Press Release

Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues                       

Third Session                                              

decolonization seminar hears Calls for closer monitoring

of Administering Powers, greater action on resolutions

(Received from a UN Information Officer.)

PAPUA NEW GUINEA, 18 May -– The Pacific Regional Seminar on Decolonization continued this afternoon, with its second meeting focused on the role of administering Powers and the perspectives of the representatives of American Samoa, FLNKS (New Caledonia) and Pitcairn.

THREE-DAY DECOLONIZATION SEMINAR HEARS CALL FOR FRESH, INNOVATIVE IDEAS, ACTIONS

TOKELAU CASE STUDY ILLUSTRATES SUCCESS FOR UN COMMITTEE OF 24

Secretary-General Hails Cooperation as Essential to Self-Determination

(Received from a UN Information Officer.)

AFRICA NEEDS TO REMOVE OBSTACLES TO TRADE, SAYS AMOAKO

(Reissued as received.)

KAMPALA, 18 May (ECA) –- African countries must do more to maximize the benefits of trade for development, the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), K.Y. Amoako, said today.

UNITED NATIONS CONFIRMS 39 DEAD IN ATTACK ON CAMP NEAR GULU, UGANDA

GENEVA/NEW YORK, 18 May (OCHA) –- Thirty-nine people have been confirmed dead and 17 injured after an attack by the rebel group known as the Lord's Resistance Army on the Pagak camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in northern Uganda.

INCB SESSION TO FOCUS ON INTERACTION BETWEEN SUPPLY

AND DEMAND STRATEGIES AGAINST DRUG ABUSE

(Reissued as received.)

VIENNA, 17 May (UN Information Service) -- The interaction between supply and demand strategies against the global drug abuse problem will be the focus of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), which opened its eightieth session today in Vienna.

MILLENNIUM GOALS DIFFERENT FROM PAST PLEDGES, AS THEY ARE MEASURABLE,

ACHIEVABLE, SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS IN VIDEO MESSAGE TO ROME CONCERT

Following is the text of the video message bySecretary-General Kofi Annan to the “We are the Future” concert, organized by Quincy Jones’ Listen Up Foundation and the Glocal Forum, in partnership with the World Bank in Rome on

16 May:

Dear Friends,

TO SUCCEED, UN PEACEKEEPERS NEED SUSTAINED POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT OF GOVERNMENTS,

CLEAR MANDATES, NECESSARY RESOURCES, SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS SECURITY COUNCIL

Following is the text of remarks as delivered by Secretary-General Kofi Annan on UN peacekeeping operations to the Security Council today:

SECRETARY-GENERAL ‘STRONGLY CONDEMNS’ ASSASSINATION

OF PRESIDENT OF IRAQI GOVERNING COUNCIL

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

SECRETARY-GENERAL REITERATES THAT MYANMAR’S NATIONAL

CONVENTION MUST BE ALL-INCLUSIVE TO BE CREDIBLE

Following is the text of a statement attributable to the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan: