India at UN says it fully supports Iraq's request for UN observation of polls

UNITED NATIONS: India has strongly backed Iraq's request for the UN observation of parliamentary elections in the country in October, saying it endorses any process that respects the Gulf nation's sovereignty and strengthens the democratic exercise.

India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti, speaking at the UN Security Council Briefing on ' The Situation in Iraq' on Tuesday, said that the parliamentary elections in Iraq in October 2021 will be a "valuable" opportunity to strengthen the roots of democracy in the country. "A transparent, free, fair and inclusive election, conducted in a violence-free environment with high voter turnout, will empower the new government to implement reforms, improve accountability, meet the genuine aspirations of Iraqi people, especially the women and youth, and promote inclusiveness and reconciliation," he said. -