5 Nov. 2004

Iraqi Prime Minister at NATO News 04/11/04 - NATO Iraqi Prime Minister to visit NATO HQ Background NATO’s assistance to Iraq Opinions 05/11/04 - NATO Speech by Dr. Ayad Allawi, Prime Minister of Iraq at the North Atlantic Council Meeting 05/11/04 - NATO Statement by the Deputy Secretary General, Ambassador Alessandro Minuto Rizzo at the North Atlantic Council Meeting Multimedia High resolution photos Audio file of the statements (MP3/1826kb) Video file of the statements (WMV/3069kb) Ayad Allawi, the Interim Prime Minister of Iraq, addressed NATO’s North Atlantic Council on 5 November 2004, thanking the Alliance for its support to his country. Mr. Allawi was at NATO Headquarters to brief the Council on the situation in Iraq. He also exchanged views with NATO’s Ambassadors on the enhancement of NATO’s assistance to Iraq. Since August 2004, the Alliance is present in Iraq, helping to train and equip Iraqi security forces. On 22 September NATO agreed to further expand this assistance. NATO now has established a centre at the NATO HQ in Brussels to co-ordinate training and equipment offers from individual member countries, and is considering the rapid establishment of a Training, Education and Doctrine Centre in Iraq. Making a difference “We look towards NATO for continued support and continued engagement”, the Prime Minister said in his opening statement at the Council meeting. “We are determined to bring security and stability to our country. We are determined to bring peace and prosperity because we believe that a stable, peaceful, strong, democratic Iraq would spill over to the whole region and create a much more stable region.” “At Istanbul, NATO Heads of State and Government responded to your request, Mr. Prime Minister, of providing the Iraqi Interim Government with assistance in training and equipping your security forces,” said Ambassador Alessandro Minuto Rizzo, NATO’s Deputy Secretary General, in his welcome address. “In doing so, the Alliance not only underscored its support for the Iraqi people and government but pledged to implement a series of decisions that would make a difference on the ground and complement the international community's efforts to bring stability and peace to your country,” he stressed.