The Iraqis are at present conducting an experiment with no equivalent anywhere else in the world. Despite a confrontation between terrorists from all over the world and the forces of the state, a democratic experiment is being built and developed. But we are bound by a principle of unanimity. We must all be in agreement - we different Iraqi political families - before moving forward. This does not facilitate decisionmaking. It is less easy than in democracies that function according to a simple majority, or a two-thirds majority, for fundamental decisions.
Of course our European friends and Arab brothers are asking us to make courageous and difficult decisions - national reconciliation, the dismantlement of the militias, the modification of the Constitution, investment law, reconstruction, and security. We respect their requests, but from an Iraqi vantage point the equation is different. We will act without neglecting our law and our Constitution. You must understand that we are building the foundations of a new democracy. Some people do not see this new democracy in Iraq, because it is not foundations that attract attention but only that which will be erected on these foundations. We hope that our democracy will triumph, in a region that has for decades been assailed by political instability and dictatorship.
In order to succeed we have established relations of friendship and cooperation, which are developing all the time, with Iran and Turkey. We have organized the tripartite US-Iran-Iraq meeting in order to strengthen stability and security in Iraq. Despite the Turkish bombardments of Iraqi cities bordering Turkey - we have condemned these actions - we remain open to dialogue with Turkey, and have proposed the holding of a bilateral meeting, if necessary in the presence of the United States.
Within this framework our diplomacy is committed to increasing the number of embassies and diplomatic missions. We now have 71 diplomatic missions and another 15 will be opened by the end of the year - a situation unparalleled in the past under the former regime. As regards our relations with the West and the EU, we maintain relations of cooperation and profound friendship, since most Western countries are friends and donors and support out policy, and many of our fellow-countrymen live there. It is also essential to emphasize the major bilateral relations with the EU, and in particular the ties of friendship, cooperation, and constructive political coordination with France, which we want to develop.
With regard to our relations with United States, our foremost partner in rebuilding the new Iraq, the Iraqi question has become a crucial domestic issue in all US political debates. I saw during my latest visit to Washington in June an undiminished resolve to rebuild Iraq and a convergence of our viewpoints on the Iraqi situation. This visit coincided with the UN discussions on renewing the mandate of the multinational forces through mid-December. However we need to ponder in depth in order to establish a suitable draft text for the long term with a view to renewing the forces' mandate, in coming discussions, specifying their status and their replacement by Iraqi troops, which will be adequately trained and capable of guaranteeing the country's security. On this issue I noted an understanding attitude on the part of London and Washington.
Last, Iraq scored a major political victory with the United Nations' adoption of the resolution 29 June 2007, ending the mandate of the UN committee tasked with monitoring sites suspected of harbouring weapons of mass destruction under the former regime. The cost, amounting to millions of dollars - was born by Iraq. This resolution was adopted thanks to the efforts I made within the UN Security Council in my capacity as foreign minister. I asked that this committee be dissolved in order to take account of the new institutions in Iraq, a democratic state and the parliament elected by the people, with a permanent Constitution that bans the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.