SG/SM/9649
     IK/465
     16 December 2004

Stressing Importance of Staff Security, Secretary-General Intends to Proceed with Further Expansion of UN Presence in Iraq

NEW YORK, 15 December (UN Headquarters) -- The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General intends to proceed with further expansion of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) presence in Iraq in implementation of the mandate given to him by the Security Council in resolution 1546 (2004).  Stressing the high importance he attaches to the provision of essential security protection for the staff concerned, he has given instructions that the first  steps be taken to assess the security conditions to establish UNAMI presence in Basra and in Erbil as soon as practicable.

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