Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki speaks
during the opening of an international conference on Iraq in Sharm
el-Sheikh, 03 May 2007.??
A ministerial meeting of the International Compact with Iraq (ICI)
came to an end at this Egyptian resort on Thursday afternoon, with
the adoption of a final ICI document.
The adoption meant the official launching of the U.S.-backed
initiative, which was to "build a secure, unified, federal and
democratic nation, founded on the principles of freedom and
equality, and providing peace and prosperity for its people."
The document outlined the details of the ICI, which was deemed
as a five-year plan (2007-2011) for both the Iraqi government and
the international community.
The document enlisted the goals for the Iraqi government to
achieve in the next five years in the context of politics, security
and socio-economy, and how to realize them in partnership with the
international community.
The 40-page document didn't mention the timing of withdrawal of
foreign troops in Iraq.
In the political context, the document said a stable state and
coherent society in Iraq required rejection and confrontation of
terrorism, renunciation of violence against the state and between
sects, fair sharing of resources, and among others.
The document said the Iraqi government will widen dialogue to
promote unity and national reconciliation.?
Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki (L)
talks as Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit (C) and United
Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon listen at the international
conference on Iraq in Sharm el-Sheikh May 3,
2007.??
In the security context, it said the Iraqi government will "work
with international partners" to develop well-trained and capable
Iraqi security forces.
The document said the Iraqi government will develop such
security forces before the end of the Compact period, i.e., five
years.
In the socio-economic context, the document said the Iraqi
government will build a transparent and accountable system for
management of oil wealth, with a single petroleum account to
receive revenues from all crude oil and gas sales.
The document said Iraq aims to increase oil output to 3.5million
bpd by 2011 and reach refined products output of 700,000bpd in
2011.
Regarding international support, the document said the Iraqi
government's success in achieving its political, security and
economic goals will determine the ability of the international
community to invest in Iraq's future.
The document said Iraq's real GDP growth in 2006 was 3.0percent,
while this year the growth rate will jump to 10.4 percent, further
to 12.3 percent in 2008.
The ICI was initially launched July 28, 2006, in the hope of
creating "a permanent partnership between Iraq and the
international community" to help Iraq in its reconstruction efforts
and to pursue political, economic and social development over the
next five years.
The initiative, with strong support from the U.S., is also based
on economic, political and security commitments by the Iraqi
government in the next five years.
The ICI is chaired jointly by Iraq and the UN, with the support
of the World Bank.
The one-day ICI meeting gathered senior diplomats from Iraq's
six neighbors -- Iran, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and
Kuwait -- plus Bahrain, Egypt, the Arab League, the Organization of
Islamic Conference and the UN.
The representatives from some 60 nations as well as 12 regional
and international organizations. Also attending the conference are
senior diplomats from the five permanent members of the UN Security
Council -- the United States, Britain, Russia, China and France --
and members of the G-8, including Germany, Canada, Japan and
Italy.
Following the ICI meeting is an extended ministerial meeting of
Iraq's neighbors on Friday, with participation of the permanent
members of the UN Security Council and representatives of the
G8countries.
The two-day Sharm el-Sheikh conference is the largest
international ministerial meeting on Iraq since the U.S.-led
coalition forces seized Baghdad in April of 2003. It is the second
time for Sharm el-Sheikh to host an international conference on
Iraq.
In November of 2004, the resort held a similar, though
smaller-scale, ministerial meeting, which gathered senior diplomats
from about 20 nations and regional and international
organizations.
?
(Xinhua News Agency May 4, 2007)
