SG/SM/9659
IK/468
28 December 2004

Secretary-General Condemns Suicide Attack in Baghdad, Reiterates UN’s Readiness to Assist Elections, Political Transition

NEW YORK, 27 December (UN Headquarters) -- The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General has learned with dismay of the suicide attack which occurred in Baghdad today outside the home of the leader of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution [Abdul Aziz al-Hakim], in which 15 people were reportedly killed and at least 50 wounded.  The Secretary-General condemns this attack in the strongest terms and reiterates that such acts of violence are indefensible.

At this critical time of Iraq’s history, the Secretary-General calls on all Iraqis to unite in a spirit of national reconciliation, so that elections can take place in a peaceful and orderly fashion.

The Secretary-General reiterates his readiness to continue to do everything possible to assist the Iraqi people in holding elections and to support the broader political transition process in accordance with Security Council resolution 1546.

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