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LETTER TO UK

Please find attached the draft of a letter from the Secretary-General to_ Foreign Minister concerning the death of the UNRWA staff memberj)fUK nationality.

eran Prendergast November 2002

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// NOV 2 7 r? r . NATIONS UNIES

POSTAL ADDRESS - ADRESSE POSTALE UNITED NATIONS. N.Y 10017 CABLE ADDRESS - AORESSE TELEGRAPHIQUE: UNATIONS NEWYORK

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL CAB NET DU SECRETAIRE GENERAL

REFERENCE:

22 November 2002

Excellency,

I would be grateful if you could kindly forward the enclosed letter to His Excellency The Rt. Hon. Jack Straw, MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

A copy of the letter is attached for your information.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

S. Iqbal Riza Chef de Cabinet

His Excellency Sir Jeremy Greenstock, KCMG Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations New York ' THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

22 November 2002

Excellency,

I write to convey my deep sadness on the untimely death of Mr. Iain Hook, the project manager of the rehabilitation project of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), who was killed earlier today during Israeli Defence Forces' (IDF) operations in the Jenin refugee camp. I issued a statement on this tragedy earlier today which I attach. Please convey these sentiments to Mr. Hook's family. Though the full circumstances surrounding this tragic incident have not yet been established, I am especially concerned that IDF soldiers denied immediate access for the ambulance summoned by UNRWA to evacuate Mr. Hook. I will be commenting further when more thorough investigations have been concluded.

Mr. Hook died in the line of duty trying to render assistance to the Palestinian people and to protect his staff. His tragic death highlights the need for all sides to this terrible conflict to take much greater care to protect civilians and humanitarian workers, in accordance with international humanitarian law.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

^ *-Kofi A. Annan

His Excellency The Rt. Hon. Jack Straw, MP Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland London