ON US, BRITISH MISSILE-BOMB STRIKES AT BAGHDAD

Unofficial translation from Russian

PRESS RELEASE

According to incoming reports, the US and British air forces today dealt a missile-bomb strike at the densely populated Shaab residential quarter in Baghdad, killing at least 14 people and injuring over 30 more.

The war, as had been warned by Russia and many other countries, has directly affected the peaceful population and the civilian infrastructure of Iraq. Because of the continuing bombings the number of human casualties is growing and residential buildings are being destroyed.

In this situation we consider it an urgent necessity to speedily end hostilities and get the settlement of the Iraq problem back on the peaceful track within the framework of the United Nations Security Council.

March 26, 2003