WASHINGTON, April 20: Indicating Pakistan’s willingness to accept the change in Iraq, a policy paper issued on Sunday by the Pakistan Embassy in Washington notes that the Saddam government has ceased to exist.
“It is clear that the government of President Saddam Hussein is no longer functioning,” says the paper, adding: “Pakistan is closely monitoring the rapidly evolving situation in Iraq.”
The brief, that outlines Pakistan’s policy towards Iraq after the fall of the Saddam government, notes that Iraq’s permanent representative at the United Nations has also confirmed the change in Baghdad.
It points out that Pakistan intends to reopen its embassy in Baghdad as soon as it is possible to do so. Pakistan temporarily closed its embassy in the Iraqi capital and withdrew its staff when the war began.
Explaining Pakistan’s position on the current situation in Iraq, the policy paper says “the governance of Iraq is the right of the Iraqi people, and, therefore, it should be restored to them, as soon as possible.” Without naming the United States, the paper asks the “powers in effective control of Iraq” to address the “humanitarian and other basic needs of the Iraqi people as well as to restore public order.”
Pakistan, the paper says, recognizes Iraq as one entity and urges the international community to preserve its territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Holding the UN Security Council responsible for the maintenance of peace and security in Iraq, Pakistan supports efforts to bring the world body back into the helm of affairs in that war-torn country.
The United Nations, the paper says, should have a central role in shaping the future of Iraq, and in addressing its humanitarian and long-term reconstruction needs.
It recalls that Resolution 1472, while outlining a UN role in humanitarian assistance, expresses the Security Council’s readiness to authorize the secretary-general to perform additional functions as soon as the situation permits.
Since international law demands that parties in effective control are obligated to meet the humanitarian and basic needs of the Iraqi people, Pakistan would have to coordinate its actions in these areas with them, the paper says.