Iraq: UN envoy continues consultations

United Nations envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello met today with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw in Baghdad to discuss the current situation in Iraq, the UN role and the best way to give Iraqis the chance to establish their own democratic institutions as soon as possible.

Mr. Vieira de Mello, Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special Representative, also sat down with a group of international human rights activists who participated in the workshop he organized this week on how to ensure justice for past human rights violations committed by the ousted regime of Saddam Hussein.

The main theme of the meeting was "what is next, where we go from here, what should be the next practical step," his office said in a statement.

Mr. Vieira de Mello said human rights institutions should be proposed and implemented by the Iraqis themselves. He also recommended the immediate return to the country of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iraq.

He stressed that the best mechanism was to encourage Iraqi efforts to establish an independent human rights institution. "He believes that in Iraq there is truly a number of good, independent men and women who can undertake this endeavour which will be supported by political and religious leaders," the statement added.