MILLIONS REMAIN FOOD INSECURE IN IRAQ DESPITE BETTER HARVEST, SAY UN AGENCIES

(Reissued as received.)

ROME,23 September (FAO) -- Despite a better cereal harvest and the lifting of economic sanctions, according to a report published today by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), nearly half of the 26.3 million Iraqis are estimated to be poor and in need of assistance.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONDEMNS NEW BOMBING AT UN BAGHDAD HEADQUARTERS

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

ABILITY TO REASON VITAL IN FIGHTING TERRORISM, SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS CONFERENCE

      Secretary-General Kofi Annan made the following remarks today at a conference on “Fighting Terrorism for Humanity:  A Conference on the Roots of Evil”:

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONDEMNS ASSASSINATION BID ON IRAQ COUNCIL MEMBER

The Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan issued the following statement on Saturday, 20 September 2003:

The Secretary-General strongly condemns today’s assassination attempt on

Fifty-eighth General Assembly

Plenary

4^th, 5^th and 6^th Meetings (PM and Night)

GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONCLUDES HIGH-LEVEL DEBATE ON HIV/AIDS,

HAVING EXAMINED PROGRESS MADE, REMAINING CHALLENGES

SECRETARY-GENERAL’S ENVOY SET FOR NEW BID TO REVIVE MYANMAR RECONCILIATION PROCESS

The Spokesman for Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan issued the following statement today:

Mr. Razali Ismail, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Myanmar, will visit Myanmar from 30 September to 2 October 2003.  It will be his eleventh mission.

Fifty-eighth General Assembly

Interactive Panel (PM)

COMBATING ‘STIGMA,’ CIVIL SOCIETY PARTNERSHIPS, RESOURCE MOBILIZATION,

KEYS TO REVERSING SPREAD OF HIV/AIDS, SAY UN PANEL PARTICIPANTS

FAO CHIEF STRESSES NEED FOR TANGIBLE ACHIEVEMENTS

IN SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT

(Reissued as received.)

      QUEBEC/ROME,21 September-- At the opening day of the XII World Forestry Congress (Quebec City, 21-28 Septembe), Dr. Jacques Diouf, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), stressed that sustainable management of forests rests on tangible achievements.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT CALLS ON MEMBER STATES TO REAFFIRM

PLEDGE TO HALT AND REVERSE HIV/AIDS PANDEMIC

Following is the statement by the President of the General Assembly, Julian R. Hunte, at the high-level plenary meeting on HIV/AIDS, delivered today:

HIV/AIDS: ‘GREATEST LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE OF OUR TIME’, SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS FOLLOWING HIGH-LEVEL INTERACTIVE PANEL

Following is Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan’s summary of the proceedings of the high-level interactive panel on HIV/AIDS, as delivered to the General Assembly this evening:

In accordance with General Assembly resolution S-26/2 of 2001, a high-level interactive panel on HIV/AIDS was held this afternoon.