and will take the necessary measures to ensure it has all the intended effects. They firmly believe that resolute action is necessary to eradicate Daech (ISIL), particularly measures to prevent radicalization, coordination between all security services and stricter border control. They welcomed the prospect of working on an action plan to combat terrorist financing.
6. Reiterating their support for the Iraqi Government, the international partners recalled the need to support the Iraqi people’s desire for human rights to be observed in a federal framework that respects the constitution, regional rights and national unity.
7. They recognized the role played by the United Nations in Iraq, particularly in coordinating and facilitating international assistance to the Iraqi Government. The conference participants also recognized that the Arab League and the European Union are essential long-term strategic partners for Iraq. They also welcomed the results of the Jeddah conference of September 11, 2014.
8. The conference participants agreed to continue and increase, depending on changes in the situation on the ground, the provision of emergency humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi Government and local authorities, in order to help them accommodate and assist refugees and displaced persons, who should be able to return to their homes safely.
9. The international partners declared that they were willing to assist Iraq in its reconstruction work, with the aim of achieving fair regional development, in particular by providing expertise, know-how and appropriate financial support, through, for example, specific global fund to help reconstruction of areas devastated by Daech (ISIL).
10. The international partners agreed to remain fully mobilized in their support for the Iraqi authorities and in the fight against Daech (ISIL). They will ensure that the commitments made today are implemented and followed up on, notably in the framework of the United Nations and during the high-level meetings that will be held alongside the United Nations General Assembly.
