PRESS STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT OF SECURITY COUNCIL ON SOMALIA

Following is today's press statement on Somalia by the President of the Security Council, Kishore Mahbubani (Singapore):

Members of the Council heard a briefing by the Secretariat on the situation in Somalia, and expressed their serious concern with regard to recent developments and their grave impact on the humanitarian situation.

GOVERNANCE, ETHICS, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT INITIATIVES PRESENTED

AT FIFTH AFRICAN GOVERNANCE FORUM

Québec DECLARATION ON ECOTOURISM DEFINES

BASIS FOR ITS INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONCERNED BY RISING TENSION BETWEEN INDIA, PAKISTAN

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

The Secretary-General is increasingly concerned by the alarming rise in tension between India and Pakistan.  He is in close contact with the leaders of both sides, to encourage them to resolve their differences, including over Kashmir, by peaceful means.

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS HEIDI TAGLIAVINI OF SWITZERLAND

AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR GEORGIA, HEAD OF UNOMIG

PRESS STATEMENT ON KOSOVO BY PRESIDENT OF SECURITY COUNCIL

Following is the text of today’s press statement on Kosovo by the President of the Security Council, Kishore Mahbubani (Singapore):

The Members of the Council rejected the resolution adopted by the Kosovo Assembly on 23 May 2002, in which the Assembly rejected the Border Agreement signed last year between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Security Council

4542^nd Meeting (PM)

SECURITY COUNCIL RECOMMENDS EAST TIMOR’S ADMISSION TO UNITED NATIONS

The Security Council this afternoon recommended to the General Assembly that the Democratic Republic of East Timor be admitted to membership in the United Nations.

The Council unanimously adopted resolution 1414 (2002), following its consideration of the report of the Committee on the Admission of New Members (document S/2002/566).

Security Council

4541^st Meeting (AM)

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS AFGHANISTAN SECURITY FORCE FOR SIX MONTHS,

UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTING RESOLUTION 1413 (2002)

Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs

Committee on NGOs

17^th & 18^th Meetings (AM & PM)

COMMITTEE, FOLLOWING ROLL-CALL VOTE, DECIDES NOT TO ACT

ON REPORT BY FREEDOM HOUSE

Committee Recommends Special Status for One Organization,

MILITARIZATION OF INDIGENOUS AREAS A GROWING THREAT, PERMANENT FORUM TOLD

(Received from a UN Information Officer.)

NEW YORK, 22 May -- An “alarming increase of militarization in many parts of Asia” was affecting indigenous communities, an indigenous representative today told the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues as it continued to review human rights issues.