US Sec. of State John Kerry's Speech in Iraq

Question:  Yes.  (In Arabic.)

Secretary Kerry:  Are you talking about the elections?  Okay.

Well, there are two provinces I mentioned, both in Ninewa and in Anbar, where the election – the provincial election has been suspended.  And from the perspective of the United States, we strongly urge the Prime Minister to take this issue to the cabinet and to see if it can be revisited, because we believe very strongly that everybody needs to vote simultaneously.  The fact is that while security has been put forward as a rationale for that postponement, no country knows more about voting under difficult circumstances than Iraq.

The first election here was conducted under the most extraordinarily difficult circumstances, but Iraqis came out and voted.  So we believe very strongly that all of the countries should vote at the same time in these provincial elections, and we hope that the Prime Minister, through his cabinet, will be able to revisit this issue.  There is still time for that election to take place in those provinces.

Moderator:  The final --

Question:  (Inaudible.)

Moderator:  I’m sorry, there’s – we can’t do follow-ups.

Question:  No, what is my question (inaudible).

Moderator:  My apologies.  Go ahead.

Question:  I’m sorry.  (In Arabic.)

Secretary Kerry:  Oh, that’s why I asked you if you were referring to the elections.  I apologize.  With respect to demonstrations, we believe very strongly that every citizen has the right to have their voice heard.  And under the constitution of Iraq, people have a right to be able to affiliate, to express any political view, and nobody should be penalized for that.

So we urge people to demonstrate peacefully if they choose to demonstrate.  We do not want to see, nor do we advocate anything but peaceful demonstration, but we urge the government to respond to those demonstrations in an appropriate way – not with violence, not with repression, but rather with the openness that a democracy merits.  The country will be stronger for people having the right to be able to express their views in a peaceful way.