December 17, 2003	Wednesday	Shawwal 22, 1424

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UNITED NATIONS, Dec 16: UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said here on Monday that the United Nations could not support bringing the former dictator before a tribunal that might sentence him to death.

“As Secretary-General, as the UN, as an organization, we are not going to now turn around and support the death penalty,” he told reporters.

He expressed the hope that Saddam Hussein’s capture would accelerate the establishment of a transitional government in Iraq, saying that former Iraqi leader’s capture “is a positive development because Saddam Hussein has cast a rather long shadow over developments and over the transition process”.

Noting that the former Iraqi leader has been accused of “heinous crimes, including gross and systematic violations of human rights and international humanitarian law,” Mr Annan emphasized that “all those responsible for these crimes should be brought to account.”

Responding to questions, he repeated that whatever court is set up must meet basic international standards.

“If in doing that one needs to get help from our side I think we should be considered,” he said.