CONDEMNING COLOMBIA INAUGURATION KILLINGS, SECRETARY-GENERAL
APPEALS TO ALL ARMED ELEMENTS TO RESPECT CIVILIANS
The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:
The Secretary-General strongly condemns the violent attacks yesterday, 7�August in Bogotá, Colombia, during the inauguration ceremony of President Alvaro Uribe Velez, killing 14 people while wounding dozens of others.� The violence that, sadly, has become part of daily life in Colombia, demonstrates a complete disregard for human life.� Initial reports indicate that most of those killed were civilians from a poor neighbourhood near the presidential palace.
The Secretary-General emphatically condemns any attack against civilians and reiterates his longstanding appeal to all armed elements in Colombia to respect the civilian population.� He extends his heartfelt condolences to the victims and their families, and expresses his hope that in the coming period Colombia will seek political solutions to resolve the country’s decades-long conflict.
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