Croatian MFA extends its deep sympathy for the death of civilians and UN officials in Iraq...

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia extends its deep sympathy for the death of a large number of civilians and UN officials, including Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, the UN Special Envoy in Iraq, who were killed in an honourable peace mission. The Ministry coveys its condolences to his family, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, as well as to the bereaved families of all victims of this horrible terrorist act in Baghdad.

Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello was the highest UN official in Iraq and an expert for human rights and reconstruction issues. He made large efforts for the rapid establishment of democracy and full normalisation in Iraq. Through his long-term work in the UN, he confirmed himself as one of the most distinguished officials.

During his many years office in UN peace missions in this part of Europe, De Mello was a Delegate of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Yugoslavia during 1993, he was the Head of Civil Affairs of the UNPROFOR in 1994 in Bosnia and Herzegovina and an ad interim Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Kosovo during 1999. In performing his duties, he displayed an exceptional expertise, commitment to peace process and sensitivity for problems of this part of the world. As a member to the Commission for Human Rights, the Republic of Croatia successfully and actively participated with Mr. De Mello when he was the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, until he went to Iraq.

The Croatian Foreign Ministry condemns most severely the terrorist attack that was directed not only against the UN Mission in Iraq, but also against the international community at large. This attack seriously endangered international efforts to establish peace and security in Iraq, and everything that is possible must be done to bring the perpetrators of this attack to justice and to avoid future similar attacks. Terrorism must not be an obstacle to the normalisation of situation in Iraq, primarily because of the interest of the Iraqi population.

Through the UN, the Republic of Croatia shall continue to actively assist Iraq in its efforts for successful return to the UN family of nations. This terrorist attack should serve as a incentive for an even stronger international support to this most important global organisation and its irreplaceable role in keeping peace and security.

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