UNITED NATIONS, Aug 19: Pakistan has voted in favour of Resolution No 1500 on Iraq as an acknowledgement of the Governing Council of Iraq, and establishment of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, and it “affirms the vital role of the United Nations.”

Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN said this in a statement in the United Nations Security Council.

Delivering the statement, Ambassador Munir Akram said Pakistan has also advocated a central role for the United Nations for the restoration of peace and security in Iraq, the provision of humanitarian relief, Iraq’s reconstruction and the restoration of its sovereignty and independence.

“The resolution affirms the vital role of the United Nations.”

The points on the basis of which Pakistan lent support to the resolution, he stated are:

—In acknowledgement of the Governing Council of Iraq, and, establishment of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq.

—The resolution upholds the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq.

—Pakistan would also wish to see the reaffirmation of the following principles:

—The right of the Iraqi people to choose their own political destiny and form government and to exercise their right of self-determination;

“Importantly, in OP2 it decides to establish the UNAMI to help the SG to fulfil his mandate as set out in resolution 1483 and as envisaged in paragraph 98 of the SG’s report on the implementation of resolution 1483.”

Pakistan, he said: “Welcome the creation of UNAMI. Pakistan has no doubt that the tasks facing UNAMI will be challenging. It should receive the necessary resources for! the purpose. We also have no doubt that the role of UNAMI will continue to become enlarged, and more important, as the Iraqi people move towards recovering their full sovereignty and establishing a fully representative government.”

Explaining Pakistan’s Vote on Resolution 1500 on Iraq on Aug 14, Mr Akram said Pakistan has termed the establishment of the Governing Council as “a welcome first step in the direction of returning governance and restoring sovereignty to the people of Iraq as soon as possible.

He said: “Everyone recognizes the value of consultations and consensus among the 5 permanent members of the Security Council; however, we believe that it is among the entire membership of the Security Council that decisions of the Council should be finalized.”

“Also, we would hope that in future we shall have more time to consider draft resolutions on such important issues as Iraq.”

“We believe that the people of Iraq face monumental challenges in economic, social and political fields.”

“We hope that the adoption of this resolution will enable the international community to accelerate Iraq’s progress towards full normalization of the situation. We look forward to the day when this great nation, which shares strong bonds of history, faith and culture with the people of Pakistan, will recover its former glory and emerge as a leading nation in the Islamic world,” Mr Akram said.—APP