UNITED NATIONS — The top U.N. envoy in Iraq said Tuesday there are grounds for "cautious optimism" about the country's future if its leadership is united and there is a stronger spirit of cooperation in the region.
Ad Melkert told the U.N. Security Council that the key to consolidating and further strengthening "the indisputable gains" in Iraq is the successful implementation of the power sharing agreement reached last November.
That agreement was signed by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Ayad Allawi who leads the Sunni-backed Iraqiya party, and the Kurdish region's President Massoud Barzani. But bickering among Iraq's political leaders has kept the government, seated in December, from appointing new defense, interior and national security ministers.
In his final appearance at the council before stepping down as the secretary-general's special representative, Melkert reiterated Ban Ki-moon's call on Iraq's political leaders to put aside their differences and "move swiftly to agree on the way forward."
Leaders of the main political blocs met July 10 to step up efforts at consensus and look at ways to implement the November agreement. They also discussed the expiration of the agreement that requires U.S. troops to leave by Dec. 31 and the unresolved issue of whether the government wants any U.S. troops to stay next year.
"However, indications in my most recent meetings do not provide ground for optimism about a breakthrough any time soon," Melkert said.
On the positive side, Melkert said Iraq's elections in March 2010 met international standards, a government was finally formed, and "parliament is taking an increasingly important role in decision-making."