The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, stressed on Monday 6 September from Baghdad, the importance of combating violence against civil society in Iraq as the country organises early parliamentary elections on 10 October.
Explaining that terrorism had no place in a sovereign country and that the country was experiencing violence and harassment against political activists, journalists and human rights defenders, Mr Borrell said that “all these critical aspects of the security situation have to be addressed”.
At a press conference with Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, the EU diplomatic chief praised the minister’s efforts to ensure genuinely “free and fair” elections, adding that the poll should be “an important milestone in Iraq’s democratic consolidation”. He recalled that at the request of the Iraqi government, for the first time ever, an EU Election Observation Mission will be deployed (see EUROPE 12746/27).
Beyond this vote, Mr Borrell recalled the importance of relations between the European Union and Iraq, which depend in particular on the EU-Iraq Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (see EUROPE 12055/8). He reiterated that, since 2014, the EU had provided more than €1.3 billion in social, economic, security and humanitarian assistance to Iraq. The EU has also deployed a CSDP mission to the country to support civil security sector reform (see EUROPE 11884/3).
“We also want to continue to develop our cooperation on migration”, Mr Borrell added.
The High Representative stressed as well Iraq’s “important” role as a “bridge-builder” in its region. He welcomed the conference organised by the government on 28 August (see EUROPE 12779/22). He said it was an “important effort to promote peace, dialogue and regional solutions”.
Mr Borrell said the EU was committed to supporting these regional efforts with all possible instruments and was ready to work personally on the follow-up to the conference. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)