Welcoming Iraqi leadership, Security Council urges formation of government

The United Nations Security Council today welcomed the election of Iraq’s new leadership and voiced hope that the country would soon form a government.

In a press statement, the current president of the 15-member body, Ambassador Wang Guangya of China, hailed last week’s elections of the Presidency Council, Speaker and Deputy Speakers of the Council of Representatives as well as the nomination of Prime Minister Jawad al-Maliki.

“The members express the hope that the constitutionally elected government of Iraq can now rapidly be formed,” the President said, stressing “the importance of that government being as broad-based, representative and effective as possible.”

On Saturday, the senior United Nations envoy to Iraq, Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, offered his best wishes to the new leadership on behalf of Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

He said Iraq’s political leaders should “seize this new political momentum to form a government of national unity in a manner that will heal political and social divisions,” and called on all Iraqis “to unite in a spirit of national reconciliation and compromise to foster the establishment of peace and stability in Iraq.”