SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES RETURN OF FORCES NOUVELLES TO COTE D’IVOIRE GOVERNMENT

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

PRESS STATEMENT ON ETHIOPIA, ERITREA BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Following is today’s statement to the press by Security Council President Heraldo Muñoz (Chile):

UNITED NATIONS SPECIAL ENVOY DEPARTS FOR CHAD

PRESS STATEMENT ON AFGHANISTAN BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Following is today’s statement to the press on Afghanistan by Security Council President Heraldo Muñoz (Chile):

Members of the Security Council welcomed the new Constitution agreed by Afghanistan’s Constitutional Loya Jirga on 4 January.

Department of Public Information Approves 26 Non-Governmental organizations

for Association, 44 Others Dropped from List

The Department of Public Information Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (DPI/NGOs) approved on 15 December 2003 the association of 26 more organizations, bringing to 1,407 the total number of NGOs associated with DPI.

Experts to Examine European Population Trends, Policies at European

Population Forum 2004, Geneva, 12-14 January

(Reissued as received.)

NEW YORK, 6 January (UNFPA/ECE) -- International experts on population and reproductive health will meet at the Palais des Nations in Geneva from 12 to 14 January 2004 to examine key issues in Europe and North America, their causes, consequences and policy responses.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONDEMNS ATTACKS IN KANDAHAR

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

Secretary-General Kofi Annan interrupted his winter holiday to pay an official visit to Trinidad and Tobago on Friday, 2 January.

SECRETARY-GENERAL PLEASED AT AGREEMENT ON AFGHANISTAN’S NEW CONSTITUTION

The following statement was issued on 4 January by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General was very pleased to learn today of the Constitutional Loya Jirga’s agreement on Afghanistan’s new Constitution.  He congratulates the delegates to the Constitutional Loya Jirga on the completion of this difficult and complex process.

SECRETARY-GENERAL HOPES ISLAMABAD MEETINGS GIVE NEW IMPETUS

TO SUSTAINED DIALOGUE BETWEEN INDIA, PAKISTAN

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

The Secretary-General welcomes meetings held in Islamabad yesterday and today between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee of India with the President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali of Pakistan.