Secretary-General Kofi Annan, while on holiday in Europe, spent time in Helsinki to meet with the President of Finland, Tarja Halonen.

SECRETARY-GENERAL DEEPLY CONCERNED BY SHARP ESCALATION

OF MIDDLE EAST VIOLENCE

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

The Secretary-General is deeply concerned at the sharp escalation in violence in the Middle East.  While recognizing the right of Israel to live in security, Israel does not have the right to resort to extrajudicial measures, as it used today in the Gaza Strip.

IN REMARKS TO STAFF AFTER BAGHDAD BOMBING, SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS

SERVICE WITH UN ‘IS NOT SIMPLY A JOB –- IT IS A CALLING’

Following is the text of remarks by Secretary-General Kofi Annan to United Nations staff members today:

Dear friends,

Today our hearts are heavy with loss.

Our senses reel from the sights and sounds of one of the darkest days in the history of the United Nations.

HOW CAN WE THANK LOST COLLEAGUES?  VOW EACH DAY TO COMPLETE WORK

THEY BEGAN, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL IN VIDEO MESSAGE

Following is the text of Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s video message following the bomb attack on the United Nations Mission in Iraq, delivered

20 August:

SECRETARY-GENERAL, WELCOMING US OPEN DRAW CEREMONY TO HEADQUARTERS, SAYS

HOLDING EVENT AT ‘TIME OF GREAT SADNESS’ HONOURS LOST COLLEAGUES

Following is Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message to the 2003 United States Open Tennis Championship draw ceremony, delivered by Shashi Tharoor, Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, at Headquarters on 20 August:

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONDEMNS JERUSALEM SUICIDE BOMBING,

URGES DECISIVE ACTION TO ARREST INSTIGATORS

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

VIEIRA DE MELLO’S DEATH ‘BITTER BLOW’ FOR UNITED NATIONS,

SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL

The following statement by Secretary-General Kofi Annan was issued today at Headquarters:

The loss of Sergio Vieira de Mello is a bitter blow for the United Nations, and for me personally.

BAGHDAD ATTACK ‘ACT OF UNPROVOKED AND MURDEROUS VIOLENCE’ SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL

The following statement by Secretary-General Kofi Annan was issued today at Headquarters:

SECRETARY-GENERAL PRAISES EXPANDED COOPERATION BETWEEN UN,

PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM IN MESSAGE TO NEW ZEALAND MEETING

Following is Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message to the 2003 Pacific Islands Forum Meeting, in Auckland, New Zealand, 16 August, delivered by Mark Malloch Brown, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme:

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES LIBERIA PEACE AGREEMENT

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