The Council of the Socialist International, meeting in Madrid on 7-8 February 2004, recalling the decisions adopted at the XXII SI Congress in Sao Paulo:
Underlines that eight months after the official end of the war the situation in Iraq is still very difficult. Violence and terrorism continue, resulting in many victims both among the Iraqi civilians and among soldiers from the international forces;
Welcomes the end of the dictatorship in Iraq and the fact that Saddam Hussein has been captured and will be prosecuted for his crimes;
Affirms at the same time that security, stability, democracy and peace in Iraq are still very far away, while opposition to the foreign military presence seems to be increasing;
Believes that a deep change is necessary in the transition process;
Urges the international community to promote this change by:
- giving the United Nations full and effective responsibility for the Iraqi transition and reconstruction, implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1511;
- organising a multinational force in Iraq under the authority of the UN and involving the countries of the Islamic Conference;
- accelerating the transfer of power to Iraqi authorities recognised by all the components of Iraqi society;
- helping the Iraqi people to approve a Constitution for a secular, democratic, multiethnic and multireligious federal state, able to respect the rights of women and of minorities.
Expresses its commitment to continue the Socialist International’s efforts for democracy and peace in Iraq, started with the SI mission to Baghdad and the International Conference held in Rome in July 2003.