Nicaragua's Ombudsman Benjamin Perez, on Wednesday, described the attack on the United Nations office in Iraq as "regrettable and painful."

The UN headquarters building in Baghdad was partially destroyed Tuesday by a truck-bomb which killed at least 24 people, including Sergio Vieira de Mello, the top envoy of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in Iraq, and wounded more than 100 others.

Following the bombing, Nicaragua toughened security around the UN mission in this country to prevent terror attacks, while the flag of the world organization was hoisted at half mast.

Perez said that facing foreign occupation forces, Iraqis' resentment and patriotic reactions had increased, resulting in guerrilla warfare.

He added the occupation forces must allow the Iraqi people make their own decisions on the government they wished to have after the ousting of President Saddam Hussein.

He said a serious and delicate situation had developed in Iraq, since the forces of occupation, despite their might, could not calm the reactions of a people unhappy with their presence.

Acting Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Salvador Stadthagen said Wednesday that the country would keep its military contingent for peacekeeping tasks in Iraq despite the terror attack on the UN in Baghdad.

He told the press that Nicaraguan soldiers faced some risks in Iraq, but the Nicaraguan government would maintain its commitment to fighting terrorism, drug trafficking and international arms-trafficking operations.

A first contingent of 115 members of the Nicaraguan army left last Tuesday from Spain for Kuwait. They were to be part of the so-called international Plus Ultra Brigade, commanded by Spaniards and also made up of members of the armies of El Salvador, Honduras and the Dominican Republic.

The brigade aimed to do humanitarian work in the reconstruction in Iraq.

"The attack on the UN building justifies the fact that international troops be stationed in Baghdad, because the international community will be even more involved in the pacification of Iraq and in the fight against terrorism," Stadthagen said.
 
(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2003)