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, and Jan Fischer, Spokesman for the President of the General Assembly.

Briefing by Spokesman for Secretary-General

**Afghanistan -- Political

PRESS CONFERENCE BY CHAIRMAN OF GROUP OF 77

The Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change could be ratified by enough countries to make it enter into force next year, Ambassador Bagher Asadi, Iran, Chairman of the "Group of 77" developing countries (G-77) said this morning, as he briefed correspondents at Headquarters on the outcome of the Marrakech Conference on that Protocol, as well as the upcoming G-77 Ministerial Meeting.

PRESS CONFERENCE BY TOGO’S FOREIGN MINISTER

Togo was solidly embarked upon a movement towards democracy that could not be reversed, said Koffi Panou, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Togo this afternoon at a Headquarters press conference.

                                                            14 November 2001

PRESS CONFERENCE BY RIO GROUP

PRESS CONFERENCE ON NUCLEAR TEST-BAN TREATY

The Conference on Facilitating the Entry in Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) had been a success, correspondents were told at a Headquarters press conference this afternoon.

PRESS CONFERENCE BY UK SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

The liberation of Kabul would not have taken place without military action by the coalition of States and the determination of world leaders like President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair, United Kingdom Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Jack Straw told journalists at a Headquarters press conference this afternoon,

PRESS BRIEFING ON COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR-TEST-BAN TREATY

At Headquarters this afternoon, the newly elected President of the Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban treaty (CTBT), which began today, briefed correspondents on the Conference’s morning session.  The Conference is set to run through Tuesday, 13 November.

PRESS CONFERENCE BY PRESIDENT OF DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

PRESS BRIEFING BY PRESIDENT OF CYPRUS

Following his address in the general debate this morning, the President of Cyprus, Glafcos Clerides, answered a number of questions in a briefing to correspondents at the United Nations.

PRESS CONFERENCE BY PRESIDENT OF CHILE

Speaking to correspondents at a Headquarters press conference this afternoon, Chilean President Ricardo Lagos Escobar said that security, the most important concern after the events of 11 September, must be viewed in a broader context.