21 Mar 2013

UN/IRAQ

Martin Kobler, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Iraq, told the Security Council today that Iraqis face a complex set of interrelated problems, among them the very real potential for a spill-over of violence from Syria. UNTV

Posted at: March 21, 2013 3:31 pm

Duration: 01:58

Available in: SD

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Full script

STORY: UN/IRAQ
TRT: 1.58
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE:  21 MARCH  2013, NEW YORK

SHOTLIST:

FILE, RECENT, UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

21 MARCH  2013, NEW YORK

2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. Cutaway, delegates
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Martin Kobler, Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the United Nations:
"These incidents demonstrate how Iraqis face a complex set of interrelated problems, among them the very real potential for a spill-over of violence from Syria. Such destabilization would add to and fuel the existing political and security challenges facing Iraq, which threaten the achievement of the last decade."
5. Cutaway, delegates
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Martin Kobler, Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the United Nations:
"UNAMI is an impartial actor. We keep equal distance from all sides. We offer our good offices, whether for mediation, convening, or witnessing, any negotiated agreement. Second, UNAMAI is not neutral on Human Rights. We have spoken up against the increasing use of sectarian language. We have advocated the principle of non-violence, including to the demonstrators. We have called upon the government to exercise utmost restraint."
7. Cutaway, delegates
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Martin Kobler, Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the United Nations:
"I have condemned these acts in the strongest possible terms. I have called on all of Iraq's leaders and religious authorities, to rise as one and to stop the bleeding."
9. Cutaway, delegates
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Martin Kobler, Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the United Nations:
"Both returnees and the internally displaced are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. The majority of these persons live in informal settlements and constantly face the threat of eviction. These settlements are in appalling condition. Returnees and the displaced lack access to basic services, as well as to proper health facilities and schools."
11. Cutaway, delegates
12. Wide shot, Security Council

STORYLINE:

The Secretary-General's Special Representative for Iraq told the United Nations Security Council today (21 March) that Iraqis faced a complex set of interrelated problems, among them the very real potential for a spill-over of violence from Syria.

Martin Kobler added that "such destabilization would add to and fuel the existing political and security challenges facing Iraq, which threaten the achievement of the last decade."

While noting that since late December, tens of thousands of demonstrators in Iraq's western provinces had taken to the streets to voice their grievances, which were focused on human rights and access to basic services, Kobler said that UNAMI's position was as "an impartial actor. We keep equal distance from all sides. We offer our good offices, whether for mediation, convening, or witnessing, any negotiated agreement."

Noting that from November of last year to the end of February this year terrorists attacks had claimed the lives of almost 1,300 civilians, with more than 3,000 Iraqis having been wounded, he said that he had condemned those acts in the strongest possible terms and had called on all of Iraq's leaders and religious authorities to rise as one to stop the bleeding.

Pointing out that approximately 80 thousand Iraqis had fled from Syria to return to Iraq in the last few months and noting that now they fell into the larger group of 1.2 million internally displaced persons, Kobler warned that both returnees and the internally displaced were in need of "urgent humanitarian assistance".