The future of Iraq belongs to the Iraqi people. After years of dictatorship, Iraq will soon be liberated. For the first time in decades, Iraqis will soon choose their own representative government. Coalition military operations are progressing and will succeed. We will eliminate the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, deliver humanitarian aid, and secure the freedom of the Iraqi people. We will create an environment where Iraqis can determine their own fate democratically and peacefully. We are grateful to our men and women in uniform, as well as to the brave troops of Australia and Poland, and to forces contributed by other members of the Coalition. They have demonstrated enormous bravery and professionalism in the face of great danger. We mourn for the members of the Armed Forces who have sacrificed their lives, and extend our deepest sympathies to their families. We also grieve for the loss of civilian life in Iraq. Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties. The Iraqi regime has done the opposite. It has deliberately put Iraqi civilians in harm's way, and used women and children as human shields. It has sent execution squads to kill Iraqis who choose freedom over fighting for a brutal regime. We condemn Iraqi regime forces' attacks in civilian clothing, false surrender, and mistreatment of prisoners of war. These acts are an affront to all standards of human decency and international law. We are taking every step possible to safeguard Muslim holy sites and other protected places in Iraq that are important to the religious and cultural heritage of Islam and of Iraq. We have no confidence that the Iraqi regime has done the same, and are deeply concerned by reports that it is deliberately endangering such sites and using them for military purposes. The Coalition is delivering food, medicine, and other humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people. This flow will increase as more of Iraq's territory is liberated and United Nations specialized agencies and non-governmental organizations are better able to operate. We welcome the adoption by the United Nations Security Council of Resolution 1472, which will allow shipments of humanitarian items to Iraq to resume under the Oil for Food program. As we said at our March 16 meeting in the Azores, we will uphold our responsibility to help the people of Iraq build a nation that is whole, free and at peace with itself and its neighbors. We support the aspirations of all of Iraq's people for a united, representative government that upholds human rights and the rule of law as cornerstones of democracy. We reaffirm our commitment to protect Iraq's natural resources, as the patrimony of the people of Iraq, which should be used only for their benefit. As the Coalition proceeds with the reconstruction of Iraq, it will work with its allies, other bilateral donors, and with the United Nations and other international institutions. The United Nations has a vital role to play in the reconstruction of Iraq. We welcome the efforts of U.N. agencies and non-governmental organizations in providing immediate assistance to the people of Iraq. As we stated in the Azores, we plan to seek the adoption of new United Nations Security Council resolutions that would affirm Iraq's territorial integrity, ensure rapid delivery of humanitarian relief, and endorse an appropriate post-conflict administration for Iraq. We welcome the appointment by the United Nations Secretary General of a Special Adviser for Iraq to work with the people of Iraq and coalition representatives. The day when Iraqis govern themselves must come quickly. As early as possible, we support the formation of an Iraqi Interim Authority, a transitional administration, run by Iraqis, until a permanent government is established by the people of Iraq. The Interim Authority will be broad-based and fully representative, with members from all of Iraq's ethnic groups, regions and diaspora. The Interim Authority will be established first and foremost by the Iraqi people, with the help of the members of the Coalition, and working with the Secretary General of the United Nations. As coalition forces advance, civilian Iraqi leaders will emerge who can be part of such an Interim Authority. The Interim Authority will progressively assume more of the functions of government. It will provide a means for Iraqis to participate in the economic and political reconstruction of their country from the outset. Coalition forces will remain in Iraq as long as necessary to help the Iraqi people to build their own political institutions and reconstruct their country, but no longer. We look forward to welcoming a liberated Iraq to the international community of nations. We call upon our partners in the international community to join with us in ensuring a democratic and secure future for the Iraqi people. (US Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary) | 伊拉克的未來屬于伊拉克人民。在遭受多年的獨裁統治之后，伊拉克即將獲得解放。伊拉克人將在幾十年中首次選出他們自己的、有代表性的政府。 聯盟的軍事行動正不斷取得進展，必將獲得成功。我們將根除伊拉克大規模殺傷性武器構成的威脅。我們將送去人道援助，并確保伊拉克人民的自由。我們將創造一種環境，讓伊拉克人能通過民主、和平的方式決定他們自己的命運。 我們感謝我們的男女軍人，感謝澳大利亞和波蘭的英勇將士，感謝其他聯盟成員派出的部隊。他們在巨大的危險面前表現出大無畏的精神和職業軍人的素質。我們哀悼那些獻出自己的生命的軍人，并向他們的家屬表達最深切的慰唁。 我們也為伊拉克平民的傷亡而悲痛。聯盟軍隊竭盡全力避免造成平民傷亡。但伊拉克政權的所作所為卻恰恰相反，故意把伊拉克平民置于危險境地，并把婦女和兒童當作人體盾牌。伊拉克政權派出行刑隊，殺害那些不愿為一個殘酷的政權賣命，毅然投身自由的伊拉克人。我們譴責伊拉克政權軍隊的行徑，他們身穿便衣進行襲擊，采取詐降的伎倆，并虐待戰俘。這些行為違背了人類尊嚴和國際法的一切準則。 我們正在采取一切可以采取的措施保衛伊拉克的穆斯林圣地和其他應受保護的設施。這些設施屬于伊斯蘭教和伊拉克的重要宗教和文化遺產。我們不相信伊拉克政權也采取了相同的措施。我們對有關該政權蓄意破壞這類設施，把這些設施用于軍事目的的報導深表關注。 聯盟正在向伊拉克人民發送食品、藥品和其他人道援助物資。隨著更多的伊拉克領土獲得解放，聯合國專門機構和非政府組織能更好地運作，發送量將會增加。我們對聯合國安理會通過第1472號決議表示歡迎，該決議決定根據“石油換糧食”計劃，恢復向伊拉克運送人道物資。 如我們3月16日在亞速爾群島會談時所說，我們將堅持承擔我們的責任，幫助伊拉克人民建立一個完整、自由、實現內部和平并與鄰國和平相處的國家。我們支持全體伊拉克人民的共同愿望，建立一個團結的、有代表性的政府，一個以維護人權和法治為民主基石的政府。我們重申保護伊拉克自然資源的承諾，這些資源是伊拉克人民祖傳的財產，只應用于為伊拉克人民謀福利。 在著手重建伊拉克之際，聯盟國家將與其盟國、其他雙邊捐助國以及聯合國和其他國際機構進行合作。聯合國在伊拉克的重建中將發揮重要作用。我們歡迎聯合國各機構和非政府組織為及時向伊拉克人民提供援助所作的努力。如我們在亞速爾群島所說，我們準備尋求通過新的聯合國安理會決議，確認伊拉克的領土完整，確保人道救援的迅速送達，支持適當的戰后伊拉克行政機構。我們歡迎聯合國秘書長任命一位伊拉克問題特別顧問，與伊拉克人民和聯盟代表一道工作。 伊拉克人民自己管理自己的那一天必須盡快到來。在伊拉克人民建立永久性政府之前，我們支持盡早成立一個由伊拉克人管理的伊拉克臨時行政機構，作為過渡性的行政機構。這個臨時行政機構將具有廣泛的基礎和充分的代表性，由伊拉克所有部族、地區和海外群體的代表組成。在聯盟成員國的幫助下，通過與聯合國秘書長一起努力，這個臨時行政機構將首先由伊拉克人民來建立。在聯盟軍隊向前推進之時，伊拉克文職領導人將逐步脫穎而出，成為這一臨時行政機構的成員。臨時行政機構將越來越多地發揮政府的功能。這一機構將從一開始就為伊拉克人提供參與自己國家的經濟和政治重建的條件。 為了幫助伊拉克人民建立自己的政治制度和重建自己的國家，聯盟軍隊在伊拉克需要留多久就留多久，但不會多留一天。我們期待著歡迎獲得解放的伊拉克加入到國際大家庭中來。我們呼吁國際社會的伙伴們同我們一道確保伊拉克人民有一個民主和安全的未來。 （信蓮）
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Updated: 2003-04-09 01:00
