UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 16 (Xinhuanet) -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Thursday criticized the improper time of the publication of the latest pictures of Iraqi prisoners abused in the notorious U.S.-run Abu Ghraib prison in 2003.

    Annan told reporters at UN headquarters in New York that it is unfortunate that pictures come out at this time, "at a moment when there is lots of tension and anger over the cartoon issue."

    "I don't think it helps defuse the situation," he observed.

    An Australian television station aired on Wednesday new pictures of Iraqi prisoners abused by U.S. soldiers, adding to the tension between the Muslim world and the West which has already been heightened by cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammad.

    On the issue of cartoon, the secretary-general said he has spoken to several capitals, appealing them to calm the situation down.

    "Generally it is calming down, and it has calmed down except for one or two locations," he added. Enditem