Background Release

CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT TO OPEN 2003 SESSION ON 20 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 2003 session on Monday, 20 January, at the Palais des Nations.  The first public plenary will take place at 10 a.m. Tuesday, 21 January.

Committee on Elimination of

Discrimination against Women

592^nd and 593^rd Meetings (AM & PM)      

WOMEN’S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE EXPERTS EXPRESS OPTIMISM NEW GOVERNMENT

OF KENYA WILL COUNTER PERSISTENT, TRADITIONAL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION

PRESS STATEMENT ON DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Following is the press statement made today on the Democratic Republic of the Congo by Security Council President Jean-Marc de la Sablière:

Committee on NGOs

35^th & 36^th Meetings (AM & PM)

COMMITTEE ON NGOS RECOMMENDS ONE ORGANIZATION FOR ROSTER CONSULTATIVE

STATUS WITH ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

Defers Consideration of Several NGOs;

Hears Report by Chief of Secretariat NGO Section

Economic and Social Council

2003 Organizational Session

1^st Meeting (AM)

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ‘PROGRESSIVELY GAINING IN RELEVANCE’,

NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT TELLS MEMBERS

Four Vice-Presidents also Elected, as Council holds First Meeting of Year

Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF ISRAEL PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

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

Dan Gillerman, the new Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations, presented his credentials today to Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

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

Vsevolod Grigore, the new Permanent Representative of the Republic of Moldova, presented his credentials today to Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF ZIMBABWE PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

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

Boniface Guwa Chidyausiku, the new Permanent Representative of Zimbabwe to the United Nations, presented his credentials today to Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

Fernand Poukre-Kono, the new Permanent Representative of the Central African Republic, presented his credentials today to Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Committee on Elimination of

Discrimination against Women

590^th and 591^st Meetings (AM and PM)

EXPERTS IN WOMEN’S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE RAISE QUESTIONS CONCERNING

REPORTS OF SWITZERLAND ON COMPLIANCE WITH CONVENTION