TRANSCRIPT OF PRESS CONFERENCE BY SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN

AT UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, 18 JANUARY 2005

The Secretary-General:  Good morning.  Ladies and gentlemen, it is a great pleasure for me to meet you this morning with Ms. Ann Veneman.

TSUNAMI CONFIRMED INCREASING TOLL OF DEATHS FROM NATURAL DISASTERS,

SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS IN MESSAGE TO KOBE WORLD CONFERENCE

Following is the text of Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s video message to the World Conference on Disaster Reduction in Kobe, being held from 18 to 22 January:

Secretary-General, addressing General Assembly meeting on tsunami disaster,

underlines need to focus on longer-term recovery, reconstruction

Urging Unity in Healing Old Wounds, Long-Running Conflicts,

He Calls Moment Opportunity, Reminder to Address Other Emergencies

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS ANN M. VENEMAN, UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE,

AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN’S FUND (UNICEF)

Following consultations with the UNICEF Executive Board, Secretary-General Kofi Annan today announced the appointment of Ann M. Veneman, Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture, as the new Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Security Council

5113^th Meeting (AM)

Security Council, in presidential statement, calls urgently on states

 

to submit timely reports on actions to counter terrorism

Council Also Notes Importance of Enhancing States’ Capacities

To Fight Terrorism, Encouraging Accession to Relevant International Treaties

Security Council

5112^th Meeting (AM)

SECURITY COUNCIL APPROVES TERM EXTENSIONS, APPOINTMENTS OF JUDGES

ON TRIBUNAL FOR FORMER YUGOSLAVIA

Resolution 1581 (2005) Adopted Unanimously

UN HUMANITARIAN CHIEF UNVEILS REDESIGNED RELIEFWEB SITE

(Reissued as received.)

WORLD CONFERENCE ON DISASTER REDUCTION OPENS IN KOBE

(Received from a UN Information Officer.)

KOBE, Japan, 18 January -- Three weeks after the devastating tsunami in the Indian Ocean, the World Conference on Disaster Reduction opened this morning here to address the critical need of better preparing communities when faced by natural hazards.

IMMEDIATE TRADE MEASURES CAN HELP SUPPORT RECONSTRUCTION, DEVELOPMENT

OF TSUNAMI-AFFECTED COUNTRIES, SAYS UNCTAD

(Reissued as received.)

Fifty-ninth General Assembly

Plenary

77^th & 78^th Meetings (AM & PM)