United Nations

 NEW YORK, 13 October (UN Headquarters) -- Following is the text of a statement issued today by the office of the spokesman of Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

 The Secretary-General welcomes the decision by the British Government to provide further military assistance to the Government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL).  In particular, the readiness of a permanent member of the Security Council to deploy, if required, a rapid reaction capability is likely to provide additional confidence to the people of Sierra Leone and demonstrate the resolve of the international community.  In this new context, the Secretariat will continue to seek additional troop contributions for UNAMSIL so that it can effectively discharge its mandate in support of peace in Sierra Leone.