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16:55 GMT
UNITED NATIONS, Jan 19 (KUNA) -- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday expressed disappointment that Israel has not yet submitted its report on its fatal raid on the Gaza-bound aid flotilla last May to the UN panel of inquiry, a UN official told KUNA.
Chairman of the panel, former New Zealand Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer, told the Secretary General that he has been informed by the Israeli side of "another delay in the provision of this report, which is disappointing.
" Turkey provided its report on its national investigation last September. Israel has not done so yet, claiming it is still waiting for the final version of the report of the commission, the Turkey Committee, to finalize its work before handing it over to Palmer.
"It is essential for the panel to review material provided by both sides, Israel and Turkey, on their national investigations into this incident," the official said, adding that Ban urges Israel to ensure that the report is communicated "promptly" to the Panel to enable it to proceed speedily with its tasks.
The Panel was originally scheduled to issue its findings in early February. Now the date will have to be delayed because of Israel's procrastination.
The official said Ban "appreciates the cooperation extended thus far by the parties to this process. He strongly encourages them to continue doing so" and "reiterates his confidence in the members of the Panel, and their ability to carry out their important mandate." Israel's attack on May 31 on the Turkish flotilla traveling in international waters and carrying humanitarian supplies for Gaza killed at least nine people, sparking the Security Council to call for "a prompt, impartial, credible and transparent investigation conforming to international standards". (end) sj.hb KUNA 191955 Jan 11NNNN