JOINT STATEMENT FROM ISTANBUL IRAQ NEIGHBORS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002490

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER AORC TU IZ IR EG JO SY KU BA SA
SUBJECT: JOINT STATEMENT FROM ISTANBUL IRAQ NEIGHBORS
MEETING



1. On May, 2, the Turkish MFA passed us a copy of the text of
the joint statement from the April 29-30 Iraq neighbors'
meeting (full text in para. 2). We will provide MFA's
readout of the meeting septel.


2. Joint statement follows (original was in English):

BEGIN TEXT (note internal paragraph numbering)

JOINT STATEMENT OF THE MINISTERS OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE
NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES OF IRAQ AT THEIR EIGHTH OFFICIAL
MEETING (Istanbul, 30 April, 2005)

Upon the invitation of Turkey, the Ministers of Foreign
Affairs or Heads of Delegation of the countries neighboring
Iraq, as well as of Iraq, met in Istanbul, Turkey, on 29 and
30 April, 2005, to assess the new situation in Iraq following
the general elections that were held on 30 January, 2005, and
to extend their full support to the transition process.

The countries that participated at this Ministerial Meeting
were the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the
Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Iraq, the Hashemite
Kingdom of Jordan, the State of Kuwait, the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia, the Arab Republic of Syria and the Republic of Turkey.

The Meeting was opened by His Excellency Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey.

His Excellency Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, Special Representative
of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq, attended
the Meeting.

His Excellency Amre Moussa, Secretary-General of the Arab
League, and His Excellency Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu,
Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic

SIPDIS
Conference, participated in the meeting. The European
Commission was also represented.

The Ministers and the Heads of Delegation,


1. Recalled their previous seven official and two informal
meetings since the Regional Countries Initiative was launched
in Istanbul on 23 January, 2003, and reiterated their
determination to work in concert for the freedom, peace and
stability for Iraq.


2. Reaffirmed the sovereignty, independence, territorial
integrity and national unity of Iraq as well as the
principles of non-interference in each other's internal
affairs and good-neighborliness.


3. Equally affirmed the right of the Iraqi people to
determine freely their future and to exercise full national
control over their natural and financial resources.


4. Welcomed in this respect the holding of the general
elections on 30 January, 2005, for the Transitional National
Assembly and the subsequent election of the National Assembly
Speaker, the President and the Presidential Council, the
appointment of the Prime Minister and the formation as well
as the endorsement of the Transitional Government. They
pledged to support and cooperate with the newly elected
Transitional National Government, and they reaffirmed to
promote Iraqi transition to a united, democratic and
pluralistic state, with a federal structure if so decided by
the Iraqi people.


5. Expressed their strong desire that these elected bodies
will be fully instrumental in pursuing and completing the
political transition in an inclusive, transparent and
democratic manner which will ensure effective participation
of the entire spectrum of the Iraqi people in the political,
economic and social rebuilding of Iraq.


6. Reiterated the importance of bringing to justice all those
in the leadership of the previous Iraqi regime who have
committed crimes against humanity to the Iraqi people and war
crimes against Iran and Kuwait.


7. Expressed their hope that the momentum generated by the
endorsement of the transition timetable by the UN Security
Council in its resolution 1546, and the January 30 elections
is maintained and the process is brought to its successful
conclusion with the constitutional referendum and the new
general elections that will follow.


8. Stressed the pivotal role the United Nations should play
in this new phase where consensus-building and articulation
of a unifying constitution by the Iraqis will become
paramount.


9. Consequently agreed that the United Nations Assistance
Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) should serve as a focal point in
receiving and processing political and donor assistance to
the transition process.


10. Welcomed the increasing presence of the United Nations
staff in Iraq also through the opening of provincial liaison
offices, and expressed the necessity for the United Nations
to establish itself more firmly and broadly on the ground in
monitoring and assisting the political process and economic
rehabilitation.


11. Expressed their strong support to the Special
Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Iraq in
carrying out his tasks.


12. Drew attention to the vital importance of fully
establishing security and stability in Iraq and strongly
condemned the terrorist acts aimed at the Iraqi people, the
stabilization efforts, nascent Iraqi security forces,
political and religious leaders and establishments, including
holy sites, as well as foreign citizens and institutions
providing assistance to and in economic interaction with Iraq.


13. Recalled that the mandate of the Multinational Force in
Iraq is conditioned by the provisions of operative paragraphs
4 and 12 of the UN Security Council Resolution 1546,
according to which the Government of Iraq will decide on its
termination, and expressed their strong expectation that the
Iraqi security forces will soon be able to achieve the
capacity and the level of readiness to fully take over the
security responsibility in the country.


14. While reiterating their own commitment, called on all
other interested countries to respond to the request of Iraq
to train and support the Iraqi security forces in their
rebuilding.


15. Noted the importance of the commitment of the
Multinational Force to act in strict compliance with the
international humanitarian law, in particular, the Geneva
Conventions.


16. Expressed their determination, also in the light of the
conclusions of the Interior Ministers Meeting of Iraq's
Neighbors which was held between 30 November and 1 December,
2004, in Tehran, to increase their cooperation on the overall
border security with Iraq, including effective monitoring of
the borders, strict controls at border entry points and cross
border movements and exchange of intelligence with Iraq, with
the primary aim of stemming terrorist and other illegal
infiltrations to and from Iraq.


17. Agreed, with this dedicated purpose, to convene the
Second Meeting of the Interior Ministers of the Neighboring
Countries in Turkey soon.


18. Further reiterated that the inviolability of these
borders is a major requirement of international law and their
full respect will serve as a significant confidence-building
measure in their region's future.


19. Supported the efforts of the Transitional Government of
Iraq to fulfil its responsibilities and expressed their
conviction that through the continuation of the political
process, the Iraqi Government emerging from the nationally
endorsed permanent constitution will live in peace with its
neighbors, in compliance with all relevant bilateral and
international commitments.


20. Reaffirmed their conviction that the Neighboring
Countries Initiative, which has now evolved into a
well-established framework of regional coordination and
cooperation, will continue to serve Iraq in its national
rebuilding efforts and strengthen regional peace, stability
and solidarity to ensure security in the area.

21. Welcomed the supportive role of the international
community in Iraq's political transition, and, in this
context, the institutional involvement of the Organization of
the Islamic Conference, the Arab League and other regional
and international organizations.

22. Expressed their satisfaction at the increasing
international interest shown for Iraq through different
formats such as the Sharm El Sheikh Meeting that took place
on 23 November, 2004, and welcomed the prospective conference
to assist Iraq that is expected to take place in Brussels
next summer, and expressed their readiness to contribute to
these multilateral undertakings.


23. Noted the request of Iraq for the cancellation or
reduction of their sovereign debt.


24. Expressed their appreciation to Turkey for hosting this
Ministerial Meeting.


25. Welcomed the invitation extended by the Islamic Republic
of Iran to host the next Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of
the Countries Neighboring Iraq.

END TEXT


3. Iraq posts minimize considered.
EDELMAN