Iraq offers UN rosy picture of its progress

UNITED NATIONS: Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari on Saturday offered the United Nations a rosy picture of the situation in Iraq days after a surge of violence killed more than 200 people, saying it was “regaining security and stability.” “We are marching towards political stability and economic prosperity,” he said at the opening meeting of the 60th session of the 191-nation UN General Assembly. Iraqi security forces continued to prepare “to take over all security matters” from the US-led multinational force but the time was not yet ripe for his country to become completely self-dependent, “even though some Iraqi cities have prepared to do so,” he said. “Therefore we will be asking the multinational forces to leave these cities once we are ready,” he said, without offering any timetable. Jaafari said Iraq’s newly drafted constitution would “allow law and order, justice and equality for all Iraqis.” The charter is due to be put to a referendum next month. “Iraqi women will have their rights restored, including the right to pass on citizenship to their children just like Iraqi men have done,” he told the delegates. Women’s rights campaigners have said the government wants to replace civil codes which grant women some rights with clerical law. reuters

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