Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said Friday that the country's security situation has improved.
"We have recently passed the five-year milestone in Iraq's democratic transition and although my country continues to endure profound challenges, we have made commendable and significant accomplishments in security, political and economic fields," Zebari told the Security Council.
He said that "Iraq is experiencing the lowest levels of overall violence and the number of terrorist attacks since March 2004," and that the country has stepped back from the brink of civil war.
The Iraqi security forces, now numbering some 600,000, have increased in size and improved their equipment, providing security for over half Iraq's 18 provinces, he said.
"Their efforts have won them the trust and cooperation of the Iraqi people and, with the support of the multinational forces, they have turned the corner in the fight against the insurgency and terrorism in Iraq," Zebari said.
But he pointed out that security continues to be the leading concern and foremost responsibility of the Iraqi government as well as the principal prerequisite of progress in the fields of reconstruction and social-economic recovery."
"Even though the Iraqi security forces are now better trained, better equipped and greater in number, they still are short of being able to independently assume full responsibility for the maintenance of security in all Iraqi territory," he said.
Source:Xinhua
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