Background Release

CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT TO OPEN 2004 SESSION ON 19 JANUARY

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 16 January (UN Information Service) -- The Conference on Disarmament, the world's sole multilateral forum for disarmament negotiations, will open its 2004 session on Monday, 19 January, at the Palais des Nations.  The first public plenary will take place at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 20 January.

Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF KUWAIT PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

(Based on information received from the Protocol and Liaison Service.)

Nabeela Abdulla Al-Mulla, the new Permanent Representative of Kuwait to the United Nations, presented her credentials today to Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENTREPRESENTATIVE OF THAILANDPRESENTS CREDENTIALS

(Based on information received from the Protocol and LiaisonService.)

LaxanachantornLaohaphan, the new Permanent Representative of Thailand,presented her credentials today to Secretary-General KofiAnnan.

Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF ARGENTINA PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

(Based on information received from the Protocol and Liaison Service.)

César Mayoral, the new Permanent Representative of Argentina to the United Nations, presented his credentials today to Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Committee on Elimination of

Discrimination against Women

634^th & 635^th Meetings (AM & PM)

WOMEN’S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE EXAMINES REPORT OF KUWAIT

Committee on Elimination of

Discrimination against Women

632^nd & 633^rd Meetings (AM & PM)

FOUNDATIONS FOR GENDER EQUALITY FIRMLY ESTABLISHED IN KYRGYZSTAN,

ACCORDING TO WOMEN’S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE

Experts Call for Full Implementation of Country’s ‘Significant’ Body of Legislation

SECRETARY-GENERAL NAMES LAKHDAR BRAHIMI SPECIAL ADVISER

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

The Secretary-General met on Tuesday afternoon with his former Special Representative for Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, who has just completed an arduous assignment and needs some rest.

‘IN THE WORLD OF AIDS, SILENCE IS DEATH’, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL AT LAUNCH

OF UNITED NATIONS GLOBAL MEDIA INITIATIVE ON HIV/AIDS

Following are Secretary-General Kofi Annan's remarks for the launch of the United Nations Global Media Initiative on HIV/AIDS in New York, 15 January:

UN LOOKS FORWARD TO WORKING WITH SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANIZATION TO FURTHER

COMMON GOALS, SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS AT INAUGURATION

Following is the message of Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the inauguration ceremony of the secretariat of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, delivered today in Beijing by Geir O. Pedersen, Director for Asia and the Pacific, United Nations Department of Political Affairs:

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONGRATULATES AFGHAN PEOPLE ON ADOPTION OF CONSTITUTION,

URGES IMMEDIATE ACTION ON KEY CHALLENGES OF SECURITY, RECONSTRUCTION

Following are Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan’s remarks to the Security Council meeting on Afghanistan in New York, on 15 January: