PRESS RELEASE FRIDAY 22 NOVEMBER 2002

22 Nov 2002 04:15 PM

On learning of the death of Iain Hook Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and International Development Secretary Clare Short issued the following statement:

"This is a terrible event. We will do everything possible to ensure that there is a full investigation. We send our deepest condolences to Iain Hook's family and friends at this time"

The Foreign Secretary placed a call to Binyamin Netanyahu, Israeli Foreign Minister, on landing from the NATO Summit in Prague. Mr Netanyahu expressed his sincere condolences to the family of Iain Hook for his death, however it had happened. Mr Netanyahu promised an immediate investigation and gave an undertaking to share the results as soon as he had them.

Iain Hook was employed as a consultant through Crown Agents under contract to the Department For International Development. He was working on a technical assistance project to help the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) rebuild the Jenin camp with financing from United Arab Emirates Red Crescent Society.

Notes for Editors

Crown Agents deployed two UK staff (and a third to follow) to be based in the UNRWA office in Jenin to support work in rebuilding Jenin refugee camp, which was destroyed by the IDF in Operation Defensive Shield in April. Iain Hook had been working with UNRWA since October 2002 and the contract was for 18 months - two years.

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