STOCKHOLM, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The international
community concluded on Thursday a conference on Iraq with a declaration that
hailed progress in the country five years after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
"While noting continuing political, security and
humanitarian challenges facing Iraq, the participants of the Stockholm
conference recognized the important efforts made by the (Iraqi) government to
improve security and public order and combat terrorism and sectarian violence
across Iraq," reads the declaration.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki (L)
speaks at a news conference with Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt (C)
and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon after the first annual review of
the International Compact with Iraq in Stockholm May 29, 2008.
(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
The
conference was held to evaluate the situation in Iraq one year after the launch
of the International Compact with Iraq, under which Iraq promised reforms in
exchange for greater international support.
Delegates from some 100 countries and international
organizations appealed for debt relief for Iraq, echoing a call from Iraqi Prime
Minister Nuri al-Maliki.
"To further support Iraq's economic development,
creditors external to the Paris Club were encouraged to consider resolving
outstanding debts to Iraq on Paris Club or similar terms," says the declaration.
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
speaks at a news conference after the first annual review of the
International Compact with Iraq in Stockholm May 29, 2008.
(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
The
Paris Club, which groups the world's richest countries in the West, has promised
to forgive 80 percent of Iraq's debts owed to them, which total some 39 billion
U.S. dollars.
Maliki asked other countries on Thursday to follow
suit, arguing that the debts, owed by Iraq during Saddam Hussein's rule, have
become obstacles to Iraq's economic development.
Bigger creditors outside the Paris Club, such as
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, however, did not make specific promises on Thursday.
Both countries sent low-level officials to the Stockholm conference.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki (L)
speaks with Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt at a news conference after
the first annual review of the International Compact with Iraq in
Stockholm May 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
Maliki said he had not been given any timetable for
debt reduction from these countries.
The attitudes of the two countries are crucial as the
Paris Club countries have reserved the right to suspend part of the reduction if
Iraq's neighbors would not reduce its debts in a similar fashion.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who co-chaired the
conference with Maliki, was upbeat about the progress Iraq has made.
"Indeed, notable progress has been made in all three
pillars of the (International) Compact -- in the security, political and
economic fields, despite the challenges," said Ban in his opening speech.
"If I were asked to use one word to describe the
situation in Iraq today, I would choose the word 'hope'."
At the end of the conference, he told reporters that
he walked away encouraged by the renewed support of the international community
for Iraq.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also hailed
Iraq's achievements in security and democracy. She asked Iraq's neighbors and
the broader international community for further help.
