ACTIVITIES OF SECRETARY-GENERAL IN RUSSIAN FEDERATION, 16-17 JULY

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, from Florence, Italy, in the late afternoon of Sunday, 16 July.

He held two bilateral meetings on the eve of his attendance at the Group of Eight (G-8) Summit of 2006 -- with South African President Thabo Mbeki and with Mexican President Vicente Fox.

On Monday morning, he arrived by boat at the embankment of the G-8 Summit site -- the Konstantinosky Palace.

He began the day with a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

At a joint press encounter with the British Prime Minister after their meeting, the Secretary-General expressed his concerns about the situation in Lebanon and in Gaza, and said: “I think we need to get the parties to agree, as soon as practicable, to a cessation of hostilities.”  To do that, he added, the parties need to give diplomacy the space and time to work.

He also reminded the parties of their obligation under international humanitarian law to spare civilian lives and civilian infrastructure.

The Secretary-General appealed for a cessation of hostilities in the Middle East, Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.  In addition to the Middle East, the two men discussed Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, including the situation in the Sudan, and global trade.

Then, the Secretary-General took part in the working meeting of the G-8 leaders, invited leaders and heads of international organizations.  During that morning session, they discussed energy security, the Middle East, world trade issues, globalization and Africa.

Following that meeting, he took part in a working luncheon hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the Middle East and global trade were discussed.

After participating in the group Summit photograph, the Secretary-General left, on Monday afternoon, for Brussels, Belgium.