UN COMMITTEE ON STAFF SECURITY OUTRAGED BY ATTACK IN BAGHDAD,

CALLS FOR WITHDRAWAL OF STAFF

NEW YORK, 19 August -- The United Nations Staff Council’s Standing Committee on the Security and Independence of the International Civil Service is outraged by today’s attack on the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, which killed the top United Nations envoy in Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and at least 14 other staff members.

PRESS STATEMENT ON BAGHDAD BOMBING BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

The following press statement was issued today by the President of the Security Council, Fayssal Mekdad (Syria):

Members of the Council were shocked to hear of the terrorist criminal attack against the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad.

UN AGENCY MEETING IN NORWAY AGREES ON FRAMEWORK FOR

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF AQUACULTURE

(Reissued as received.)

      Rome, 18 August (FAO) -- Countries from around the world have resolved to cooperate more closely in order to develop a better framework for the sustainable development of the world's aquaculture sector, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said today.

SECRETARY-GENERAL PRAISES EXPANDED COOPERATION BETWEEN UN,

PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM IN MESSAGE TO NEW ZEALAND MEETING

Following is Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message to the 2003 Pacific Islands Forum Meeting, in Auckland, New Zealand, 16 August, delivered by Mark Malloch Brown, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme:

BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION MEMBERS BEGIN NEW PROCESS

Experts to Meet in Geneva to Discuss Ways

Of Strengthening National Measures against Biological Weapons

(Reissued as received.)

Round-up

SUB-COMMISSION ON PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

CONCLUDES FIFTY-FIFTH SESSION

Adopts 43 Texts, Including on Responsibilities of Transnational

Corporations; Effects of Counter-Terrorism Measures; Right to Development

(Reissued as received.)

Security Council

4809^th Meeting (PM)

SPEAKERS IN SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMN RECENT VIOLENCE IN KOSOVO,

INSIST EXTREMISTS MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO UNDERMINE FUTURE

Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister Warns Last Week’s Crimes Not Unique;

Determined Minority Seeks to Drive Serbs Out, Complete ‘Ethnic Cleansing’

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES LIBERIA PEACE AGREEMENT

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

PRESS STATEMENT ON KOSOVO BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Following is the press statement on Kosovo delivered today by Security Council President Mikhail Wehbe (Syria):

Members of the Council were briefed on the violent attack in Kosovo yesterday in which two Kosovo Serb teenagers were killed and four others injured, one critically.  A Kosovo Albanian woman was also injured following the incident.

Security Council

4808^th Meeting (PM)

SECURITY COUNCIL ESTABLISHES UN ASSISTANCE MISSION IN IRAQ,

WELCOMES CREATION OF GOVERNING COUNCIL AS ‘IMPORTANT STEP’

Resolution 1500 (2003) Adopted by 14-0-1 (Syria)