UNITED NATIONS, July 7: United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Thursday deplored ‘the atrocious bombings’ that rocked London as ‘an attack on humanity itself’, urging that such violence not be allowed to derail efforts to combat poverty and address the aspirations of billions of people worldwide.

Mr Annan, who was flying from London to Scotland at the time of the attacks to attend the G8 summit, noted that combating poverty and climate change figured high on the meeting’s agenda.

At UN headquarters in New York, the Security Council held a formal meeting and unanimously adopted a resolution calling on all states “to cooperate actively in efforts to find and bring to justice the perpetrators, organizers and sponsors of these barbaric acts.” It expressed “its utmost determination” to combat terrorism.

“Today, the world stands shoulder to shoulder with the British people, who with others around the world had mobilized so powerfully against poverty and climate change ahead of the Group of Eight summit, and who, I am sure, will confront this ordeal with the same spirit, courage and determination,” Mr. Annan said in a statement.

“I look to the Group of Eight, in their deliberations over the next few days, to show themselves equal to that resolve. Let us not allow the violence perpetrated by a few to deflect us from addressing the aspirations of billions of our fellow men and women who are demanding change.”

Earlier, the United Nations joined other summit participants in condemning the “barbaric attacks” and declaring a united resolve to fight terrorism until victory.

“We are united in our resolve to confront and defeat this terrorism that is an attack, not on one nation, but on all nations and on civilized people everywhere,” said a statement issued in the name of all G8 participants.