PRESS STATEMENT BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ON IRAQ

PRESS STATEMENT BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ON IRAQ

Following is the text of today’s statement on Iraq by the President of the Security Council, Jean-David Levitte (France):

Members of the Security Council have heard a briefing by the Executive Director of the Office of the Iraq Programme on the decision of Iraq to declare persona non grata five United Nations personnel of the Office of the Iraq Programme.

Members of the Security Council support the decision taken by the Executive Director of the Office of the Iraq Programme to withdraw these personnel for strictly safety reasons.

Members of the Security Council concur with the legal points forwarded by the Executive Director of the Programme and urge Iraq to give further explanations regarding this decision.  In this connection, I will be in touch with the Permanent Representative of Iraq soon.

Members of the Security Council take this opportunity to reaffirm their full support for the Office of the Iraq Programme and in particular for their personnel on the ground who carry out their task under difficult conditions.

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