VZCZCXYZ0016
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0217/01 0781434
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 191434Z MAR 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1539
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0574

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000217 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PARM PREL PGOV UNSC IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQ BRIEFING TO SECURITY COUNCIL 
 
REF: SECSTATE 31952 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: Iraqi Vice President Abd al-Mahdi told the 
Security Council that 2007 will be the year of civil peace 
and unity in Iraq.  The UN Security Council held March 15 its 
quarterly open briefing (REFTEL) on the activities of the UN 
Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI) and the Multinational 
Forces - Iraq (MNF-I).  The Iraqi Vice President reported 
that the Baghdad Security Plan (BSP) has resulted in a 
"noteworthy reduction of violence" and he underlined the 
international community's responsibility to help Iraq defeat 
the violent terrorist threat, which is funded and supported 
by international terrorist networks.  Special Representative 
of the Secretary General to Iraq (SRSG) Qazi also noted the 
"marked decrease in violence" due to the BSP.  He told the 
Council that the March 10 regional meeting in Baghdad was an 
important step to build security and stability for Iraq. 
Ambassador Wolff delivered the status report (REFTEL) on 
behalf of MNF-I, stressing that the Iraqi government 
continues its efforts to secure a stable future for Iraq's 
citizens and progress in the political, economic, and 
security arenas are all essential to helping Iraq achieve its 
goals.  Council members responded to the briefings with 
support for UNAMI, the Iraqi government, and the 
International Compact with Iraq (ICI), calls for Iraqi 
national reconciliation and an inclusive political process, 
and urgent appeals for assistance to Iraqi refugees and IDPs. 
 END SUMMARY. 
 
SECURITY 
-------- 
 
¶2. During the UN Security Council's March 15 quarterly open 
briefing for the UN Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI) and 
the Multinational Forces - Iraq (MNF-I), SRSG Ashraf Qazi, 
Ambassador Wolff, and Iraqi Vice President Abd al-Mahdi all 
pointed to a reduction of violence due to the new Baghdad 
Security Plan (BSP).  Russia disputed that fact and said 
there were "no significant results" from the BSP.  Indonesia 
welcomed Iraqi PM Maliki's plan to deal with armed groups and 
China hoped the BSP would succeed to give hope to Baghdad 
residents.  France noted that the security situation remains 
"grave." 
 
¶3. All delegations underlined that a military solution alone 
cannot achieve security and stability for Iraq.  Most Council 
members stressed that national reconciliation and an 
inclusive and fair political process are the keys to security 
and stability.  Qatar stated that political solutions "cannot 
be imported from abroad" but also noted that international 
support is important for Iraq.  The UK agreed that national 
reconciliation is important, but also stated that the cycle 
of violence and attacks must be stopped.  The Iraqi Vice 
President responded to Council members' heavy emphasis on the 
need for an internal political solution by saying that Iraq 
will "uphold its duties to promote national reconciliation," 
but much of the violence in Iraq is perpetrated by 
international terrorists.  This terrorism is funded and 
supported by international networks and it is the 
international community's responsibility to help Iraq fight 
it. 
 
¶4. Russia and France both called for a timeline for the 
withdrawal of foreign troops, while Indonesia said that 
foreign troops should be withdrawn when Iraq is ready in 
order to avoid a security vacuum. 
 
POLITICAL PROCESS 
----------------- 
 
¶5. SRSG Qazi welcomed the March 10 regional meeting in 
Baghdad and said it was an important step to reducing 
violence and increasing stability and eventually economic 
prosperity in Iraq.  Qazi underlined that no regional powers 
at the March 10 meeting called for an MNF-I withdrawal.  All 
Council members joined Qazi in welcoming the regional meeting 
in Baghdad.  Italy encouraged Iraq to expand the meeting to 
include other important players (namely Italy) and suggested 
that G8 members participate.  China told the Council that the 
March 10 meeting had a "good atmosphere" and Russia said that 
it looks forward to the follow-on Ministers meeting. 
 
¶6. Vice President Abd al-Mahdi told the Council that Iraq had 
made a strategic decision to pursue national reconciliation. 
Qatar urged Iraq to include "all sects" in a political 
solution to the country's problems.  Slovakia noted that 
de-ba'athification and the constitutional review are 
important elements of the political process.  Indonesia 
praised Ayatollah Sistani's fatwa on the importance of 
inter-sectarian tolerance and harmony and announced an April 
2-3 conference in Indonesia on Iraqi national reconciliation. 
 
 
ECONOMY 
------- 
 
¶7. Ambassador Wolff encouraged active participation by 
regional and global partners in the International Compact 
with Iraq (ICI) and called it critical to assisting Iraq's 
development efforts.  SRSG Qazi, Vice President Abd al-Mahdi 
and Council members also fully supported the ICI as an 
important component of Iraq's economic reconstruction and 
development. 
 
¶8. Russia said that the new hydrocarbon law should ensure 
equal access to Iraq's natural resources and argued that all 
companies from around the world should be on equal footing 
when competing for contracts to work in the oil and gas 
sectors.  Russian companies are ready to participate in the 
reconstruction of Iraq, the Russian represented said. 
 
REFUGEES 
-------- 
 
¶9. Many Council members expressed serious concern about the 
deteriorating humanitarian situation of Iraqi refugees, 
mostly in Syria and Jordan, and Iraqi IDPs.  The Iraqi Vice 
President said that IDPs would benefit from the success of 
the BSP and 100 families have already been able to return 
home.  He welcomed the UN High Commissioner for Refugees 
(UNHCR) April 17-18 conference on the subject and hoped the 
meeting would help "end the suffering" of the refugees. 
Council members emphasized the importance of the UNHCR April 
conference and pressed for concrete action.  Qatar called the 
refugees' situation a "real crisis" and France said it could 
become a "genuine humanitarian emergency." 
 
¶10. Before the meeting concluded, SRSG Qazi thanked Council 
members for their strong support for UNAMI and the Iraqi Vice 
President called on UN agencies to return to Iraq as 
conditions become safer and thanked MNF-I for its help in 
improving the security situation. 
WOLFF