Press Release

FAO GOVERNING CONFERENCE CUTS BUDGET BY $51 MILLION

(Reissued as received.)

ROME, 5 December (FAO) -- The governing Conference of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) passed a budget appropriation of $749 million for the organization to carry out is work in 2004-2005.  The budget was adopted unanimously.

UN WORKSHOP TO BE HELD IN VIENNA ON USE AND APPLICATIONS

OF GLOBAL NAVIGATION SATELLITE SYSTEMS, 8-12 DECEMBER

SECRETARY-GENERAL PRAISES CELEBRITY ADVOCATES AS ‘NEW KIND OF STAR’, SHINING LIGHT

ON HARDSHIP, INJUSTICE, IN REMARKS AT UNICEF GALA

Following are Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s remarks at the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Goodwill Gala in Beverly Hills on 3 December:

Thank you very much, Carol [Bellamy].

Fifty-eighth General Assembly

Fifth Committee

25^th Meeting (AM)

NEWLY APPOINTED HIGH-LEVEL PANEL ON THREATS, CHALLENGES,

CHANGE TO MEET 5 - 7 DECEMBER

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

SECRETARY-GENERAL STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF STOCKTAKING IN MESSAGE

TO NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS MEETING IN GENEVA

Following is the message of Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the twenty-second General Assembly of the conference of non-governmental organizations in consultative relationship with the United Nations, delivered today in Geneva by Sergei Ordzhonikidze, Director-General, United Nations Office at Geneva:

FAMILIES PLAY VITAL ROLE IN DEVELOPMENT, PEACE EFFORTS, SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS

AT LAUNCH OF TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF INTERNATIONAL YEAR

Following is the message of Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the launch of the observance of the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family (2004) today:

PRESS STATEMENT ON LIBERIA BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Following is today’s statement to the press by the President of the Security Council, Stefan Tafrov (Bulgaria):

The members of the Security Council carried out a review of the measures on Liberia pursuant to resolution 1478 (2003) bearing in mind recent developments.

ACTING HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND IRAQI HUMAN

RIGHTS MINISTER DISCUSS HUMAN RIGHTS IN IRAQ

(Reissued as received)

GENEVA, 4 December (UN Information Service) -- The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has offered to make its expertise available to Iraqi officials and representatives of the country's civil society as they establish a legal framework to promote and protect human rights.

Security Council

4875^th Meeting* (PM)

IN PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT, SECURITY COUNCIL EXPRESSES GRAVE CONCERN AT ATTEMPTS

BY ARMED ELEMENTS IN COTE D’IVOIRE TO CROSS CEASEFIRE LINE

The Security Council this afternoon expressed its grave concern at attempts by armed elements in Côte d’Ivoire to cross the ceasefire line, as observed by the forces of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and France on