SECRETARY-GENERAL NAMES LAKHDAR BRAHIMI SPECIAL ADVISER

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

The Secretary-General met on Tuesday afternoon with his former Special Representative for Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, who has just completed an arduous assignment and needs some rest.

‘IN THE WORLD OF AIDS, SILENCE IS DEATH’, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL AT LAUNCH

OF UNITED NATIONS GLOBAL MEDIA INITIATIVE ON HIV/AIDS

Following are Secretary-General Kofi Annan's remarks for the launch of the United Nations Global Media Initiative on HIV/AIDS in New York, 15 January:

UN LOOKS FORWARD TO WORKING WITH SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANIZATION TO FURTHER

COMMON GOALS, SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS AT INAUGURATION

Following is the message of Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the inauguration ceremony of the secretariat of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, delivered today in Beijing by Geir O. Pedersen, Director for Asia and the Pacific, United Nations Department of Political Affairs:

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONGRATULATES AFGHAN PEOPLE ON ADOPTION OF CONSTITUTION,

URGES IMMEDIATE ACTION ON KEY CHALLENGES OF SECURITY, RECONSTRUCTION

Following are Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan’s remarks to the Security Council meeting on Afghanistan in New York, on 15 January:

MAJOR-GENERAL BALA NANDA SHARMA APPOINTED FORCE COMMANDER OF UNITED

NATIONS DISENGAGEMENT OBSERVER FORCE (UNDOF)

Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced today the appointment of Major-General Bala Nanda Sharma of Nepal as Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) to succeed Major-General Franciszek Gagor who relinquishes his post on 16 January 2004.

SECRETARY-GENERAL ‘DEEPLY SADDENED’ AT DEATH OF RICHARD CONROY,

UN RESIDENT COORDINATOR IN TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN

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

The Secretary-General was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Richard Conroy, the United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Tashkent, in a plane crash in Uzbekistan.

DELIVERING INAUGURAL ROBERT BURNS MEMORIAL LECTURE, SECRETARY-GENERAL ANNAN

CALLS FOR BROTHERHOOD, TOLERANCE, COEXISTENCE AMONG ALL PEOPLES

Following is Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Inaugural Robert Burns Memorial Lecture, “The Brotherhood of Man”, which he delivered at United Nations Headquarters on Tuesday, 13 January:

GOOD GOVERNANCE, HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT, PEACEFUL ENVIRONMENT WOULD ENCOURAGE

FOREIGN INVESTMENT, SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS WEST AFRICAN SUMMIT

(Delayed in translation.)

ADVANCES IN GENETICS HAVE BROUGHT TREMENDOUS BENEFITS, BUT ALSO RAISE ETHICAL

QUESTIONS, SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS, INTRODUCING LECTURE ON ‘DESIGNER GENES’

Following are introductory remarks by Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan at the lecture on “Designer Genes:  The Ethics of Modern Genetics” by Professor Eric Wieschaus in New York, on 12 January:

I am greatly honoured that Professor Eric Wieschaus has accepted my invitation to give this lecture.

RULE OF LAW AND HUMAN RIGHTS ARE VITAL FOR DEMOCRACY, ESPECIALLY IN ARAB WORLD,

SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS IN MESSAGE TO REGIONAL CONFERENCE IN YEMEN