Iraq: new government must be formed without fear or threat of violence, says US envoy 

The US Ambassador to the UN said yesterday that the new Iraqi government should be formed “without fear, intimidation or threat of violence.” Linda Thomas-Greenfield made her comments during a UN Security Council session on Iraq.

“Any attempt to influence the electoral process or threaten the UN staff in Baghdad and the Independent High Electoral Commission must be fully condemned by the UN Security Council,” insisted Thomas-Greenfield. “We call on all countries to respect the electoral process and allow the judiciary to perform its constitutional duty independently and quickly.”

Iraq’s leaders should engage in a constructive dialogue to form a government after the election results are approved, the US diplomat added. She also pointed out that her country will be a “strong partner” for Iraq as it completes and builds on the final stages of this “successful” electoral process.

Speaking earlier in the session, the UN Special Representative in Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, called on Iraqi parties and authorities to recognise the results of the parliamentary election held on 10 October.

The preliminary results of the election showed that the Sadr bloc led by Shia cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr came first with 73 seats out of 329. However, major Shia alliances in the country have rejected the results after losing a significant number of seats that they had won in previous elections.

READ: Iraq announces initiative to contain election results crisis