Australia welcomes certification of Iraqi election results
Media release
3 June 2010
I welcome the certification on 1 June 2010 by the Federal Court of Iraq of the results of Iraq's national parliamentary elections.
Elections for Iraq's Council of Representatives were held on 7 March 2010, the second round of democratic elections since the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime. Australia was one of 16 countries where out-of-country voting took place.
We commend the Iraqi people for the strong voter turnout of 62 per cent across Iraq despite continuing threats to personal security from terrorist attacks.
The Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission successfully organised credible elections and the Iraqi Security Forces maintained security at polling booths. The results of a recount of votes in Baghdad have confirmed the absence of widespread or systematic fraud in the elections.
Now that election results have been certified, Australia encourages Iraq's political parties to engage constructively in talks to form a new Iraqi Government which will govern for the benefit of all Iraqis.
Australia and Iraq have a warm and positive relationship. We look forward to working in due course with the new Government of Iraq and remain committed to supporting the efforts of the Iraqi people to build a stable and democratic country.
Australia condemns in the strongest possible terms all violence aimed at influencing or undermining the ongoing political process in Iraq.
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