Politics

UN Security Council: Rights and aspirations of all Iraqi citizens should be met

Security Council members called on all sides to refrain from the threat and use of force and to engage in constructive dialogue.

Baxtiyar Goran 2017/10/26 19:27

kurdistan Kurdistan Independence Referendum Iraq Erbil Baghdad Relations United Nations UN Security Council

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) expresses concerns over the clashes between the Iraqi forces and Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga forces, calls for dialogue between Erbil and Baghdad.

In a statement following a meeting on the situation in Iraq on Thursday, the members of the UNSC expressed concern over the tensions between Iraqi forces and Kurdistan’s Peshmerga forces, calling all sides to refrain from the use of force.

“Council members called on all sides to refrain from the threat and use of force and to engage in constructive dialogue - facilitated by the United Nations, upon request - as a pathway to de-escalation and a means to preserve Iraqi unity,” the statement added.

The UNSC reiterated the need to meet the rights and aspirations of all Iraqi citizens through full implementation of the Iraqi constitution.

“Council members noted that the federal and regional governments have both expressed willingness to engage in dialogue. We encourage them to expeditiously set a timetable to hold these discussions,” the statement read.

According to the statement, the UNSC members reaffirmed their respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and unity of Iraq.

The UNSC members reaffirmed the importance of remaining focused on efforts to defeat the Islamic State (IS), voicing their full support for United Nations efforts in this regard, the statement concluded.