EU Council Conclusions on Iraq

2749th EXTERNAL RELATIONS Council meeting, Brussels, 15 September 2006

The Council adopted the following conclusions:

"1. The EU welcomes the progress made in developing the International Compact with Iraq since the launch of the Compact process on 27 July 2006. It appreciates the efforts of the Iraqi government in preparing the draft outline for the Compact, which was presented at the meeting of the Preparatory Group of the Compact in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on 10 September 2006.

2. The EU confirms its support for the purpose of the Compact, which is to bring together the international community to support Iraq in achieving its National Vision of building a "secure, unified, federal and democratic nation, founded on the principles of freedom and equality, and providing peace and prosperity for its people".

3. The EU reaffirms its readiness to participate actively in the Compact process, and encourages Iraq to further develop a balanced Compact in all its dimensions through an inclusive consultative process at the national, regional and international levels. Domestic consensus-building will assist in ensuring that the Compact responds to the needs of the Iraqi people, and help to secure commitment to its implementation by the Iraqi government and throughout Iraqi society.

4. The EU underlines the importance it attaches to Iraqi ownership and inclusiveness of the Compact process, and to the broad involvement of the international community, including the active participation of Iraq's neighbours and partners in the region. Furthermore the EU stresses the importance of ensuring coordination with existing reconstruction assistance, notably the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI). The EU continues to support the central role of the UN as co-chair of the Preparatory Group of the Compact and as advisor to Iraq. It encourages the Executive Committee of the Compact to ensure transparency in the process of developing all aspects of the Compact, as a means to achieving full support of the Iraqi people and of the international community.

5. The EU looks forward to further discussions with the Iraqi government and other partners during the ministerial meetings on the Compact in New York and Singapore on 18 September 2006 and beyond."

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• EU Presidency statement on intended executions in Iraq (8/1/2007)
• EU Presidency statement on the verdict of Saddam Hussein (5/11/2006)
• EU Presidency Declaration - International Compact with Iraq  (1/8/2006)
• EU-Iraq: A New Chapter (7/7/2006)
• EU Integrated Rule of Law mission for Iraq  (12/6/2006)
• Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the EU on the formation of the government in Iraq  (22/5/2006)
• Iraq: European Commission prepares new €200 million assistance package (22/5/2006)