Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Thursday the United Nations could establish a regional office in Jordan or Cyprus to focus on activities in Iraq, including helping the country through elections to self-government. He said Baghdad is still too insecure for U.N. staff to return, but the United Nations is examining how it might help the Iraqi Governing Council from a safe distance outside the country, with workers making regular visits into Iraq.
Brrracccck-buck-buck-buck, Brrrracccck!
"There would be constant back and forth and direct consultations with some people in Iraq — this is what we have in mind," Annan said.
| "What with e-mail and video conferencing and all, it's almost like being there..." |
"There are things that we could do even from outside, meddling offering advice, kibbitzing steering things right and back-seat driving going in and out." Annan said he also plans to appoint someone to handle U.N. operations on the ground "fairly shortly" and then a replacement "in the not too distant future" for top U.N. envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello, who was among the 22 people killed in the Aug. 19 bombing of U.N. headquarters in Baghdad. The United Nations announced earlier this month that Ramiro Lopes da Silva of Portugal, who took over as acting head of the U.N. mission after Vieira de Mello’s death, was stepping down while independent experts assess responsibility for security lapses in the bombing of U.N. headquarters. Lopes da Silva was responsible for security in Baghdad at the time of the bombing.
Missed something, did he?
Russia, Germany, France and others have been calling for the United Nations to take on a bigger political role in Iraq following last weekend’s agreement between the U.S.-led coalition and the Governing Council to speed up the handover of power.
"Idiots! Hurry the hell up before the US finishes the job! We’ve got contracts to protect! And papers to hide. Lots of papers to hide."
Annan said he received a letter from Jalal Talabani, the council’s president this month, "asking for U.N. support and help." But Annan said he and Security Council members are waiting to see the Governing Council’s plans for drafting a constitution and holding elections. A letter outlining those plans is expected by Dec. 15. "I think many people outside Iraq and the US would want to see a U.N. role," Annan said. "We ourselves would want to help the Iraqi people, but one also has to be cowardly prudent." German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer told reporters after meeting Annan that "a strong role of the U.N. is indispensable for the transfer of power to an interim government." The transfer of power "should be made as quickly as possible," he said, stressing that there is a "very negative dynamic" at present that must be stopped.
"Yes, they’re making too much progress without us!"
U.N. diplomats said Monday that the United States wants a new U.N. resolution to endorse the agreement. Britain’s U.N. Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry said once the Governing Council sends a letter on the agreement, "I would expect us to welcome it." Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Sergey Lavrov said any resolution should include "the key components" of the political process — "the support of the Iraqi people, the involvement of all Iraqi groups, the involvement of neighbors and the leading role for the United Nations."
And they’ll lead from Cyprus, unless the per-diems are good enough to lead from Rome. |