Press Release

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES LAUNCH OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION COMMISSION

Following is the text of the message by Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the launch of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission in Stockholm today:

Committee on NGOs

30^th & 31^st Meetings (AM & PM)

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS CONSULTATIVE STATUS

WITH ECOSOC FOR 10 MORE ORGANIZATION

EUROPE’S DRUG CONSUMPTION STIMULATES CANNABIS CULTIVATION IN MOROCCO

(Reissued as received.)

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.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS CAPTURE OF SADDAM AN IMPORTANT EVENT

Following is a statement issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General considers that the capture of Saddam Hussein, the epitome of the former regime, is an important event.  It offers an opportunity to give fresh impetus to the search for peace and stability in Iraq, on the basis of an inclusive and fully transparent process.

Fifty-eighth General Assembly

Second Committee

39^th Meeting (PM)

SECOND COMMITTEE DEFERS ACTION ON DRAFTS OVER TRANSLATION HITCH

The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) adjourned its meeting this afternoon before acting on any draft resolutions, after the representatives of France and the Russian Federation objected that the texts had not been translated into all six official United Nations languages.

Security Council

4881^st Meeting (AM)

SECURITY COUNCIL HEARS CALL FOR SIX-MONTH SUCCESSOR MISSION

TO UN POLITICAL OFFICE IN BOUGAINVILLE

UN Presence Would Monitor Constitutional Process,

SECRETARY-GENERAL SADDENED BY DEATH OF EMINENT JURIST, SCHOLAR OSCAR SCHACHTER,

‘PIONEER’ IN DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL LAW

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