Baghdad is concerned about Blashardt’s moves that coincide with the storming of the "Green Zone"

[size=52]Baghdad is concerned about Blashardt’s moves that coincide with the storming of the "Green Zone"[/size]

[size=30]The Iraqi Minister of Defense warned the armed factions against underestimating the power of the state [/size]

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Jenin Plasschaert (United Nations Mission in Iraq)

[size=45]A high-ranking Iraqi official revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat about the roles of the head of the international mission (UNAMI) in Iraq, which coincided with the storming of the Green Zone by militants affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces.
The official, who declined to be named, said that Jenin Plasschaert “held meetings with military officials, who had previously issued orders to storm the government area to release the leader of the Popular Mobilization Forces, Major General Qassem Musleh.
This information comes in conjunction with a televised interview by Blashardt, in which she did not deny the request of an Iraqi official to submit his resignation, in reference to Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi. The government official confirmed, "The recent Plasschaert meetings took place without coordination with the Iraqi government, and they also included high-ranking military leaders, directly related to the events of May 26th."
The official pointed out that the Iraqi government "asked the head of the mission for explanations about the legal context in which these meetings took place, especially as they coincided with incidents that threatened the country's sovereignty."
Usually, the United Nations mission refrains from issuing positions on domestic political crises, and is often careful not to get involved in comments of a problematic nature, and urges the solution of internal problems through dialogue between the concerned parties.
But the government official pointed out that "Baghdad does not see in the file of the storming of the Green Zone, where the headquarters of the government and its most important institutions are, a matter of political conflict between Iraqi actors, but rather a serious incident that threatens the reputation and stability of the country." "The government supports the efforts of the international mission to enhance the country's stability and sovereignty," the official added.
Asharq Al-Awsat asked the head of the mission, Jenin Blashart, whether she had comments about alleged meetings with military leaders, while she received no response at the time of writing this report.
Blashardt held several meetings during the past months with Iraqi officials in the "Popular Mobilization" organization, and played a role in achieving the truce between the Iraqi factions and the US forces in October of last year. The international mission said at the time that "neutrality and independence are at the core of the mandate of the United Nations (...) and that it deals with a wide range of stakeholders in the quest to achieve peace."
The government official clarifies that "Baghdad requested the (UNAMI) President for clarifications about her uncoordinated meetings, if they were actually conducted, and whether these meetings indicate that the international mission does not see in the storming of the Green Zone any danger threatening the peace and sovereignty of the country, or that it understands the motives of the intruders."
This is not the first time that Plasschaert has been subjected to harsh criticism, as last year it faced accusations by the leaders of the protest movement of playing a weak role in the face of the repression they have faced since October 2019. Two days ago, Iraqis living in the Belgian capital Brussels organized a protest stand, demanding the disclosure of the killers. The demonstrators demanded "to control the (UNAMI) mission in Iraq and to change its staff."[/size]
[size=45]Baghdad: "Asharq Al-Awsat"[/size]
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