The unregulated traffic-laden information highway posed a major non-traditional security threat, forcing cyberspace onto the international community’s arms control agenda, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) heard as its thematic debate continued with the introduction of six draft texts on the agenda, under “other disarmament measures and international security”.

Member States gathered at the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) meeting today prodded each other once again to pay their financial obligations in full and on time as they discussed improving the Organization’s financial situation and prepared to kick off talks on the 2012-2013 budget cycle.

The United Nations remained the “only credible advocate” for a peaceful, free and just world, and its voice must be heard clearly and loudly in every corner of the globe and by all its peoples, the Fourth Committee was told today as it concluded its consideration of questions relating to information, with the approval of two draft resolutions.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

Representatives from 90 United Nations Member States as well as more than 50 international and civil society organizations and private sector entities will gather in Seoul, Republic of Korea, from 23 to 27 October for a series of high‑profile meetings aimed at improving the global management and coordination of geospatial information and the application of geospatial technology in solving global socio‑economic challenges.

Following are the remarks of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to the Mainichi Shimbun Exhibition on the Great East Japan Earthquake, in New York, 20 October:

If the flagship Geneva-based Conference on Disarmament could not agree on a way to break its 15-year-long deadlock, there was a chance that the United Nations would “lose legitimacy in disarmament affairs”, panellists heading the key components of the Organization’s disarmament machinery today warned in the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security).

The Sixth Committee (Legal) met this afternoon to consider oral reports by the Chairpersons of two working groups, as well as a draft resolution on request of observer status in the General Assembly.

Strongly condemning what it called human rights violations by authorities, and abuses by other actors, in Yemen following months of political strife, the Security Council this afternoon demanded that all sides immediately reject violence, and called on them to commit to a peaceful transition of power based on proposals by the major regional organization of the Arabian Gulf.

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) forwarded this afternoon a draft text that would have the General Assembly endorse the Committee for Programme and Coordination’s conclusions and recommendations on evaluation, the annual overview report of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination for 2010-2011 and United Nations system support for the New Partnership for Africa’s Development.