The Secretary-General arrived in Davos on 22 January, for three days, to attend the World Economic Forum.

CONCERNED BY ‘DIFFICULT SITUATION’ IN SRI LANKA, SECRETARY-GENERAL

HOPES PEACE TALKS CAN RESUME IN NEAR FUTURE

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

SECRETARY-GENERAL SADDENED AT DEATH OF SVEN FREDERIKSEN, HEAD

OF EUROPEAN UNION POLICE MISSION TO BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

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

The Secretary-General is saddened to learn that Mr. Sven Frederiksen, the Head of the European Union Police Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, died earlier today in Sarajevo.

MAJOR-GENERAL ALAIN PELLEGRINI APPOINTED FORCE COMMANDER

OF UNITED NATIONS INTERIM FORCE IN LEBANON (UNIFIL)

Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced today the appointment of Major-General Alain Pellegrini of France as Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force (UNIFIL) to succeed Major-General Lalit Mohan Tewari who relinquishes his post on 17 February 2004.

AT WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM, SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS ON BUSINESS LEADERS TO EMBRACE

DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES AND FIGHT POVERTY, UNFAIR TRADE, SECURITY THREATS

Following is Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, today:

Five years ago, here in Davos, I asked you, the world’s business leaders, to join the United Nations on a journey.

The Secretary-General this morning met with German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer in Baden Baden.

FIGHTING POVERTY, STRENGTHENING SECURITY, REBUILDING TRUST SHOULD BE FOCUS

IN 2004, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL, ACCEPTING GERMAN MEDIA AWARD

Following is Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s address on accepting the 2003 Deutscher Medienpreis (German Media Award) in Baden-Baden, Germany, 21 January:

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONCERNED BY INCREASED TENSION THREATENING

OUTBREAK OF HOSTILITIES IN SOMALIA

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

POLITICAL WILL ESSENTIAL IN OVERCOMING CURRENT IMPASSE,

SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT

Following is the message by Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, delivered today by Sergei Ordzhonikidze, Secretary-General of the Conference on Disarmament:

TRANSCRIPT OF PRESS CONFERENCE BY SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN

AT UN HEADQUARTERS, 19 JANUARY 2004

The Secretary-General:  Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

As you know, I have just been meeting with senior representatives of the Iraqi Governing Council (IGC) and the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA).