Annan Concerned About Humanitarian Casualties In Iraq Conflict
Secretary-General Kofi Annan has expressed concern about the humanitarian situation in Iraq. This follows reports that a
number of civilians were killed when a missile struck a Baghdad market.
"I'm getting increasingly concerned by humanitarian casualties in this conflict. We've just heard the reports that a
missile struck a market in Baghdad and I would want to remind all belligerents that they should respect international
humanitarian law and take all necessary steps to protect civilians - besides they are responsible for the welfare of the
civilian population in the area."
There's also been reaction from the humanitarian coordinator for Iraq who warned that attacks on civilian installations
are a serious breach of humanitarian international law.
UNICEF Says Iraq's Children Traumatized By The War
UNICEF is warning that the war will have lasting effects on Iraqi children. The UN Children's Agency says many schools
in Baghdad are closed and parents are afraid to let their children play outside. UNICEF's Spokesman in Amman, Jordan,
Geoffrey Keele:
"We spoke to UNICEF staff in Baghdad this morning and they told us that children are suffering obvious signs of trauma.
This has shown itself in continuous crying and fright at sudden noises. Obviously the bombing is having an impact beyond
damage to infrastructure."
Annan Discusses Humanitarian Response With Agency Heads
lThe heads of UN funds and programmes involved in humanitarian relief were meeting with Secretary-General Kofi Annan
Wednesday to discuss the United Nations response to the humanitarian crisis in Iraq. The Secretary-General reminded
reporters that the UN did have some contingency plans on what it should do once the conflict began.
"So we will be reviewing the situation and I think they are all ready geared up to go back to Iraq and resume their work
as soon as the situation permits and here I am referring to the military conflict. And as soon as that allows them to go
in, they will go in and resume their work."
On the question of the role of the UN in a post conflict Iraq, Secretary-General Annan said that was an issue for the
Security Council to decide.
Russia says Security Council not against using oil-for-food programme to meet immediate needs of Iraqis
The UN Security Council was meeting in private Wednesday to discuss what's been described as making adjustments to the
"oil-for-food" programme. Russia's representative Ambassador Sergey Lavrov told reporters that the oil-for-food
programme which has been suspended because of the war, was designed to help the Iraqi people withstand the burden of
sanctions.
"We are not against using this programme for the immediate needs of the Iraqi people especially by deciding the fate of
those contracts which are in the pipeline already and which have been signed; but we cannot at this moment go the way
some people suggest - to revise the entire programme for a very long period of time - and there are some practical
things which relate to the technicalities of the mandate which we are prepared to give to the Secretary-General.
Ambassador Lavrov said while everyone is prepared to use some of the proceeds from the oil-for-food programme as a
humanitarian response from the Security Council, there are also legal obligations of the occupying power to look after
the humanitarian needs.