UN EXPERTS APPEAL TO IRAN TO COMPLY WITH HUMAN

RIGHTS NORMS IN CASE OF DEAD JOURNALIST

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 27 July (UN Information Service) -- The following statement was issued today by the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, and the Special Rapporteur on torture of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights:

ECOSOC TO PROVIDE ADVICE, SUPPORT FOR HAITI’S

LONG-TERM RECONSTRUCTION, DEVELOPMENT

NEW YORK, 27 July -- Responding to a request from the Haitian transition government, the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) has approved the reactivation of its Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti.

Economic and Social Council                                

2004 Substantive Session                                   

UN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION SAYS MORE LOCUST SWARMS

INVADING SAHEL COUNTRIES

(Reissued as received.)

Rome, 27 July (FAO) -- The number of desert locust swarms invading cropping areas in Mauritania, Senegal and Mali from north-west Africa has increased in the past two weeks, according to the latest locust update published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today.

AFRICAN MEETING ON TREATMENT, CARE FOR PERSONS LIVING

WITH HIV/AIDS OPENS IN ADDIS ABABA

(Reissued as received.)

MEDIA POLICY MUST ENSURE COMMUNICATION REVOLUTION EMPOWERS ALL PEOPLE,

SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL IN MESSAGE TO COLOMBO CONFERENCE

Following is Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message to the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development General Conference in Colombo, 26 July, delivered by Miguel Bermeo, United Nations Resident Coordinator and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Permanent Representative in Sri Lanka:

Involving local communities crucial to preventing and controLling

forest fires, SAYS UN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION

(Reissued as received.)

Rome, 26 July (FAO) -- Involving local communities is crucial to prevent and control destructive forest fires, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said today.

"Globally, 95 per cent of all fires are caused by various human activities", said Mike Jurvelius, an FAO forest fire expert.

SUB-COMMISSION ON THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION

OF HUMAN RIGHTS OPENS FIFTY-SIXTH SESSION

High Commissioner for Human Rights Addresses Sub-Commission

(Reissued as received.)

Committee on Relations                                           

Committee on Elimination of                                

 Discrimination against Women                              

665^th Meeting (PM)