UN To Mark 1st Anniversary Of Deadly Terror Attack

IN SOLEMN TRIBUTES, UN TO MARK FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF DEADLY TERROR ATTACK IN BAGHDAD

New York, Aug 18 2004 7:00PM

One year after what has been called one of the darkest days in United Nations history, the UN will hold solemn observances on Thursday in memory of the victims of a deadly terrorist attack on UN headquarters in Baghdad, which killed 22 people, including top UN envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello.

In Geneva, Secretary-General Kofi Annan will address a solemn event, which will be simulcast to the ceremonies in New York and Amman, Jordan, with all participants pausing for a minute of silence to honour the victims of the bombing. There will also be a ceremony in Baghdad and commemorative events in various cities across the globe.

The attack on the Canal Hotel, in which more than 100 people were injured, forced the UN to drastically scale back its international presence in Iraq, but the world body has continued to provide relief aid and support the political transition in the country.

The security and safety of all UN staff will remain the "overarching guiding principle" for all UN activities in Iraq, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in his latest report to the Security Council. Based on a "careful assessment of what is feasible and advisable against the evolving reality on the ground," he stressed, the UN will continue supporting the country's people as they lay the foundations of a new

2004-08-18 00:00:00.000

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