Secretary-General

TRANSCRIPT OF PRESS CONFERENCE BY SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN

AT UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, 8 SEPTEMBER 2003

OPEN-MINDED, PRAGMATIC, FLEXIBLE APPROACH NEEDED FOR BIODIVERSITY

PROTECTION, SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS

Following is the message by Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the World Parks Congress in Durban, South Africa, delivered by Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme:

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONDEMNS ISRAELI ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

OF HAMAS SPIRITUAL LEADER

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

The Secretary-General is greatly troubled by the intensifying cycle of violence, retaliation and revenge between Israelis and Palestinians.  He deplores the tendency of both sides to disregard their obligation to protect civilians under international humanitarian law.

SECRETARY-GENERAL HOPES PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER’S RESIGNATION

WILL NOT DERAIL PEACE EFFORTS

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

‘UNITED NATIONS WORKS TO MAKE SOCIETIES TRULY ACCESSIBLE, CARING

AND INCLUSIVE FOR ALL PEOPLE’, SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS

Following is the message by Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the Fourth National Congress of the China Disabled Persons’ Federation in Beijing, 8 September:

SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR ‘UNITY OF PURPOSE AROUND A COMMON SECURITY AGENDA’

Security Council Must ‘Regain

The Confidence of States and of World Public Opinion’

SECRETARY-GENERAL’S PERSONAL ENVOY VISITS SEOUL, BEIJING; REAFFIRMS

SUPPORT FOR NEGOTIATING PROCESS ON KOREAN PENINSULA

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

LITERACY PREREQUISITE FOR REACHING GLOBAL ANTI-POVERTY GOALS

SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL IN LITERACY DAY MESSAGE

Following is Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message on the occasion of Literacy Day, observed 8 September:

RIGHT TO IMPORT CHEAP GENERIC DRUGS, PHASE-OUT OF AGRICULTURAL SUBSIDIES

CRUCIAL TO POVERTY REDUCTION, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL

Following is the text of the video message by Secretary-General Kofi Annan in support of Oxfam’s “Big Noise” campaign:

‘FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS REQUIRES CONSTANT VIGILANCE AND RENEWAL’,

SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL

Following is the text of the video message by Secretary-General Kofi Annan for the fifty-ninth session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Bangkok, 1-4 September:

You meet at a decisive moment in the history of your region, and you have chosen to focus on a vital topic.