Note No. 5718

Fifty-sixth General Assembly

Fifth Committee

44^th Meeting (AM)

GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA URGE IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL OF CONFERENCE SERVICE

CUTBACKS ANNOUNCED BY SECRETARIAT

A serious issue that emerged in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) discussion this morning was the reduction in services announced by the Under-Secretary-General for Management in his information circular ST/IC/2002/13 of 28 February.

Commission on Status of Women

Forty-sixth Session

3^rd and 4^th Meetings (AM & PM)

REDRESSING ‘POWER EQUATION’ BETWEEN WOMEN AND MEN, ERADICATING WOMEN’S POVERTY

AMONG ISSUES ADDRESSED, AS WOMEN’S COMMISSION CONCLUDES GENERAL DISCUSSION

‘OFTEN THE ONLY CHOICE WE CAN MAKE IS THE CHOICE OF WHOM WE DISAPPOINT MOST’

SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS FIRST ANNUAL MEETING OF DPA FIELD PRESENCES

Following is the text of talking points suggested by Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the first annual meeting of the Department of Political Affairs field presences, at its session on “Reconciling Justice with Forgiveness”:

AT OPENING OF NOBEL PEACE PRIZE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION, SECRETARY-GENERAL REFLECTS

ON ‘HOW HUMANKIND’S UNDERSTANDING OF PEACE HAS GROWN’

Following is the text of remarks by Secretary-General Kofi Annan at the opening of the Nobel Peace Prize 1901-2001 Centennial Exhibition, New York 4 March:

Let me express my warmest thanks to the Government of Norway and the sponsors for bringing this wonderful exhibition to New York.

SUSTAINABILITY NOT ‘A PIOUS INVOCATION’ BUT A ‘CALL TO CONCRETE ACTION’

SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS EUROPEAN FORUM FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Following is the message of Secretary-General Kofi Annan, delivered on his behalf by Hassen M. Fodha, Director of the United Nations Information Centre, Paris, to the European Forum for Sustainable Development and Responsible Company Management, meeting from 5-6 March:

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA MISSION ON TRACK TO COMPLETING CORE MANDATE IN 2002

SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS SECURITY COUNCIL

Following is the statement of Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the Security Council in New York on 5 March:

This meeting signals an important moment of transition and consolidation in Bosnia.  I would like to begin by paying tribute to the High Representative,

Security Council                                               SC/7319

Fifty-sixth General Assembly

Fifth Committee

43^rd Meeting (AM)

FIFTH COMMITTEE MAINTAINS FOCUS ON OVERSIGHT ISSUES,

INCLUDING ALLEGATIONS OF MISCONDUCT, MISMANAGEMENT

Speakers Question Mandate, Prerogatives

Of Office of Internal Oversight Services

Fifty-sixth General Assembly

Fifth Committee

41^st and 42^nd Meetings (AM & PM)

FIFTH COMMITTEE CONSIDERS SIX REPORTS BY OFFICE OF INTERNAL OVERSIGHT,

INCLUDING ISSUE OF REFUGEE SMUGGLING AT NAIROBI OFFICE

CORRECTION

On pages 16 and 17 of Press Release GA/AB/3493 of 4 March, the statement by DPI Public Affairs Division Director Therese Gastaut should read as follows: