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INTERNATIONAL

"The worst is over"

Interview with His Excellency
Mouayed Saleh,

Ambassador of Iraq to the United Nations in Geneva

The Iraqi ambassador to the United Nations

in Geneva Mr Mouayed Saleh is definitely not
a newcomer to diplomacy. His Excellency Mr

Saleh arrived a couple of months ago, but he has
already managed to get a lot of visibility for his
country.

Iraq has just been appointed to the Human

Rights Council. Not bad for a country which has
gone through so many challenges during the last
three decades.
We will leave the floor to Mr Saleh

Q: Your Excellency, could you tell us ed States I had my eyes on Iraq, and ruling the country up until 2003.
a little about your background? what was happening there. As you Dictatorship ruled Iraq for 40 years,
I'm a trained engineer, and I was might have understood, I was in- until, with the help of the interna-
working for many years in the Unit- volved in politics. So it was somehow tional community; headed by the
ed States, in a well-known company, a smooth transition for me going into United States, it managed to put the
Motorola Semi-conductors. Educat- politics in Iraq. I was offered the job situation back in place. The mentality
ed and trained in the United States, in the Prime Minister's office because of the ruling class affected the coun-
due to the dictatorship in Iraq I could "they" knew about me as a politician try in a very bad way.
not go home at that time. Once the and my experience. When you have a nation of that po-
dictatorship was terminated, I was So when they asked me to join the tential and a civilization of 7,000
offered a job to work with the Prime team, I just submitted my resigna- years, a 40-year period is close to
Minister's office and spent a few tion to Motorola, returned home and nothing. Now is the time when Iraqis
years working there. Then I started to started to work in Iraq. All along this are showing their potential again. So
work in the Ministry of Foreign Af- is what I really wanted to do. I want- yes, it was a black period in our his-
fairs, and was assigned to Australia, ed to be part of the rebuilding team, tory, but now we are looking forward
as Resident Ambassador and simul- contributing with the experience I to showing the rest of the world that
taneously as non-resident ambassa- had gained over the years from work- we are part of this civilised world.
dor to New Zealand and Fiji. I spent ing and living in the United States. So
five and half years there before I was here I am. Q: Your country, Iraq, has been going
assigned to Geneva. So here I'm in through trials now almost non-stop
Geneva. It's a great place to be with Q: Your country used to be classified during these last 30 years. When I
lots of challenges, and lots of work. as the best Arab country to live in, talk about trials, I mean sanctions,
Something I really like. with the highest rate of education, wars, and disasters. Is this a never-
enough water, oil and other types of ending story?
Q: How was it to go from a company wealth. What went wrong? No. I think we are seeing the light at
like Motorola to the civil service? For me it was the wrong decision- the end of the tunnel now. Thirteen
During the years I spent in the Unit- making and policy of those who were difficult years compared to 40 years

INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMAT - DIVA 17