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 Stéphane Dujarric, Associate Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Good morning.  We’ll all pay for having a long weekend because we have a lot of stuff for you.

**Colombia

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.

Welcome to our visitors from the Middle East.

Good afternoon.

**Colombia

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 Marie Okabe, Associate Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon. 

**Train Crash in Cairo

I'd like to start the briefing with a statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General regarding the train crash in Cairo:

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.  Our guest at the briefing today will be Carolyn McAskie, the Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, who has just returned from a visit to Somalia that she would like to discuss with you.

**Afghanistan

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.

**Head of United Nations Office in Geneva

Good 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.

It's a pleasure to have with us Eric de Mul, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Angola, who will brief you on the humanitarian situation in Angola in just a minute.

**Secretary-General - Washington

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 Marie Okabe, Associate Spokeswoman for the Secretary-General.

**Secretary-General’s Visit to Washington

Good afternoon.

The Secretary-General is in the air en route to Washington D.C. where, after a private lunch, he will meet with United States President George W. Bush.

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.

**Briefing by Olara Otunnu

Good 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.

**Middle East

Good Afternoon.

We'll start with a statement on the Middle East attributable to the Spokesman.

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.