SG/SM/7182

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONGRATULATES MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES FOR 1999 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary- General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General extends his heartfelt congratulations to M�decins sans Fronti�res, upon its selection by the Norwegian Nobel Committee for the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize. This well-deserved honour is a victory for the right of every victim of a natural or man-made disaster to receive life-saving assistance as quickly and efficiently as possible. This prize is also testament to what can be achieved when a group of committed and idealistic medical professionals bands together to serve humanity, often under difficult and even dangerous conditions. M�decins sans Fronti�res is a valued partner of the United Nations humanitarian community, and I wish them even greater success in the years to come.

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United Nations