UN chief expresses condolences to passing of predecessor Perez de Cuellar

UNITED NATIONS, March 5 -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday night expressed sorrow at the death of Javier Perez de Cuellar, who served as the head of the world body from 1982 to 1991.
   "I am profoundly saddened at the passing of my predecessor, Javier Perez de Cuellar," Guterres said in a statement, praising him to be an "accomplished statesman, a committed diplomat and a personal inspiration."
   Earlier on Wednesday, Perez de Cuellar died at 100 in Lima, the capital of his native country Peru, his son told local media.
   "Mr. Perez de Cuellar's life spanned not only a century but also the entire history of the United Nations, dating back to his participation in the first meeting of the General Assembly in 1946," said the UN chief.
   Perez de Cuellar "played a crucial role in a number of diplomatic successes," including the independence of Namibia, an end to the Iran-Iraq War, the release of American hostages held in Lebanon, the peace accord in Cambodia and, in his very last days in office, a historic peace agreement in El Salvador, Guterres recalled.  Xinhua