GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT CALLS ON MEMBER STATES TO REAFFIRM

PLEDGE TO HALT AND REVERSE HIV/AIDS PANDEMIC

Following is the statement by the President of the General Assembly, Julian R. Hunte, at the high-level plenary meeting on HIV/AIDS, delivered today:

United Nations Environment Programme Opens China Office

BEIJING/BANGKOK/NAIROBI, 19 September (UNEP) -- The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) today opened an office in Beijing, China.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer said it was a response to the important progress being made in meeting environmental challenges in China, the world's largest developing country, and to the challenges lying ahead.

COLLEAGUES KILLED IN BAGHDAD EXAMPLE OF UN FAMILY ‘AT ITS MOST COMMITTED

AND MOST COURAGEOUS’, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL TO MEMORIAL SERVICE

Following are Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s remarks to the Memorial Ceremony in honour of colleagues killed in the bombing of the United Nations Mission in Baghdad, held in New York, 19 September:

ANNA LINDH REMEMBERED AS ‘UNIQUE SOURCE OF INSPIRATION,

GREAT FRIEND OF UN’, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL

Following is the message by Secretary-General Kofi Annan for the memorial ceremony for Anna Lindh, former Foreign Minister of Sweden, in Stockholm today, 19 September, delivered by Hans Corell, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs:

INCREASED INVESTMENT CRITICAL TO PROVIDE URBAN POOR WITH ADEQUATE SANITATION

AND CLEAN WATER, SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS IN WORLD HABITAT DAY MESSAGE

Following is the message of Secretary-General Kofi Annan to mark World Habitat Day, 6 October:

The theme of World Habitat Day 2003 -- “Water and Sanitation for Cities” -- highlights the need to provide the urban poor with clean water and decent sanitation.

SECRETARY-GENERAL RINGS PEACE BELL FOR UN COLLEAGUES, FRIENDS

STRUCK IN BAGHDAD, PEOPLE OF EVERY NATION NEEDING PEACE

Following is the text of remarks today by Secretary-General Kofi Annan on ringing the peace bell in observance of the International Day of Peace (21 September):

Security Council

4831^st Meeting (AM)

SECURITY COUNCIL ADOPTS ANNUAL REPORT TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR PERIOD

1 AUGUST 2002 – 31 JULY 2003

The Security Council, this morning, adopted without a vote its annual report to the General Assembly for the period 1 August 2002 to 31 July 2003.

Security Council

4830^th Meeting (AM)

SECURITY COUNCIL ESTABLISHES 15,000-STRONG STABILIZATION FORCE

FOR LIBERIA TO ASSIST PEACE PROCESS

Resolution 1509 (2003) Adopted Unanimously;

August Peace Agreement Aims at National Elections by End of 2005

Security Council

4829^th Meeting (AM)

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS SIERRA LEONE MISSION UNTIL 31 MARCH 2004,

UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTING RESOLUTION 1508 (2003)

The Security Council this morning extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), which was to expire on 30 September, until 31 March 2004, welcoming the increasingly stable security situation there.

UN REFUGEE AGENCY LAUNCHES NEW GUIDELINES TO BETTER PROTECT

REFUGEE WOMEN AGAINST VIOLENCE

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 19 September (UNHCR) -- The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Friday invited the humanitarian and development communities to join forces in combatting sexual and gender-based violence against refugees, returnees and internally displaced people.