ACTING HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS WELCOMES APPOINTMENT

OF INDEPENDENT EXPERT ON AFGHANISTAN

(Reissued as received.)

AFGHANISTAN WILL NEED CONTINUED INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE UNTIL TRANSITION

IS COMPLETE, SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS BERLIN CONFERENCE

Following is the message by Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the International Conference on Afghanistan in Berlin, delivered today by Lakhdar Brahimi, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General:

UN COUNTER-NARCOTICS CHIEF APPEALS FOR GREATER ASSISTANCE TO AFGHANISTAN

(Reissued as received.)

BERLIN, 30 March (UNODC)  —  A call for more resources to counteract the growing drug problem in Afghanistan was issued today prior to an international meeting in Berlin by Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

AGRICULTURE CRUCIAL TO COMBAT AFGHAN OPIUM ECONOMY, SAYS FAO

FAO Appeals for $60 million in Support

Of Farming Sector - Projects in Main Poppy-Producing Regions

(Reissued as received.)

UN SURVEY FEARS HIGHER OPIUM PRODUCTION IN AFGHANISTAN IN 2004

(Reissued as received.)

VIENNA, 18 February (UN Information Service) -- Last year Afghanistan produced its highest amount of opium since 1999, estimated at 3,600 metric tons.  The harvest accounted for more than three quarters of the world’s illicit opium production.

NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD URGES FULL SUPPORT TO AFGHAN AUTHORITIES

IN ADDRESSING DRUG CONTROL SITUATION

(Reissued as received.)

JEAN ARNAULT APPOINTED SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR AFGHANISTAN

AND HEAD OF UNITED NATIONS ASSISTANCE MISSION IN AFGHANISTAN

UNITED NATIONS OFFICE SEES ‘CRITICAL DECISIONS’ FOR COUNTER-NARCOTIC

EFFORTS IN AFGHANISTAN

POPPY CULTIVATION IN AFGHANISTAN -– SEARCH FOR ALTERNATIVES

FAO Asks for $25.5 Million to Finance

Development Projects in Main Poppy-Producing Areas

ROME, 2 February (FAO) -- Eliminating opium production in Afghanistan will only be successful if poverty and unemployment are reduced at the same time, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said today.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONGRATULATES AFGHAN PEOPLE ON ADOPTION OF CONSTITUTION,

URGES IMMEDIATE ACTION ON KEY CHALLENGES OF SECURITY, RECONSTRUCTION

Following are Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan’s remarks to the Security Council meeting on Afghanistan in New York, on 15 January: