Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the Appointment of the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq

July 13, 2004

On July 12 (Mon) (Japan time: July 13 (Tue)), Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, informed the UN Security Council of his intention to appoint Mr. Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, as the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq. The Government of Japan welcomes the appointment, the first since that of the late Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello. Japan intends to continue extending its utmost support and cooperation for the activities of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) led by the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General for Iraq.
The unified support of the international community including the United Nations is indispensable for the reconstruction of Iraq. Japan expects that the UNAMI, led by Mr. Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, will play a leading role in supporting the political process based on UN Security Council resolution 1546, and will further promote humanitarian assistance for reconstruction (including that provided by the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI)) and other forms of assistance. The Government of Japan intends to proactively support the Iraqis' own efforts for national reconstruction, in cooperation with the international community including the United Nations.

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