PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR ‘ISTANBUL +5’ OPENS IN NAIROBI

(Received from a UN Information Officer.)

UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS CONCLUDES EIGHTEENTH SESSION

UNITED NATIONS SEMINAR ON ASSISTANCE TO PALESTINIAN PEOPLE OPENS IN VIENNA

(Received from a UN Information Officer.)

VIENNA, 20 February -- "The dramatic upheavals of the past several months and the tragic loss of life have underlined the urgency of reaching a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the question of Palestine", Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today at the opening of the United Nations Seminar on Assistance to the Palestinian People.

UN FORUM ON FORESTS CONCLUDES ORGANIZATIONAL SESSION,

DECIDES TO LOCATE SECRETARIAT IN NEW YORK

The recently established United Nations Forum on Forests decided on Friday to locate its secretariat in New York.  The decision was taken as the Forum finished up a week-long organizational session and informal consultations to set a new approach towards international forest policy.

Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF BRUNEI DARUSSALAM PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

Serbini Ali, the new Permanent Representative of Brunei Darussalam to the United Nations, presented his credentials to Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Friday, 16 February.

UN ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME CONFIRMS PLUTONIUM FOUND IN DU AMMUNITION

GENEVA, 16 February (UNEP) –- Traces of plutonium have been detected in the DU penetrators found at sites in Kosovo that were investigated in November 2000 by the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) Depleted Uranium Assessment Team, which included the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), UNEP reported here today.

Commission for Social Development

Thirty-ninth Session

7^th Meeting (AM)

COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT BEGINS CONSIDERATION

OF 2002-2006 WORK PROGRAMME

The Commission for Social Development this morning began consideration of its multi-year programme of work for 2002 to 2006.

The proposed programme of work was submitted by the Commission’s previous Bureau for consideration and adoption.

Commission for Social Development                           SOC/4562/Corr.1

Thirty-ninth Session                                        16 February 2001

SECRETARY-GENERAL EXPRESSES CONCERN ABOUT MIDDLE EAST INCIDENT

Following is the text of a statement issued today by the Office of the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

BORDER CLOSURES AND OTHER RESTRICTIONS CAUSE CONCERN ABOUT PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY’S

CAPACITY TO CONTINUE FUNCTIONING, SECRETARY-GENERAL STATES

Following is the text of a statement issued today by the Office of the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan: