ANNEX: TEXT OF LETTERS FROM THE PRIME
MINISTER OF THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT OF IRAQ DR. AYAD ALLAWI AND
UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN L. POWELL TO THE PRESIDENT
OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL
5 June 2004
Republic of Iraq
Prime Minister Office
Excellency:
On my appointment as Prime Minister of the Interim
Government of Iraq, I am writing to express the commitment of
the people of Iraq to complete the political transition process
to establish a free, and democratic Iraq and to be a partner in
preventing and combating terrorism. As we enter a critical new
stage, regain full sovereignty and move towards elections, we
will need the assistance of the international community.
The Interim Government of Iraq will make every effort
to ensure that these elections are fully democratic, free and
fair. Security and stability continue to be essential to our political
transition. There continue, however, to be forces in Iraq, including
foreign elements, that are opposed to our transition to peace,
democracy, and security. The Government is determined to overcome
these forces, and to develop security forces capable of providing
adequate security for the Iraqi people. Until we are able to
provide security for ourselves, including the defence of Iraq's
land, sea and air space, we ask for the support of the Security
Council and the international community in this endeavour. We
seek a new resolution on the Multinational Force (MNF) mandate
to contribute to maintaining security in Iraq, including through
the tasks and arrangements set out in the letter from Secretary
of State Colin Powell to the President of the United Nations Security
Council. The Government requests that the Security Council review
the mandate of the MNF at the request of the Transitional Government
of Iraq, or twelve months from the date on which such a resolution
is adopted.
In order to discharge the Iraqi Government's responsibility
for security, I intend to establish appropriate security structures
that will allow my Government and Iraqi security forces to progressively
take on that responsibility. One such structure is the Ministerial
Committee for National Security, consisting of myself as the Chair,
the Deputy Prime Minister, and the Minister of Defense, Interior,
Foreign Affairs, Justice, and Finance. The National Security Advisor,
and Director of the Iraqi National Intelligence Service will serve
as permanent advisory members of the committee. This forum will
set the broad framework for Iraqi security policy. I intend to
invite, as appropriate, the MNF commander, his Deputy, or the
MNF Commander's designative representative, and other appropriate
individuals, to attend and participate as well, and will stand
ready to discuss mechanisms of coordination and cooperation with
the MNF. Iraqi armed forces will be responsible to the Chief of
Staff and Minister of Defense. Other security forces (the Iraqi
police, border guards and Facilities Protection Service) will
be responsible to the Minister of the Interior or other government
ministers.
In addition, the relevant ministers and I will develop
further mechanisms for coordination with the MNF. Intend to create
with the MNF coordination bodies at national, regional, and local
levels, that will include Iraqi security forces commanders and
civilian leadership, to ensure that Iraqi security forces will
coordinate with the MNF on all security policy and operations
issues in order to achieve unity of command of military operations
in which Iraqi forces are engaged with MNF. In addition, the MNF
and Iraqi government leaders will keep each other informed of
their activities, consult regularly to ensure effective allocation
and use of personnel, resources and facilities, will share intelligence,
and will refer issues up the respective chains of command where
necessary, Iraqi security forces will take on progressively greater
responsibility as Iraqi capabilities improve.
The structures I have described in this letter will
serve as the fora for the MNF and the Iraqi government to reach
agreement on the full range of fundamental security and policy
issues, including policy on sensitive offensive operations, and
will ensure full partnership between Iraqi forces and the MNF,
through close coordination and consultation. Since these are sensitive
issues for a number of sovereign governments, including Iraq and
the United States, they need to be resolved in the framework of
a mutual understanding on our strategic partnership. We will
be working closely with the MNF leadership in the coming weeks
to ensure that we have such an agreed strategic framework.
We are ready to take sovereign responsibility for
governing Iraq by June 30. We are well aware of the difficulties
facing us, and of our responsibilities to the Iraqi people. The
stakes are great, and we need the support of the international
community to succeed. We ask the Security Council to help us by
acting now to adopt a Security Council resolution giving us necessary
support.
I understand that the Co-sponsors intend to annex
this letter to the resolution on Iraq under consideration. In
the meantime, I request that you provide copies of this letter
to members of the Council as quickly as possible.
(Signed) Dr. Ayad Allawi
The Secretary of State
Washington
5 June 2004
Excellency:
Recognizing the request of the government of Iraq
for the continued presence of the Multi-National Force (MNF) in
Iraq, and following consultations with Prime Minister Ayad Allawi
of the Iraqi Interim Government, I am writing to confirm that
the MNF under unified command is prepared to continue to contribute
to the maintenance of security in Iraq, including by preventing
and deterring terrorism and protecting the territory of Iraq.
The goal of the MNF will be to help the Iraqi people to complete
the political transition and will permit the United Nations and
the international community to work to facilitate Iraq's reconstruction.
The ability of the Iraqi people to achieve their
goals will be heavily influenced by the security situation in
Iraq. As recent events have demonstrated, continuing attacks by
insurgents, including former regime elements, foreign fighters,
and illegal militias challenge all those who are working for a
better Iraq.
Development of an effective and cooperative security
partnership between the MNF and the sovereign Government of Iraq
is critical to the stability of Iraq. The commander of the MNF
will work in partnership with the sovereign Government of Iraq
in helping to provide security while recognizing and respecting
its sovereignty. To that end, the MNF stands ready to participate
in discussions of the Ministerial Committee for National Security
on the broad framework of security policy, as referred to in the
letter from Prime Minister of the Interim Government of Iraq Allawi
dated June 5, 2004. On the implementation of this policy, recognizing
that Iraqi security forces are responsible to the appropriate
Iraqi ministers, the MNF will coordinate with Iraqi security forces
at all levels—national, regional, and local—in order
to achieve unity of command of military operations in which Iraqi
forces are engaged with the MNF. In addition, the MNF and the
Iraqi government leaders will keep each other informed of their
activities, consult regularly to ensure effective allocation and
use of personnel, resources, and facilities, will share intelligence,
and will refer issues up the respective chains of command where
necessary. We will work in the fora described by Prime Minister
Allawi in his June 5 letter to reach agreement on the full range
of fundamental security and policy issues, including policy on
sensitive offensive operations, and will ensure full partnership
between MNF and Iraqi forces, through close coordination and consultation.
Under the agreed arrangement, the MNF stands ready
to continue to undertake a broad range of tasks to contribute
to the maintenance of security and to ensure force protection.
These include activities necessary to counter ongoing security
threats posed by forces seeking to influence Iraq's political
future through violence. This will include combat operations against
members of these groups, internment where this is necessary for
imperative reasons of security, and the continued search for and
securing of weapons that threaten Iraq's security. A further objective
will be to train and equip Iraqi security forces that will increasingly
take responsibility for maintaining Iraq's security. The MNF also
stands ready as needed to participate in the provision of humanitarian
assistance, civil affairs support, and relief and reconstruction
assistance requested by the Iraqi Interim Government and in line
with previous Security Council Resolutions.
In addition, the MNF is prepared to establish or
support a force within the MNF to provide for the security of
personnel and facilities of the United Nations. We have consulted
closely with UN officials regarding the United Nations' security
requirements and believe that a brigade-size force will be needed
to support the United Nations' security effort. This force will
be under the command and control of the MNF commander, and its
missions will include static and perimeter security at UN facilities,
and convoy escort duties for the UN mission's travel requirements.
In order to continue to contribute to security, the
MNF must continue to function under a framework that affords the
force and its personnel the status that they need to accomplish
their mission, and in which the contributing states have responsibility
for exercising jurisdiction over their personnel and which will
ensure arrangements for, and use of assets by, the MNF. The existing
framework governing these matters is sufficient for these purposes.
In addition, the forces that make up the MNF are and will remain
committed at all times to act consistently with their obligations
under the law of armed conflict, including the Geneva Conventions.
The MNF is prepared to continue to pursue its current
efforts to assist in providing a secure environment in which the
broader international community is able to fulfil its important
role in facilitating Iraq's reconstruction. In meeting these responsibilities
in the period ahead, we will act in full recognition of and respect
for Iraqi sovereignty. We look to other member states and international
and regional organizations to assist the people of Iraq and the
sovereign Iraqi government in overcoming the challenges that lie
ahead to build a democratic, secure and prosperous country.
The co-sponsors intend to annex this letter to the
resolution on Iraq under consideration. In the meantime, I request
that you provide copies of this letter to members of the Council
as quickly as possible.
Sincerely,
(Signed) Colin L. Powell
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