On behalf of the general welcome barham salih the president of the republic of , iraq and we invite him to address the General Assembly. Translator mr. President , mr. Secretary general, ladies and gentlemen, it gives me pleasure to greet you in the name of iraq. A Founding Member of the United Nations. And i wish the General Assembly every success, especially as we see that the General Assembly has given a priority to confronting the challenges of climate, health care and Sustainable Development, which is a constructive measure that we hope would contribute to founding a Common International ground in our efforts to arrive at the solutions that our planet and humanity need. Since its inception, the United Nations has adopted the concept of a Partnership Among nations in order to achieve the people supreme values that governor its objectives and to resolve peacefully conflicts and to entrench human rights as a higher value and upmost objective. The long march of these efforts was full of accomplishments as well as obstacles and set backs. Millions of people in our world look to the United Nations to enhance dialogue and to create mutual partnerships in order to deal with the crisis of poverty, health care, education, security and development, which continue to cast a long shadow over the world. Esteemed guests, i speak to you today in this important gathering to tell you of the hopes and aspirations of our people, the aspirations to continue their efforts to confront terrorism and defeat terrorism by offering a life of freedom and dignity to our citizens and also through bolstering security and securing Economic Growth as Sustainable Development, not just in iraq, but throughout the middle east. Terrorism has ravaged our country. Our country went through a difficult and dangerous stage and there are those who expected the worst. The terrorist plot to destroy the region. The iraqi people have offered great sacrifices through their armed forces including the army, the Popular Mobilization forces in order to secure freedom and to resist terrorism with the help and support of the International Coalition and friends whom we thank and appreciate. History will testify that iraqis through their unity and through their resolve and the large role played by authorities have succeeded in defeating this project and in protecting the world from its evils. Iraq is now at the doorstep of important, positive developments, be there in the security of political or economic spheres. Developments in iraq are taking a positive turn that we have not witnessed throughout the past years. This is a new direction that fills us with hope of a promising future. We must evaluate this important these important developments and we must build on them in light of the security stability that exists. We must take into consideration the iraqi peoples suffering over 40 years because of oppression. Because of campaigns of genocide, mass graves, the use of chemical weapons, the dries of the marshes, and the destruction of the environment, the wars, the siege, the ravages of terrorism, the destruction of infrastructure and corruption. Perhaps no other country has experienced what iraq has experienced in terms of span, be it in terms of time or reach. And this stability is an important accomplishment that must be preserved and must not be forfeited. We also note the positive climate that exists in dealing with the problems between the federal government and the Regional Government on the basis of the constitution. We note the rule of the United Nations office, which is important here, especially with regards to the files of the disputed areas in helping us to arrive at solutions in accordance with our constitution. Challenges continue to exist. And the what has been achieved by our victory over terrorism still requires continued regional, International Cooperation to combat this dangerous scourge. And to deal with the conditions that has created an environment for its multiplication. Moreover, measures to rebuild the areas that have been damaged by the war on terrorism and to guarantee their return are still in the early stages. Theres an International Responsibility here, some of whose features were determined in the reconstruction that was held in 2018 in which we hope to activate with the assistance of our brothers and friends. We must all not allow ourselves to be distracted from the importance of confronting terrorism in all of its manifestations. A victory on that is important. However, we must be aware that there are still terrorist remnants that are trying to reorganize themselves and we also note the existence of dangerous hot spots of terrorism and extremism in syria and other states, not to mention, regional tensions and conflicts in the middle east constitute dangerous elements and create an environment that gives terrorism a margin of return. Terrorism takes advantage of political and security vacuums and we must Work Together to fill these vacuums. The middle east region witnesses conflicts and wars year after year. We must unify our efforts seriously in order to overcome the era of conflict to the era of renaissance. The continued tragic situation in syria and the spread of terrorism and extremism in a nurturing environment requires us to exert practical efforts so that the syrians would arrive at a permanent political solution that would guarantee stability and peace and the rights of syrians in peace and security and freedom and give them the ability to determine their own future without any guardianship or interference. We would like to note the need to work diligently to reach a just and comprehensive solution and in a manner that is in the help of the palestinian people. Moreover, the recent decision to annex the golan and the Jordan Valley is in violation of International Law and is an exacerbating matter that would only prolong this crisis and would deepen the wound that threatens the future of stability in the region and the world. The continued war in yemen is a source of great concern in light of the security and humanitarian repercussions that are affecting the region. Supporting yemen efforts to arrive at a comprehensive political solution that would reinstate peace throughout their country is a priority that is important in light of the existing dangers, targeting the security of the gulf is a dangerous development. We in iraq are very concerned by this escalation. Our security is tied to the security of the gulf and the region. The International Community must offer serious assistance in containing this escalation because it would have disastrous repercussions on the security of the region and the world. Ladies and gentlemen, the regional situation is dangerous and threatens disastrous consequences that we must contain. We must stop fighting wars. We definitely do not need a new war in the region, especially since the last war on terrorism has not been finally settled yet. Our position is firm. This is important to give precedence to dialogue over tension and escalation. This position is based on facts and elements that are required by the interest of our people in the region and we believe that combatting terrorism and extremism and the need to establish and achieve diplomat cooperation have precedence over the current disagreements. A solution starts with a comprehensive understanding that is based on the concept of internal affairs as well as a Mutual Respect of the National Sovereignty of the countries in the region. It lies in giving precedence to human rights. There are commonalities that we can all agree on that we all desire a better tomorrow for our children, boys and girls. Let us work to calm the situation and work constructively for the future. And despite the conflicts and disagreements in the region, the stability of iraq is the joint and common interest of everyone and it can be a launching pad from which we can establish more commonalities. Dismissing iraq or the access of iraq was an element of tension and instability throughout the region. Iraq is now recovering and we are determined to move iraq towards stability. Iraq has a pivotal role in the region and we have many geopolitical and economic and cultural and religious considerations in this field. Iraq is the cradle of our profit abraham. Iraq has muslim neighbors and an arab depth. It is a Meeting Point of great , and this the region makes of our country with its different components, shiites and sunnis, muslims, christians, this makes iraq an element that would help establish peace and understanding between countries and allows iraq to be an active part of any effort to construct, to make progress, and to innovate. For a very long time, iraq was a battleground for others. We and the region have paid a very high price because of instability in iraq. Our interest rather the interest of the region makes it important for iraq to become a bridge to build understanding between iraqs sisters and neighbors. And from this podium, we renew our call to establish a joint Security System in the middle east and to establish a system of economic integration as well as security and political coordination in order to uproot terrorism and to guarantee stability. Iraq deals with the crisis in the region based on the following elements, we dont want our country to be a part of any conflict, nor do we want it to be a battlefield to settle regional and international scores. Our people have paid a high price for war and is conflict. And iraq will not be apart of any war of one group against another. We have had enough wars. We do not want another war. We dont want any people to suffer like we have. Iraq will not be a launching pad for an aggression against any of our neighboring countries. We hope that our country will be a field for construction and stability not a battlefield of tensions and conflict. Our interest, rather the security of the region, is contingent upon a Good Neighbor and a Good Neighborly relationship and iraqs policy today is not the same as the policy of the former regime in terms of dealing with its neighbors. Our relationship is strengthened by our arab and gulf depth and we insist on moving up these relationships and developing them as an important part of our stability and security. We also care about our relationships with our neighbor, iran, who we enjoy ties of cultural and religious connections as well as different interests and we would also care about our neighbor to the north, turkey, and we are exerting efforts to raise the level of our bilateral relationships with all of our neighbors in order to achieve it. A democratic iraq that is stable will be a chance to gather together all of our neighbors and brothers in the region and to enhance an understanding and agreement among the countries of the region in order create original organization that is based on the economic integration and common security. The stability in iraq is valuable and important, and we must not take it lightly, rather we must work on entrenching it and we expect our neighbors and International Community not to make iraq pay for their own disagreements and conflicts. Our hands and our hearts are open to all and we hope that more will understand iraqs situation and its keenness on resuming and entrenching the victory against terrorism and its efforts to rebuild what has been destroyed by the previous wars and to return those who have left their homes to their homes and to offer Work Opportunities to our people. International agreement is important for the continued stability of iraq and for combatting extremest and terrorist idealogies. The most important task required right now is that of reforms in order to secure Good Governance for our citizens and to combat corruption and to offer Work Opportunities to our youth. These are important challenges that were working on confronting. We believe that achieving Sustainable Development is an important framework for all this. Working on developing the sectors of education, healthcare, and Sustainable Development is the soundtrack towards combatting terrorist extremist idealogy and uprooting terrorism so we can build future generations that are able to guarantee their own future. Our civilization and our history and our multiculturalism and nationalism in iraq and the different religions in iraq throughout history has made iraq a source of tolerance and cooperation and brotherhood and the culture of mesopotamia when is one of the oldest civilizations of humanity is a important fortress against the spread of religious idealogy. Be it sectarian or nationalistic. The battle iraqis are fighting continues in order to achieve the renaissance they deserve and to combat corruption and to empower youth and women and to achieve Sustainable Development. These challenges continue to stand and there are added the challenge of returning idps andrebuilding the destroyed areas. The Iraqi Government a few days ago adopted a draft log to establish a council for reconstruction and we with the iraqi Prime Minister will submit the draft law to the parliament and we hope it would be adopted. This Reconstruction Council will look into the reconstruction products with the contribution of the government as well as the private sector from iraq and abroad. Iraq needs a comprehensive reconstructive effort and we hope that this project would provide the necessary environment to encourage private investment and meet the needs of iraqis for services and employment opportunities. Iraq is a promising market. For between the needs of the iraqis and our natural and human resources, we can transform our country from a battlefield and a scene of violence into an economic hub in the region. Some might think that this is a far fetched dream. And i admit there are obstacles and great challenges, but i am confident that this is necessary and is possible at the level of iraq and the region and the world. Ladies and gentlemen, we believe that terrorism aggression are two faces of the same coin. We believe that efforts to defeat terrorism must also be accompanied by practical efforts to defeat corruption. Corruption is the political manifestation of violence. Its the main source of financing for terrorism and without drying up the sources of financing terrorism and preventing the diverting of public funds from investing in education and services towards fueling social and political conflicts, we cannot make and take firm steps towards stability. The world needs serious action to establish an International Alliance to combat Corruption Networks that smuggle and that launder money and to dry up the sources of financing that is similar to the International Alliance against terrorism. This would allow our country to regain our stolen assets and to uproot the dangerous scourge. Ladies and gentlemen, mesopotamia is the cradle of civilization. And has offered Many Services to human civilization, just as it has suffered and witnessed disasters. We in the faces of our mothers and fathers read the message of peace and in the smiles of our sons and daughters whose childhood has been marred by war. We see this in the eyes of our young men and women in the alleys of our streets of our cities that have been in conflict. We heed the message of peace in our consciousness as a ray of hope for the future of humanity. I salute our people. I salute the families of the martyrs, the victims of oppression and the mass graves and genocide. I salute their legitimate insistence to live an important life, a life of dignity and peace. Its our duty to support their ambitions and to meet them. We have important challenges, but with our determination and our will and with the support and backing of the International Community well do this. God willing. The speaker speaks in kurdish to repeat the same paragraph. I salute our people and families of the martyrs. The victims of oppression and the victims of mass graves and genocide. I salute their determination to live a life of freedom and dignity and peace and civility. Its our duty to meet their aspirations. We have before us important challenges, but with our will and determination and the support of the International Community, we will prevail. God willing. Peace is the greeting of islam and the essence of islam throughout history. Peace is the message of moses, of christ, of the messengers, of the good people everywhere. Its the basis of all religions and great human doctrines. With a call for peace, we start with a call for peace we end. Peace be upon you with gods blessings and grace. [applause] one is the possibility, limited it may be of regime change in north korea. Second, we should look at and discussed with china, and we should have done it long ago, aiming toward the reunification of the peninsula under a freely elected government like that in south korea. Third, if you believe, and you may not, that it is unacceptable for north korea to have Nuclear Weapons, at some point, military force has to be an option. Now, this is obviously the most controversial subject had many people say it is just unimaginable, unimaginable that you would use military force. Words ofote to you the general joe dunford on his last day as chairman, he has done an outstanding job. He said this to the aspen interstudent seminar in 2018. Said that i have told my counterparts, both friend and foe, it is not unimaginable to have military options to respond to north Koreas Nuclear capability. What is unimaginable to me is allowing the capability to allow Nuclear Weapons to land in denver, colorado. My job will be to develop military options to make sure that does not happen. General dunford was completely correct. Just a of former National Security advisor john boltons remarks. We will have them in their entirety tonight it 00 p. M. On cspan. 8 00 p. M. On cspan. Author ben west off talks about his book. In his book in pain. It is tonight starting at 8 30 eastern on cspan 2. We are featuring American History tv programs this week as a preview of what is available every weekend on cspan3. Tonight, gary aleman of the American Battlefield trust covers the civil war in 56 minutes beginning with the lead up and including the compromise of 1850, bloody kansas, abraham lincolns election, and state state secession and in with the surrender and lincolns assassination. The talk kicks off at the symposium starting tonight at 8 00 eastern on cspan3. Announcer 10 eight on the communicators, tennessee senator Marsha Blackburn chair of