SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES RELEASE OF VINCENT COCHETEL
Press Release
SG/SM/6838
SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES RELEASE OF VINCENT COCHETEL
19981214 The following statement was issued on Saturday, 12 December, by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:Secretary-General Kofi Annan is immensely relieved to hear of the overnight release of Vincent Cochetel, the head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in North Ossetia. He is very happy for his family, who will have him home in time for the holidays.
The Secretary-General, who had met with members of the Cochetel family in Paris four days ago and then spoke with Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov, called him early Saturday to thank him for his efforts in obtaining the release.
The Secretary-General also echoes the High Commissioner for Refugees, Sadako Ogata, in her appeal for the world to remain focused on the enormous risks humanitarian workers face daily in their work around the globe.
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Note: Mr. Cochetel, of France, was abducted on 29 January from his residence in Vladikavkaz, capital of North Ossetia near Chechnya, where hostage-taking has become common. The UNHCR said that Mr. Cochetel was released during the night of 11 to 12 December and that he was exhausted, but in good spirits.