PRESS CONFERENCE ON INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF RICE

The decision to mark 2004 as the International Year of Rice was the first time the United Nations has dedicated a year to a crop commodity, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)’s Assistant Director General told correspondents at Headquarters today.

PRESS BRIEFING ON SECURITY COUNCIL MISSION TO AFGHANISTAN

German Ambassador Gunter Pleuger briefed reporters at Headquarters today on the Security Council’s upcoming mission to Afghanistan, scheduled to take place from 31 October to 7 November.

PRESS CONFERENCE BY GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT

Julian Hunte (Saint Lucia), President of the General Assembly, told correspondents at a Headquarters press conference today that developing countries were bringing pressure to bear on the United States and the countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to do something about subsidies and pricing that would have a positive impact on commodities trading.

PRESS BRIEFING BY UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR WOMEN

Women were key players in promoting peace, reconstruction, and democracy, Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), told correspondents at a press briefing at Headquarters this afternoon.

PRESS BRIEFING ON FOLLOW-UP TO MONTERREY FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE

Jose Antonio Ocampo, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, briefed reporters at Headquarters today on a report by the Secretary-General concerning the follow-up to commitments made at the International Conference on Financing for Development, which took place last year in Monterrey, Mexico.

PRESS CONFERENCE BY INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION PRESIDENT

At a headquarters press conference today, Sergio Paez, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), briefed correspondents on the annual parliamentary hearing at the United Nations, which brought together global parliamentarians to discuss subjects of great importance to the international community at the current time.

PRESS BRIEFING BY FOURTH COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN

A political solution to the question of Western Sahara was still possible, despite difficulties in the implementation of the Settlement Plan, Enrique Loedel (Uruguay), Chairman of the General Assembly’s Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization), said at a Headquarters press briefing this morning.

PRESS CONFERENCE ON NEW WORK TO BE PERFORMED TOMORROW AT UN DAY CONCERT

PRESS BRIEFING BY CHAIRMAN OF PANEL ON SECURITY OF UN STAFF IN IRAQ

Martti Ahtisaari, Chair of the Independent Panel on the Safety and Security of United Nations Personnel in Iraq, addressed correspondents at a Headquarters briefing today on the 19 August bomb attack at the United Nations in Baghdad, in which 22 persons lost their lives.

PRESS BRIEFING ON REPORT ON CHILDREN AND ARMED CONFLICT