‘GLOBAL VIRTUAL UNIVERSITY’ OFFERS PROSPECT OF CONSTRUCTIVE INTERNATIONAL

COOPERATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL

Following is the message by Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan, to the ceremony launching the “Global Virtual University” delivered by Hans van Ginkel, Rector, United Nations University, in Arendal, Norway, today:

Security Council

4774^th Meeting (AM & PM)

SECURITY COUNCIL URGES INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO STRENGTHEN COOPERATION

AGAINST DRUG PRODUCTION, TRAFFICKING IN AFGHANISTAN

In Presidential Statement, Council Also Stresses Need to Improve Security

Fifty-seventh General Assembly

Fifth Committee

56^th Meeting (PM)

BUDGET COMMITTEE APPROVES $2.17 BILLION FOR 2003/2004 PEACEKEEPING,

AS IT CONCLUDES RESUMED SESSION

CORRECTION

In press release GA/AB/3570, issued 4 June, the statement of the United States on page 3 should read, as follows:

SEEING THE WHOLE ‘ELEPHANT’:  GLOBALIZATION AND MEASURING

ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES OF MULTINATIONALS

(Reissued as received.)

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES DISPATCH OF REGIONAL TRANSITION TEAM TO BOUGAINVILLE

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

Special Committee on

Decolonization

8^th Meeting (AM)

DECOLONIZATION COMMITTEE CALLS FOR RESUMPTION OF NEGOTIATIONS BY ARGENTINA,

UNITED KINGDOM ON FALKLAND ISLANDS (MALVINAS)

Adopting Draft Resolution by Consensus, Committee Debates

CARTAGENA PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY ENTERS INTO FORCE IN SEPTEMBER

(Reissued as received.)

NAIROBI, 13 June (United Nations Environment Programme) -- Palau has become the fiftieth country to ratify the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, starting a 90-day countdown to the agreement's entry into force.

BRAZIL TO HOST UNCTAD XI IN JUNE 2004

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 13 June (UNCTAD) -- The eleventh United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XI) will be held at the Anhembi Conference Centre in Sao Paulo, Brazil, from 13 to 18 June 2004.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR RATIFICATION BY ALL STATES OF CONVENTION

AGAINST TORTURE, OPTIONAL PROTOCOL, IN MESSAGE FOR INTERNATIONAL DAY

Following is the message by Secretary-General Kofi Annan for the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, 26 June:

SECRETARY-GENERAL TO ATTEND ‘QUARTET’ MEETING IN AMMAN, JORDAN, 22 JUNE

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

The Secretary-General will participate in a meeting of Quartet Principals in Amman, Jordan, on 22 June.  The meeting follows the recent Aqaba Summit at which both Israel and the Palestinians agreed to begin implementing the Quartet’s Road Map.