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Secretary-General encourages Iraqis to vote in next year's elections
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is encouraging all Iraqis to exercise their right to vote in upcoming elections in January next year.
Elections in Iraq
In his latest report on the United Nations Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), the Secretary-General welcomes amendments made to the country's electoral law on November 8th.
The agreement paved the way for a general election at the end of January next year, which will be the second time that Iraqis vote for a national parliament since the United States invasion six years ago.
In his report on UNAMI, the Secretary-General notes at the request of the Iraqi government, he sent a senior United Nations official to Iraq in early November for consultations related to Iraq's sovereignty and security.
UN Deputy spokesperson Marie Okabe has more.
"The Secretary-General calls upon all Member States, and in particular Iraq's neighbours, to respect Iraq's sovereignty and to adhere to the principle of noninterference, a fundamental tenet of the UN Charter. For its part, and within the scope of its mandate, the United Nations is committed to supporting efforts towards a productive regional dialogue and cooperation in all key areas."
The Secretary-General's top envoy in Iraq, Ad Melkert, is expected to come to New York on Monday to brief the Security Council on Iraq.
Jocelyne Sambira, United Nations
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