Press Release

SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS DEVASTATING CONFLICT IN DARFUR, SUDAN, MUST STOP;

CALLS FOR EFFECTIVE HUMANITARIAN CEASEFIRE

Following is the statement of Secretary-General Kofi Annan, distributed at the ceasefire talks on Darfur, Sudan, in N'Djamena, Chad, on 31 March:

HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION ADDRESSED BY OFFICE FOR SECURITY

AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE, BRAZIL

Also Concludes Debate on Economic, Social, Cultural Rights

COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS STARTS CONSIDERATION

OF CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS

Hears from Four Mandate Holders Dealing

With Extrajudicial or Arbitrary Executions, Arbitrary Detention, and Torture

(Reissued as received.)

STATEMENT BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ON DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Following is today’s press statement by Security Council President Jean-Marc de La Sablière (France) on the Democratic Republic of the Congo:

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR INCREASED SUPPORT BY EUROPEAN UNION

FOR MILLENNIUM GOALS, UN PEACEKEEPING

Following is the text of the address by Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy of the European Parliament, in Strasbourg, 29 March:

Security Council                                           

SECRETARY-GENERAL SADDENED AT KILLING OF MEMBER OF UN MISSION

IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

CRIME PREVENTION AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE EXPERTS STRESS

NEED FOR ASSISTANCE IN POST-CONFLICT SITUATIONS

(Reissued as received.)

THROW AWAY SOCIETY NEW THREAT TO ISLAND PARADISES

(Reissued as received.)

JEJU/NAIROBI, 30 March (UNEP) -- Urgent international assistance is needed to help small island States deal with a rising tide of rubbish and wastes.

SIXTH MEETING OF UN ICT TASK FORCE EXAMINES ONGOING ACTIVITIES,

FOLLOW-UP TO WSIS, ADOPTS 2004 BUSINESS PLAN

NEW YORK, 30 March (UN DPI) -- The sixth meeting of the United Nations Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Task Force concluded on Saturday, 27 March, with a review of the Global Forum on Internet Governance and the adoption of the Task Force’s Business Plan for 2004.