SG/SM/10062
IK/514
30 August 2005
Secretary-General Welcomes Completion of Iraq's New Constitution, Urges Parties to Continue Inclusive Process
NEW YORK, 29 August (UN Headquarters) -- The following statement was issued on Sunday, 28 August, by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan:
The Secretary-General welcomes the completion of the new draft constitution of Iraq, which has been the result of an Iraqi-led and Iraqi-owned process. He also welcomes the earnest efforts made by all Iraqi political entities under the difficult circumstances in which this process took place.
The Secretary-General urges all Iraqi communities and political entities to continue to work together in a spirit of national reconciliation, through a fully inclusive, transparent and participatory political process in the period leading to the national referendum, when the Iraqi people will decide on their new constitution.
The Secretary-General is pleased that the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and its constitutional team have been able to provide the necessary support to the constitution-making process and has instructed his Special Representative, Ashraf Qazi, to continue efforts to promote national dialogue and consensus-building among all Iraqi communities and political entities, with a view to helping the Iraqi people build the foundations of a new peaceful, democratic and united Iraq.
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