OREANDA-NEWS. October 22, 2010. A roadside bomb struck the convoy carrying the head of the UN Mission in Iraq, Ad Melkert, as it drove to the airport from the city of Najaf (160 km south of Baghdad) on 19th October, according to media reports. An escort vehicle was damaged, one Iraqi policeman was killed and some others were wounded in the blast. Melkert himself escaped unharmed.

An investigation is under way. So far there is no credible evidence as to who stands behind the terrorist act and at whom it was aimed.

In any case, we consider it necessary to condemn in the strongest terms this criminal act and to reaffirm our support for the activities of Ad Melkert and the UN Mission led by him in Iraq, which plays a unique role in efforts to stabilize the country, to achieve national reconciliation and consensus there, to assert democratic principles and rebuild and develop the economy in the interest of strengthening Iraq’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.