Press Release

Secretary-General Kofi Annan departed New York in the evening of Tuesday, 9 September, and arrived in Geneva the following morning.

ONE BILLION PEOPLE ARE THREATENED BY DESERTIFICATION, RECURRENT DROUGHTS,

SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL IN MESSAGE TO CONVENTION PARTIES

(Delayed in transmission.)

Security Council

4828^th Meeting* (PM)

SECURITY COUNCIL FAILS TO ADOPT TEXT ON PALESTINIAN LEADER’S

DEPORTATION, AS UNITED STATES CASTS NEGATIVE VOTE

The Security Council this afternoon failed to adopt a draft resolution by which it would have demanded that Israel desist from any act of deportation and cease any threat to the safety of the elected President of the Palestinian Authority.

Security Council

4826^th Meeting* (AM)

SECURITY COUNCIL CAN DO WHAT IS JUST AND RIGHT FOR LIBERIA,

SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE SAYS IN URGING UN FORCE

Calls for Focused, Impartial, Experienced, Professional Operation

CHILDREN SUFFER MOST FROM EFFECTS OF OZONE DEPLETION,

ACCORDING TO UN ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME

UNEP, WHO, and Other Partners Launch New

Educational Products to Address Public Health Danger

WAR-TORN PALESTINIAN ECONOMY NEEDS TO BRIDGE RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT,

SAYS UNCTAD REPORT

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 16 September (UNCTAD) -- Protracted occupation and conflict have effectively transformed the occupied Palestinian territory into a "war-torn economy", with serious implications for Palestinian development prospects, says the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in a new report.

MEMORY OF LOST COLLEAGUES WILL SPUR US ON, DIRECTOR-GENERAL SAYS AT INAUGURATION

OF GARDEN IN MEMORY OF VICTIMS OF BAGHDAD BOMBING

(Reissued as received.)

UNITED NATIONS MESSENGERS OF PEACE JOIN IN INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE OBSERVANCE

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan will ring the Peace Bell at 10 a.m., 19 September at United Nations Headquarters to herald the twenty-second observance of the International Day of Peace.  At his side will be five of the United Nations Messengers of Peace:  Muhammad Ali, Anna Cataldi, Michael Douglas, Jane Goodall and Elie Wiesel.

Note to Correspondents

UNITED NATIONS CYBERSCHOOLBUS, EUROPEAN SCHOOLNET TO LAUNCH

WORLD SUMMIT EVENT FOR SCHOOLS ON 18 SEPTEMBER

On Thursday, 18 September, from 10 a.m. to 10:45, the World Summit Event for Schools (WSES) will be launched at a press conference, to be held simultaneously in New York (Room S-226) and Geneva.

EMINENT PERSONS CHARGED WITH FOLLOW-UP OF DURBAN ANTI-RACISM CONFERENCE

HOLD FIRST MEETING IN GENEVA

(Reissued as received.)