The Secretary-General congratulates the Iraqi Council of Representatives on finalizing amendments to the Election Law and commends Iraqi leaders and parliamentarians for overcoming their differences and reaching a compromise. The way is now paved to hold national elections in Iraq on a date to be determined by the Iraqi Presidency Council. The Secretary-General firmly believes that these elections will be an important step forward for Iraq's political and democratic progress.

The Secretary-General is pleased that his Special Representative for Iraq, Ad Melkert, and the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) were able to assist Iraqi political leaders in reaching this important agreement.

The Secretary-General reaffirms the United Nations commitment to provide support and technical assistance to the Independent High Electoral Commission during the electoral process and encourages the Iraqi people and all political parties to participate in a process that will shape their country's future and contribute to national reconciliation.