Press Release

PRESS STATEMENT ON IRAQ BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Following is the statement to the press on Iraq delivered today by Security Council President Stefan Tafrov (Bulgaria):

Council members welcomed the capture of Saddam Hussein on 13 December.

Council members welcomed the declaration of the Secretary-General of the United Nations on this occasion.

SECRETARY-GENERAL AFFIRMS UN SUPPORT FOR AFRICA ENVIRONMENT ACTION PLAN

IN MESSAGE TO ALGIERS CONFERENCE

Following is Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message to the partners’ conference on the implementation of the Action Plan for the Environment Initiative of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), delivered by Klaus Töpfer, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, in Algiers, 15 to 16 December:

SECRETARY-GENERAL, IN INTERNATIONAL MIGRANTS DAY MESSAGE,

UNDERLINES NEED TO MAXIMIZE BENEFITS OF MIGRATION

Following is the text of Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan’s message on International Migrants Day, 18 December 2003:

UNESCAP TO ISSUE ECONOMIC FORECAST FOR 2004

(Reissued as received.)

BANGKOK, 15 December (United Nations Information Services) -- At the end of a turbulent year, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) will release its latest assessment of the region's economy.

Committee on NGOs

28^th & 29^th Meetings (AM & PM)

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE OPENS 2003 RESUMED SESSION,

RECOMMENDS CONSULTATIVE STATUS FOR 44 ORGANIZATIONS

SECRETARY-GENERAL POINTS OUT AREAS FOR MUTUAL ASSISTANCE

IN MESSAGE TO CHINA-AFRICA COOPERATION FORUM

Following is the text of Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message to the Second Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation delivered in Addis Ababa today, 15 December 2003, by Zéphirin Diabré, Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator, United Nations Development Programme:

Security Council

4882^nd Meeting (PM)

SECURITY COUNCIL STRONGLY CONDEMNS VIOLENCE AGAINST CIVILIANS,

OTHER PROTECTED PERSONS IN CONFLICT SITUATIONS

Presidential Statement Reaffirms Need to Ensure Safety,

Security, Free Movement for United Nations, Associated Personnel

Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in Berlin on Thursday, 11 December.

Fifty-eighth General Assembly

Second Committee

38^th Meeting (PM)

SECOND COMMITTEE APPROVES DRAFT RESOLUTION STRESSING NEED

FOR SPEEDY RESUMPTION, CONCLUSION OF DOHA WORK PROGRAMME

World Summit on the Information Society

Round Table (AM)

WSIS ROUND TABLE DISCUSSES DIVERSITY IN CYBERSPACE, CHALLENGES

BEFORE WORLD’S USERS AND PROVIDERS OF INTERNET

(Reissued as received.)