DEATH OF IRAQ GOVERNING COUNCIL MEMBER SADDENS SECRETARY-GENERAL

DEATH OF IRAQ GOVERNING COUNCIL MEMBER SADDENS SECRETARY-GENERAL

Following is a statement issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General was very sad to learn of the death of Dr. Akila al-Hashemi, the member of the Iraqi Governing Council who was attacked last Saturday.  He considers such murderous use of violence wholly inexcusable, and likely only to retard the process of establishing a broad-based and representative government in Iraq, to which sovereignty can be transferred.  He sends his sincere condolences to Dr. al-Hashemi’s family, and to the Governing Council.

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