Strasbourg, 23/10/2003 (Agence Europe) - The Chairmen's Conference of the political groups of the European Parliament decided in Strasbourg on Thursday to award the 2003 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to "the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr Kofi Annan, and all the staff of the United Nations- in memory of Sergio Vieira de Mello and the many other United Nations staff who lost their lives in the service of peace in the world". With the exception of the Green group, which wanted to honour Iranian journalist Akbar Ganji, who is currently imprisoned, all groups supported the awarding of the prize to the United Nations.
The prize will be presented to Kofi Annan on 29 January 2004. This will be the first time that the prize has been awarded during a plenary session in Brussels.