ACTIVITIES OF SECRETARY-GENERAL IN FRANCE, 27-28 FEBRUARY

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in Paris from Geneva in the evening of Monday, 27 February.

The following morning he attended a Ministerial meeting on Innovative Sources of Financing for Development chaired by French President Jacques Chirac.

In his speech, the Secretary-General asserted that financing for development is “an area where political courage is needed”.  He said that “we must not rule out ideas, solely for fear of controversy.  Human need should be our overriding consideration.”  He praised the efforts by President Chirac, among others, to find new ways of funding the fight against poverty.  (See Press Release SG/SM/10360.)

Prior to attending that meeting, the Secretary-General met with President Chirac for more than forty-five minutes.

The President thanked the Secretary-General for supporting his efforts in the field of innovative finances for development, which the President stressed, was in line with the United Nations efforts regarding the Millennium Development Goals.

Regarding the situation of the Palestinian Authority, the Secretary-General said he was pleased that the European Union had cleared a substantial sum of aid to the Government of President Mahmoud Abbas.  They also exchanged views on the situation in Lebanon and Syria, while underscoring the need to implement Security Council Resolution 1559 (2004).

On Haiti, the Secretary-General briefed the President on the latest political developments, and stressed the need for President-elect René Préval to follow a path of national consensus.  They also discussed the situation in Côte d’Ivoire, and ways to move forward the mediation process.

The President also briefed the Secretary-General on the latest diplomatic developments on the Iran nuclear issue.

Also speaking at the opening ceremony of the Conference were Presidents Chirac of France, Amadou Toumani Touré of Mali, Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo, and the former first lady of Mozambique, Graça Machel.

Following the speeches, and before an official lunch, the Secretary-General met with the head of the Organisation de la Francophonie, Abdou Diouf.  They discussed cooperation between the two organizations, notably in the training of French-speaking troops for Peacekeeping Operations.

Shortly after the official lunch, the Secretary-General met with Robert Badinter, a member of the former panel on threats, challenges and change.

He later met with President Tassos Papadopoulos of Cyprus.  The purpose of the meeting was to review the situation in Cyprus and examine ways, in which to move forward towards reunification of the island.

They agreed that the resumption of the negotiating process, within the framework of the Secretary-General’s Good Offices, must be timely and based on careful preparation.  Referring to the agreement by both communities’ leaders to hold technical discussions on a series of issues, the Secretary-General and the Cypriot President expressed hope that those discussions would help restore trust between the two communities.

They also agreed that progress on a number of issues, including demilitarization and demining on the island, would greatly improve the atmosphere for further talks.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, the Secretary-General said that, in the next couple of months, he would be doing whatever he could to narrow the gap between mere words and actual actions.

A communiqué was issued at the conclusion of that meeting.  (See Press Release SG/SM/10361.)

The Secretary-General returned to New York later that day.