Press Release

Economic and Social Council                                

2004 Organizational Session                                

13^th Meeting (PM)

CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT HEARS STATEMENTS BY POLAND,

RUSSIAN FEDERATION, UNITED STATES AND SUDAN

President of Conference Summarizes Outcome

Of Informal Plenary on Prevention of Arms Race in Outer Space

(Reissued as received.)

Financiers tell Governments to ‘Get Real’ on Renewable Energy

(Reissued as received.)

BONN, 2 June (UNEP) -- A new study released today shows a $1.9 trillion potential for renewable energy markets in the next 15 years, but only if "real concerns" by the financial sector are addressed.

AGREEMENT TO BOOST ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AT SUMMER OLYMPICS

SIGNED BY UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME, ATHENS

(Reissued as received.)

NAIROBI/ATHENS, 2 June (UNEP) -- An agreement aimed at boosting the environmental profile of this year's Summer Olympic Games has been made between the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Athens organizers.

SECRETARY-GENERAL DEEPLY CONCERNED BY OUTBREAK OF FIGHTING IN BUKAVU

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

press statement on Democratic Republic of Congo by Security Council president

Following is the press statement on the Democratic Republic of the Congo delivered today by Security Council President Lauro Baja (Philippines):

The members of the Security Council heard this morning a briefing by the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping on the situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

potential of bioenergy for poverty alleviation, sustainable

development too often neglected, says UN agency

(Reissued as received.)

ROME/BONN, 2 June (FAO) -- While holding great promise for developing countries, bioenergy is often neglected by policy makers and needs to be urgently integrated into agricultural and forestry programmes, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said today.

UNRWA CONDEMNS RAFAHSCHOOL SHOOTING

(Reissued as received.)

GAZA, 2 June (UNRWA) -- The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) condemns in the strongest possible terms the violation of the sanctity of one of its schools in Rafah on Tuesday, 1 June by Israeli tank fire.

Secretary-General, in message on buddhism’s day of vesak, calls for sustained

campaign to rebuild trust between different faiths, cultures

Following is Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message to the “International Recognition of the Day of Vesak Ceremony” in New York, 1 June:

It gives me great pleasure to send my warmest greetings to this international observance of the Day of Vesak.

un ready to work with haiti to ensure sustainable future, says

Secretary-General as stabilization mission assumes authority

Following is Secretary-General Kofi Annan’smessage at the beginning of the mandate of United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haitiin Port-au-Prince, 1 June: