DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

I hope you're settled in.  I have the Encyclopedia Brittanica for you today.  Let's start with Palestine.

**Palestinian Report

PRESS BRIEFING BY UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR PEACEKEEPING

A revised concept of the United Nations presence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is to be presented to the Security Council at the end of this week, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, told correspondents at a Headquarters press briefing Monday afternoon. 

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

All cell phones are off? Okay.

**Noon Guest

The guest at the noon briefing will be Sharon Capeling-Alakija, the Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers.  She'll talk to you about volunteerism and social development.

PRESS BRIEFING BY UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS

There were 5,000 United Nations volunteers serving in approximately 139 countries worldwide but volunteerism was still one of the best kept secrets of the United Nations, the Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV), Sharon Capeling-Alakija, told correspondents this afternoon at a Headquarters press briefing.

PRESS CONFERENCE ON INERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT RATIFICATIONS

In a few years time the 1998 Rome Conference on the establishment of the International Criminal Court would be seen as one of the most important legal conferences of the twentieth century, correspondents were told this afternoon at a Headquarters briefing concerning the Conference on the International Criminal Court Ratification in Lusophone Countries, which will be held in Lisbon, Portugal, from 19 to 20 February.

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon.

**Security Council

PRESS CONFERENCE BY UN POPULATION FUND

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) this morning presented Miss Universe, Lara Dutta, as its Goodwill Ambassador to India at a Headquarters press conference.

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Okay, good afternoon.

**Larsen Noon Guest, Following Meeting with Secretary-General

INTERNATIONAL YOUTH ART COMPETITION LAUNCHED BY NGO AT PRESS CONFERENCE

The 2001 United Nations International Year of Volunteers was the theme of the Twelfth Annual International Youth Art Competition launched this morning at a Headquarters press conference. 

PRESS BRIEFING BY UN COORDINATOR FOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS