JUAN E. MÉNDEZ OF ARGENTINA APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVISER ON PREVENTION OF GENOCIDE

The Secretary-General has decided to appoint Juan Méndez of Argentina as his Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide.

Biographical Note

Ashraf Jehangir Qazi of Pakistan appointed Special Representative for Iraq

The Secretary-General has decided to appoint Ashraf Jehangir Qazi of Pakistan as his Special Representative for Iraq.

Mr.Qazi’s appointment as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General comes after a long and distinguished career with the Pakistani diplomatic service.

Biographical Note

MAJOR-GENERAL RAJENDER SINGH APPOINTED FORCE COMMANDER

OF UNITED NATIONS MISSION IN ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA

The Secretary-General has appointed Major-General Rajender Singh of India as the new Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE).  The Major-General is expected to arrive in the Mission area by 19 July 2004.

SECRETARY-GENERAL THANKS BANGKOK UNITED NATIONS STAFF

FOR COMMITMENT TO GLOBAL MISSION

Following are Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s remarks to the Bangkok United Nations staff in Bangkok, 12 July:

It is a great pleasure to be here in Bangkok and to see the UN family here together.  Since I was last here in February 2000, a lot has happened internationally, and within the United Nations.

STRONGER LEADERSHIP NEEDED AT EVERY LEVEL IN FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS,

SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL IN ADDRESS TO BANGKOK CONFERENCE

Following is Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s address to the XV International AIDS Conference in Bangkok, 11 July:

ASIA-PACIFIC’S IMPRESSIVE ANTI-POVERTY GAINS COULD BE REVERSED BY HIV/AIDS,

SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL TO BANGKOK MINISTERIAL MEETING

Following are Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s remarks at the opening ceremony of the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Meeting on HIV/AIDS in Bangkok, 11 July:

I am glad to meet with you at this critical juncture in the fight against AIDS in the Asia-Pacific region.

SECRETARY-GENERAL STRONGLY CONDEMNS TEL AVIV TERRORIST ATTACK

The following statement was issued by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan in Bangkok on Sunday, 11 July:

The Secretary-General strongly condemns the terrorist attack that took place this morning in Tel Aviv.  He sends his sincere sympathy and condolences to the Government of Israel and to the families of the victims.  No cause whatsoever can justify terrorism.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan flew from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to Nairobi, Kenya, in the morning of Wednesday, 7 July.

Secretary-General calls for release of hostages

HELD BY IRAQI MILITANTS

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

The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the threats to the lives of two Bulgarians and one Filipino national who are reportedly held hostage by Iraqi militants.

Secretary-General forwards world court’s advisory opinion

on israel’s wall to General Assembly

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

The Secretary-General has today received from the International Court of Justice its advisory opinion on “the legal consequences of the construction of a wall in occupied Palestinian territory”.