Press Release

Fifty-eighth General Assembly

Third Committee

36^th Meeting (AM)

THIRD COMMITTEE HEARS CALLS FOR INCREASED EFFECTIVENESS

IN OPERATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS TREATY BODIES

Five Draft Resolutions Introduced

On Women’s Issues, Self-Determination, Racial Discrimination

Fifty-eighth General Assembly

Second Committee

29^th & 30^th Meetings (AM & PM)

SECOND COMMITTEE APPROVES DRAFT RESOLUTION TO TRANSFORM TOURISM BODY

INTO SPECIALIZED AGENCY OF UNITED NATIONS

Delegates Also Take up Permanent Sovereignty

Of Palestinians, Syrians over Natural Resources in Occupied Territories

DISPLACEMENT RISES, ACCESS DECLINES IN SUDAN, SAYS UN HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS OFFICE

FOOD SECURITY REMAINS CRITICAL IN PARTS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA

SAYS UN HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS OFFICE

STATES PARTIES TO BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION TO MEET NEXT WEEK IN GENEVA;

AIM IS TO STRENGTHEN IMPLEMENTATION

GENEVA, 7 November (UN Information Service) -- The first of three annual meetings of the States Parties to the biological weapons Convention will be held in Geneva from 10 to 14 November 2003, in a new process to strengthen the implementation and effectiveness of the Convention.

ENERGY SECURITY RISKS AND GLOBAL FINANCIAL MARKETS

TO BE REVIEWED AT UN FORUM BY INDUSTRY LEADERS

Experts from OPEC, European Union, Russian Federation, United States

Will Meet in Geneva on 20 November; Follow-Up to 2002 Round Table Success

(Reissued as received.)

Fifty-eighth General Assembly

Fifth Committee

17^th Meeting (AM)

FIFTH COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS APPOINTMENTS TO FIVE SUBSIDIARY BODIES,

INCLUDING UN ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL, INVESTMENTS COMMITTEE

PROPERTY RIGHTS FOR POOR ARE SUPPORTED AT ROME FORUM

OF UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE

(Reissued as received.)

GENUINE DEMOCRACY AT HOME, EFFECTIVE MULTILATERALISM ABROAD SUREST PATHS

TO PEACE, DEVELOPMENT SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL IN SANTIAGO ADDRESS

Following is the text of Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan’s address to Chilean Parliamentarians in Santiago, 6 November:

UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERT WELCOMES CANADIAN INITIATIVE

ON ACCESS TO LOW-COST DRUGS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 7 November (UN Information Service) -- Canada has taken an important step towards improving the right to health in developing countries by introducing draft legislation to make it easier for poor countries to import generic, lower-cost drugs, a United Nations human rights expert said today.