PRESS CONFERENCE BY GROUP OF 77 DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Scheduled for the first quarter of 2002, the High Level International Intergovernmental Event on Financing for Development, had tremendous potential to develop a new set of policies to create an enabling environment for developing countries, the Chairman of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China said at a Headquarters press conference this 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.

Good afternoon.

**Press Briefing

PRESS BRIEFING ON SECRETARY-GENERAL’S HIV/AIDS REPORT

Leadership was the single most important factor in reversing the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the Deputy Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) said this afternoon at a Headquarters press briefing, as she presented the report of the Secretary-General issued in preparation for the General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS, which will be held in New York from 25 to 27 June.

PRESS CONFERENCE BY VICE-PRESIDENT OF INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD

The growing trend of treating symptoms rather than actual disorders had essentially created a "pill popping" culture in the West, Herbert S. Okun, Vice-President of the International Narcotics Control Board, told correspondents at a press conference on the Board’s 2000 report.

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

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

Good afternoon.

**Democratic Republic of the Congo

PRESS CONFERENCE BY CÔTE D’IVOIRE

A parliamentary delegation being sent to Côte d'Ivoire would review appropriate ways to assist the tenuous transition process in that country, the President of Parliamentarians for Global Action, Shazia Rafi, told correspondents this afternoon at a Headquarters press conference.  Ms. Rafi was joined at the press conference by the Chargé d’affaires of the Permanent Mission of Côte d'Ivoire to the United Nations, Ahipeaud Guebo.

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

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

PRESS BRIEFING BY SECRETARY-GENERAL’S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE

IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Kamel Morjane, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, told journalists this afternoon that he was satisfied with the confirmation given today by the various parties to the Congolese conflict that they planned to disengage their forces.

PRESS BRIEFING ON GLOBAL WARMING BY UNEP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Global warming was not a prognosis for the future; it was an accelerating process today, and in which there would be no winners, only losers, Klaus Töpfer, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), told correspondents this afternoon, at a Headquarters press briefing.

He added that his presentation today was not intended to signal disaster but dramatic changes deserving urgent attention.

PRESS CONFERENCE BY FOREIGN MINISTERS OF ZIMBABWE AND NAMIBIA

The agreement by the warring sides in the Democratic Republic of Congo to pull back their troops 15 kilometres from the point of contact on 15 March was an important first stage in the peace process, the Foreign Minister of Zimbabwe, Stanislaus Mudenge, told correspondents at a Headquarters press conference this afternoon.

      He said that the pull-out, which would start on 28 February with a