Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05PARIS6047
2005-09-07 10:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Paris
Cable title:
UNESCO: DG DEPLORES KILLING OF IRAQI
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS PARIS 006047
SIPDIS
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS
STATE FOR IO/UNESCO (COWLEY),IO/PPD (WILBUR)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM ETRD SCUL KPAO UNESCO EUN
SUBJECT: UNESCO: DG DEPLORES KILLING OF IRAQI
REUTERS STAFF
UNCLAS PARIS 006047
SIPDIS
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS
STATE FOR IO/UNESCO (COWLEY),IO/PPD (WILBUR)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM ETRD SCUL KPAO UNESCO EUN
SUBJECT: UNESCO: DG DEPLORES KILLING OF IRAQI
REUTERS STAFF
1. SUMMARY: On August 31, the UNESCO Director
General, Koichiro Matsuura, issued a statement that
deplored the killing of a Reuters sound engineer by
U.S. forces in Iraq on August 28, 2005. The
statement, which UNESCO issued after the UN press
office asked them to respond, did not directly
implicate U.S. forces. UNESCO is the only UN
agency with a mandate to defend press freedom.
UNESCO Secretariat staff routinely works with media
watchdog NGOs to determine if a journalist was
killed while practicing his profession and then
issues statements as part of its commitment to
promoting media freedom worldwide. END SUMMARY.
2. BEGIN TEXT OF DG STATEMENT
Director-General deplores killing in Iraq of
Reuters sound engineer Waleed Khaled
August 31, 2005
The Director-General of UNESCO, Koichiro Matsuura
today deplored the killing of Reuters sound
engineer Waleed Khaled, in Baghdad on August 28,
and the injuries inflicted on his colleague Haider
Kadhem. He called on all the forces present in the
country to exercise vigilance to protect
journalists in the exercise of their profession.
"I deplore the killing of Waleed Khaled and the
injuries inflicted on his colleague, cameraman
Haider Kadhem," the Director-General said. "Despite
the tense security situation in Iraq, it is
paramount that all those willing to help establish
democracy in Iraq be mindful of the right of the
media to exercise their profession freely. I trust
that the ongoing U.S. investigation will explain
the circumstances of events fully and pave the way
for improvements in the future. This is essential
as the ability of the press to report freely on the
situation in Iraq plays a key role in the future
success of the democratic reconstruction of the
country," Mr. Matsuura added.
Both Mr. Khaled and Mr. Kadhem, Iraqi nationals
working for the news agency Reuters, were sent to
report on an incident in the Hay al-Adil district
of Baghdad.
END TEXT OF DG STATEMENT
3. COMMENT: Mission notes that Matsuura's
statement followed one from the UN Secretary
General's spokesperson which condemned the general
killing of journalists trying to do their work.
Mission observes that UNESCO did not specifically
implicate the United States in its statement,
though most media NGOs that work closely with
UNESCO issued tough statements that did. Moreover,
senior UNESCO Secretariat staff did not raise the
issue in meetings with U.S. counterparts during the
week of the press release.
Oliver
SIPDIS
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS
STATE FOR IO/UNESCO (COWLEY),IO/PPD (WILBUR)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM ETRD SCUL KPAO UNESCO EUN
SUBJECT: UNESCO: DG DEPLORES KILLING OF IRAQI
REUTERS STAFF
1. SUMMARY: On August 31, the UNESCO Director
General, Koichiro Matsuura, issued a statement that
deplored the killing of a Reuters sound engineer by
U.S. forces in Iraq on August 28, 2005. The
statement, which UNESCO issued after the UN press
office asked them to respond, did not directly
implicate U.S. forces. UNESCO is the only UN
agency with a mandate to defend press freedom.
UNESCO Secretariat staff routinely works with media
watchdog NGOs to determine if a journalist was
killed while practicing his profession and then
issues statements as part of its commitment to
promoting media freedom worldwide. END SUMMARY.
2. BEGIN TEXT OF DG STATEMENT
Director-General deplores killing in Iraq of
Reuters sound engineer Waleed Khaled
August 31, 2005
The Director-General of UNESCO, Koichiro Matsuura
today deplored the killing of Reuters sound
engineer Waleed Khaled, in Baghdad on August 28,
and the injuries inflicted on his colleague Haider
Kadhem. He called on all the forces present in the
country to exercise vigilance to protect
journalists in the exercise of their profession.
"I deplore the killing of Waleed Khaled and the
injuries inflicted on his colleague, cameraman
Haider Kadhem," the Director-General said. "Despite
the tense security situation in Iraq, it is
paramount that all those willing to help establish
democracy in Iraq be mindful of the right of the
media to exercise their profession freely. I trust
that the ongoing U.S. investigation will explain
the circumstances of events fully and pave the way
for improvements in the future. This is essential
as the ability of the press to report freely on the
situation in Iraq plays a key role in the future
success of the democratic reconstruction of the
country," Mr. Matsuura added.
Both Mr. Khaled and Mr. Kadhem, Iraqi nationals
working for the news agency Reuters, were sent to
report on an incident in the Hay al-Adil district
of Baghdad.
END TEXT OF DG STATEMENT
3. COMMENT: Mission notes that Matsuura's
statement followed one from the UN Secretary
General's spokesperson which condemned the general
killing of journalists trying to do their work.
Mission observes that UNESCO did not specifically
implicate the United States in its statement,
though most media NGOs that work closely with
UNESCO issued tough statements that did. Moreover,
senior UNESCO Secretariat staff did not raise the
issue in meetings with U.S. counterparts during the
week of the press release.
Oliver