INTERNATIONAL PROGRESS ORGANIZATION (I.P.O.) -- INFORMATION SERVICE

VIENNA, 18 MAY 1991/P/K/12751C‑IS

IRAQ / HUMANITARIAN AID

ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMITTEE TO SAVE THE CHILDREN IN IRAQ

THE PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL PROGRESS ORGANIZATION, PROF. DR. HANS KOECHLER, EARLIER THIS WEEK BRIEFED PRESIDENT WALDHEIM IN VIENNA ON THE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN IRAQ. HE INFORMED THE AUSTRIAN HEAD OF STATE ON THE JOINT INITIATIVE OF THE COMMITTEE TO SAVE THE CHILDREN IN IRAQ WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED BY A JOINT INITIATIVE OF SEVERAL NON‑GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS IN ORDER TO CO‑ORDINATE HUMANITARIAN PROJECTS IN IRAQ.

FOLLOWING THE MEETING WITH PROF. KOECHLER, AUSTRIAN PRESIDENT DR. KURT WALDHEIM YESTERDAY CONTACTED THE EXECUTIVE DELEGATE OF THE UNITED NATIONS FOR THE HUMANITARIAN PROGRAMME IN IRAQ, PRINCE SADRUDDIN AGA KHAN, WITH THE AIM TO FACILITATE THE TRANSPORTATION OF HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT AND EMERGENCY FOOD SUPPLIES THAT HAVE BEEN DONATED BY SEVERAL HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, SWEDEN, GERMANY AND OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. THANKS TO THIS INITIATIVE, TRANSPORTATION AND DELIVERY IS NOW BEING ASSURED WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE UNITED NATIONS EMERGENCY PROGRAMME IN IRAQ.

THE COMMITTEE HELD AN INTERNATIONAL PRESS CONFERENCE IN BONN ON 15 MAY DURING WHICH DR. MARGIT FAKHOURY, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE INTERNATIONAL PROGRESS ORGANIZATION, GAVE INFORMATION ON THE DIFFICULT SITUATION IN IRAQI HOSPITALS RESULTING FROM THE LACK OF MEDICINE AND MEDICAL EQUIPMENT.

AMONG THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE TO SAVE THE CHILDREN IN IRAQ ARE H.E. RAPHAEL BIDAWID, PATRIARCH OF THE CHALDAEANS, DR. REZA SABRI‑TABRIZI (EDINBURGH), AND PROF. DR. HANS KOECHLER, PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL PROGRESS ORGANIZATION, AN ORGANIZATION IN CONSULTATIVE STATUS WITH THE UNITED NATIONS.

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