UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday asked the international community to help Iraq fight terrorism and rebuild its economy while respecting the country's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

As Iraq is planning to hold early elections in June 2021, the political process in Iraq is at a crucial stage. The international community should respect Iraq's ownership and leadership in all its endeavors, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

When lending a helping hand, it is important to first listen to the views of Iraq, respect its sovereignty, refrain from imposing solutions and interfering in Iraq's internal affairs, he told the Security Council.

Geng asked for support for Iraq's efforts to safeguard national security and combat terrorism.

"We call on the international community to continue to support Iraq in consolidating the hard-won results of counter-terrorism and addressing the issue of foreign terrorist fighters. We should also support Iraq in bringing terrorists to justice in accordance with its domestic laws, and reject double standards and politicization in counter-terrorism."

The international community should help Iraq address current challenges and boost socio-economic development, said Geng.

The war-torn country is now confronted with economic and fiscal hardships, exacerbated by low oil prices and the COVID-19 pandemic. The international community must intensify efforts to help Iraq carry out reconstruction, diversify its economy, create more jobs, eradicate poverty, and improve public services and livelihoods, he said. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)