Testimonials

Brazil

The Brazilian President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, declared a three-day mourning period in Brazil after having received the confirmation of Sergio Vieira of Mello’s death. The President estimated that Sergio Vieira of Mello “had been victim of an act of madness of terrorism”.

Great Britain

The British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, was said “shocked and saddened” by the attack, estimating that this “atrocious” act stressed the importance of the presence of a US-British coalition in Iraq. In an official statement diffused in London, Mr. Blair declared that “the authors of this atrocity have showed an absolute cowardice and are the enemies not only of the UN and the coalition but also of the Iraqi people “. “We will not allow terrorists to weaken our determination to promote a better Iraq “, he added.

The United States

Statement From The Office of President Bill Clinton : “The world has lost an unsung hero with the death of UN Special Representative Sergio Vieira de Mello in the terrorist attack on UN Headquarters in Iraq. He represented the best that the United Nations can be – a force for the collective good in a world wracked by turmoil. During my presidency, we were well served by Vieira de Mello’s leadership – in stabilizing war-torn Kosovo; in easing the untold misery of the people of Central Africa’s Great Lakes region; and in seeing East Timor through a transition from hopelessness and war to progress and peace.”

President George W. Bush condemned the “terrorist” attack, deploring the death of Sergio Vieira of Mello, while affirming that the American forces will continue their mission in Iraq. “The civilized world will not be intimidated and these killers will not determine the future of Iraq”, affirmed Mr. Bush at the time of a short intervention in Crawford, while promising “to continue the war against terrorism until the persons in charge are judged”. The authors of this attack “are the enemies of the Iraqi people. They are the enemies of all the nations which wish to help the Iraqi people”.

European Union

“The Italian presidency of the European Union expressed today its sharper judgment of the heinous attack perpetrated against the HQ of the United Nations in Baghdad”, it declared in an official statement. The EU added that it entirely support the work completed by the UN in Iraq since the US-British invasion. “At the same time, the presidency reaffirmed the will of the EU to take share with the rebuilding of Iraq in the context of the Council Resolution of safety of the United Nations.”

The Vatican

The pope Jean Paul II addressed a message of condolences to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan. “The pope was deeply saddened by the news of the explosion having caused deaths and casualties at the HQ of the United Nations in Baghdad and addresses its condolences to you, as to all the people working for the organization and the families and friends of the died people”, declared the cardinal Angelo Sodano, in an official statement.

France

The French President, Jacques Chirac, expressed his “consternation” and his “anger”. “Such odious acts can only cause indignation and a condemnation without reserve”, writes the Head of the State in a message to the UN’s Secretary General, Kofi Annan, in a letter made public by the press service of the Elysée, little before the advertisement of Sergio Vieira of Mello’s death. The President of the Republic addresses, in this message, his “thoughts” to the special representative who was first announced to be only injured. “Its intelligent and courageous action, controlled by your authority, are worth an unanimous regard an admiration.”

Spain

The chief of the Spanish government, Jose Maria Aznar, condemned the attack. “Nobody can remain neutral in front of such an attack, declared Mr. Aznar. The international community must deal with firmness and determination with terrorism in all its forms and anywhere in the world.”

Germany

The German Chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, deplored a “particularly painful loss” after the advertisement of Sergio Vieira of Mello’s death, in a telegram addressed to the Secretary General of the UN. “This attack targets the presence and the engagement of the UN in Iraq, which are entirely to the service of the Iraqi people, underlined Mr. Schröder. “It is an attack against the international community. It is also an attack against the future of the Iraqi people.”

Tunisia

In an official statement diffused on August 20, the Tunisian ministry of the Foreign Affairs “condemns this criminal act vigorously” and reaffirms “its categorical rejection” of any action aiming at undermining the efforts made by the UN organization and the international community to help Iraq and its people to recover safety and stability and to conclude the process of rebuild of the country. President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in addition addressed to the Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan a message in which he presented to him his condolences for the “innocent victims” of this attack and for the disappearance of its special representative in Iraq Sergio Vieira of Mello, qualified as “a considerable loss for the international community”.

Turkey

Ankara “condemns this act of violence firmly. Those who seek to prevent stability in Iraq and in the area are drawn up directly against the international community under the auspices of the United Nations, declared the turkish Ministry for Foreign Affairs Turkish. “This brutal act will lead the international community to cooperate in joint efforts to establish peace and stability in Iraq”.

The Arab League

The Secretary General of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, who learned with “consternation” the attack against the UN headquarters, telephoned Kofi Annan to express his condolences to him. “It is a grave terrorist crime which targets the presence of UN in Iraq”, affirmed the League in an official statement. The Arab League invites all the political forces in Iraq to be linked to prevent such acts, which do not serve the interest of the Iraqi people.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia condemned the attack. “The government of Saudi Arabia vigorously condemns the explosion perpetrated against the UN headquarters in Baghdad and denounces such acts”, indicated the SPA agency quoting an official spokesman.

Iran

The Iranian Foreign Minister, Kamal Kharazi, paid homage to the special representative of the UN in Iraq, Sergio Vieira of Mello, and invited to follow the way he had traced, official agency IRNA reported. “Mr. de Mello fulfilled his mission with heart. (…) He tried to make so that the United Nations filled their mission so that the Iraqi people can chair themselves their destiny, declared the chief of the Iranian diplomacy. It is the suitable way and, as soon as possible, the businesses of the Iraqis must be given between the hands of the Iraqis themselves.”

Kuwait

The Prime Minister, sheik Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, quoted by agency KUNA, highly condemned this “criminal act” in a telegram of condolences addressed to the Secretary General of the United Nations. According to him, this “criminal act is directed against the innocent ones and aims at blocking the human efforts of the UN”.

Australia

The Prime Minister, John Howard, paid homage to Sergio Vieira of Mello, of who he qualified the death “of particularly painful for the United Nations and the international community”. “His death, and those of many the other employees of the United Nations show that nobody is protected from terrorists”.

Indonesia

Djakarta expressed its indignation towards the attack. “As a country which became a victim of terrorism, we know that the terrorists strike blindly, causing victims among the innocent ones and defenceless people”, declared the spokesman of the Indonesian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Marty Natalegawa. The spokesman expressed the condolences to the United Nations and the families of the victims of the attack, recalling that Mr. Vieira of Mello had been in liaison with his government at the time of his mission in Timor as during the drama of the Vietnamese boat people.