U.N. Shifts More Relief Staff Out of Baghdad
Annan Move Seen as Blow To U.S. Bid for Support
By Colum Lynch
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, September 26, 2003; Page A22
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 25 -- Secretary General Kofi Annan today ordered a further reduction in the U.N. staff in Baghdad in response to two suicide bombings, sharply curtailing the United Nations' role and delivering a serious blow to U.S. efforts to obtain greater international involvement in reconstruction of Iraq.
Annan's decision to "temporarily redeploy" an undetermined number of the 86 relief workers in Baghdad to Amman, Jordan, by Saturday will leave a largely symbolic U.N. presence in Iraq to direct the delivery of humanitarian relief by more than 4,000 Iraqis working for the United Nations. The U.N. chief's spokesman, Fred Eckhard, also raised the possibility that more members of the skeletal operation could be evacuated if security worsens.
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