SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES PARTIES TO PERSIST WITH EFFORTS

TO BRING NEPALESE PEACE PROCESS BACK ON TRACK

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

FIFTH HIGH-LEVEL MEETING BETWEEN UN AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS CONCLUDES FOLLOWING TWO-DAY DISCUSSION OF MAIN CHALLENGES TO INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY

Following are the conclusions of Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Chairman of the Fifth High-Level Meeting between the United Nations and Regional Organizations, held from 29 to 30 July at Headquarters, issued upon the completion of the meeting this afternoon:

SEABED ASSEMBLY AND COUNCIL OPEN KINGSTON SESSION

(Reissued as received.)

KINGSTON, 30 JULY (International Seabed Authority) -- The Assembly and the Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) convened for the Authority's ninth session in Kingston today, adopting their agendas for the session, which runs from 28 July to 8 August.

JOZEF FRANZEN OF SLOVAKIA ELECTED PRESIDENT OF SEABED ASSEMBLY FOR 2003

(Reissued as received.)

KINGSTON, 30 July (International Seabed Authority) -- Jozef Franzen (Slovakia), who was elected today as President of the Assembly of the International Seabed Authority at its ninth session (2003), is Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Government in the Interoceanmetal Joint Organization (IOM).

Security Council

4800^th Meeting* (AM)

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS OBSERVER MISSION IN GEORGIA UNTIL 31 JANUARY 2004,

UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTING RESOLUTION 1494 (2003)

TOP AFRICAN PERFORMERS NAMED IN LATEST ECONOMIC REPORT

ADDIS ABABA, 30 July (Economic Commission for Africa)-- African countries that have made the most progress in putting in place the right policies to reduce poverty top the rankings in the latest Economic Report on Africa (ERA 2003), the annual Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) flagship publication launched today.

UNITED NATIONS INSTITUTE FOR TRAINING AND RESEARCH ESTABLISHES

REGIONAL OFFICE FOR ASIA AND PACIFIC IN HIROSHIMA

NEW YORK, 29 July (UNITAR) –- The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), headquartered in Geneva and with a regional office in New York, opened its Office for Asia and the Pacific in Hiroshima, Japan, on 15 July.

UNODC STRENGTHENS COOPERATION AMONG INTERNATIONAL

ORGANIZATIONS TO FIGHT CORRUPTION

(Reissued as received.)

VIENNA, 29 July (UN Information Service) -- The United Nations Vienna-based anti-crime programme is spearheading efforts to enhance cooperation among various United Nations agencies and other international organizations to put in place an effective coordinating mechanism to fight international corruption.

SECRETARY-GENERAL THANKS MANCHESTER UNITED FOOTBALL TEAM

FOR LONGSTANDING COMMITMENT TO UN CHILDREN’S FUND

Following is the message of Secretary-General Kofi Annan, delivered by his wife, Nane Annan, to the Manchester United soccer clinic held today at United Nations Headquarters to celebrate the “United for UNICEF” partnership, which has raised more than 1 million pounds for United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) purposes around the world since 1999:

ASIAN-AFRICAN CONFERENCE OFFERS OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD ‘STRATEGIC BRIDGE ACROSS

INDIAN OCEAN’, SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS IN MESSAGE TO BANDUNG MEETING

Following is Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message to the first Asian-African Subregional Organizations Conference, being held in Bandung, Indonesia, from 29 to 30 July, delivered by Kim Hak-Su, Executive Secretary, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP):