First Iraqi envoy appointed by the Iraqi interim government  to the UN presents credentials to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on September 18. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

    UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 17 (Xinhuanet) -- Iraq has its first envoy to the United Nations since the ouster of Saddam Hussein's government after Samir Sumaidy presented credentials to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Friday.

    At the credentials ceremony televised by UNTV, Annan extended his warm welcome to Sumaidy and promised cooperation with him.

    After the procedure, Sumaidy will be able to represent the Iraqi interim government in the 59th session of the UN General Assembly, which opened here on Tuesday.

    Iraq has been represented by a charge d'affaires since April last year when US troops took Baghdad, prompting Mohammed Aldouri,then Iraq's UN ambassador, to leave his office and flee to Syria.

    Sumaidy served on the US-installed governing council and then as interior minister.

    A report issued by Annan earlier this week showed that Iraq lost its right to vote in the General Assembly due to its failure to pay membership dues for years. The right would be restored if Iraq pays 14.5 million US dollars in back dues or convinces the assembly that the outstanding is due to conditions beyond its control. Enditem