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UN chief mourns passing of former Argentine leader Néstor Kirchner

UN chief mourns passing of former Argentine leader Néstor Kirchner

Néstor Kirchner addressing the  General Assembly on 25 September 2007
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is mourning the death of Néstor Kirchner, the former President of Argentina and a “friend of the United Nations,” who reportedly died of a heart attack this morning.

A statement issued by Mr. Ban’s spokesperson stated that it was with “great sadness” that the Secretary-General learned of the passing of Mr. Kirchner, who was the husband of the country’s President, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.

“A friend of the United Nations, Mr. Kirchner was a national and international leader who believed in multilateralism,” the statement added.

The 60-year-old former leader was Executive Secretary of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) and current Deputy in the Argentinean Congress.

The Secretary-General extended his sincere condolences to Mr. Kirchner’s family, as well as to the Government and people of Argentina.