Secretary-General: Press Release

ONLY RATIONAL, INFORMED POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RESPONSE CAN REDUCE

DISASTER VULNERABILITY, SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS IN WATER DAY MESSAGE

Following is the message by Secretary-General Kofi Annan on World Water Day 2004, entitled “Water and Disasters:  Be informed and be prepared”:

Secretary-General names Advisory Board on Water AND Sanitation

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has used this year’s observance of World Water Day to announce the establishment of an Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation, to galvanize global action on these issues, which are central to the world’s hopes of eradicating poverty and achieving sustainable development.

SECRETARY-GENERAL THANKS WINNERS OF ‘UN 21’ AWARDS

FOR HELPING RENEW, STRENGTHEN ORGANIZATION

Following are Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s remarks on the occasion of the UN 21 Awards in New York, 19 March:

Dear colleagues, let me tell you how happy I am to join you at this UN 21 award ceremony and to be able to meet the winners.

SECRETARY-GENERAL REITERATES CALL FOR RATIFICATION OF KYOTO PROTOCOL ON TENTH

ANNIVERSARY OF CLIMATE CHANGE CONVENTION’S ENTRY INTO FORCE

Following is the message by Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the tenth anniversary of the entry into force of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, 21 March 2004:

KOSOVO’S LEADERS MUST WORK WITH INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND EACH OTHER TO RESTORE

CALM, SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS SECURITY COUNCIL

Following is the statement by Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the Security Council on the situation in Kosovo today:

AS PAN AFRICAN PARLIAMENT HOLDS INAUGURAL MEETING, SECRETARY-GENERAL

OFFERS CONGRATULATIONS, UN ASSISTANCE

Following is Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message to the inaugural meeting of the Pan African Parliament of the African Union, delivered by Tuliameni Kalomoh, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, in Addis Ababa, 18 March:

CYPRUS TALKS WILL CONTINUE 24 MARCH AT BÜRGENSTOCK, SWITZERLAND

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

AT CORE OF ALL RELIGIONS ARE VALUES OF COMPASSION, DECENCY, RESPECT FOR OTHERS,

SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL AT LECTURE BY ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU

Following is the text of introductory remarks by Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan at the lecture on “God’s Word and World Politics” by Archbishop Desmond Tutu today:

Archbishop Tutu, let me say how wonderful it is to have you here.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONDEMNS VIOLENCE IN KOSOVO

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

SECRETARY-GENERAL STRESSES NEED FOR GLOBAL CONSENSUS ON MAJOR THREATS,

POLICIES TO ADDRESS THEM, IN NEW YORK REMARKS

Following are Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s opening remarks in conversation with Richard N. Haass, President of the Council on Foreign Relations, for the David A. Morse Lecture:  “The UN and global security in the 21^st century”, in New York, on 16 March: