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SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS TERRORIST ATTACK AGAINST
BAGHDAD HEADQUARTERS, STATES UN IRAQ MISSION
”WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED”
Presidential Statement Reaffirms Determination
To Assist Iraqis in Building Peace, Justice, Own Political Future
NEW YORK, 20 August (UN Headquarters) -- The Security Council this evening unequivocally condemned as an assault against the international community as a whole, yesterday’s terrorist attack against the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, and stated the United Nations Iraq mission “will not be intimidated”.
In a statement that was read by its President, Mikhail Wehbe of Syria, the Council also condemned in the strongest terms the perpetrators of the attack and underlined the need to bring them to justice.
Expressing its deepest sympathy and condolences to the victims and their families, the Council paid tribute and expressed its deepest admiration to all the United Nations personnel who lost their lives or were injured in the service of the Organization and the Iraqi people, including the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Sergio Vieira de Mello.
The Council also reaffirmed the imperative to respect, in all circumstances, the safety and security of United Nations personnel, as well as its determination to assist the Iraqi people in building peace and justice in their country and determining their own political future.
At the opening of the meeting, the Council observed a minute of silence in tribute to the memory of the United Nations personnel and all others who were killed in Baghdad, and to express its deep solidarity with all United Nations personnel and humanitarian workers in the field everywhere.
The meeting was called to order at 7:20 p.m. and adjourned at 7:26 p.m.
The full text of the Presidential statement to be issued as S/PRST/2003/13, reads as follows:
“The Security Council unequivocally condemns the terrorist attack that took place on 19 August 2003 against the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad and thereby against the international community as a whole, causing numerous deaths and injuries among international personnel and Iraqi people.
“The Security Council condemns also in the strongest terms the perpetrators of such attack and underlines the need to bring them to justice.
“The Security Council pays tribute and expresses its deepest admiration to all those among the UN personnel who have lost their lives or have been injured in the service of the United Nations and of the Iraqi people, including the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Sergio Vieira de Mello.
“The Security Council expresses its deepest sympathy and condolences to the victims and their families.
“The Security Council reaffirms the imperative to respect, in all circumstances, the safety and security of United Nations personnel and the need for adequate security measures to be taken in this regard.
“The Security Council reaffirms its determination to assist the Iraqi people to build peace and justice in their country and to determine their own political future by themselves. It welcomes in this regard the determination of the United Nations to continue its operation in Iraq to fulfil its mandate in the service of the Iraqi people, and will not be intimidated by such attacks.”
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