SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR RATIFICATION BY ALL STATES OF CONVENTION

AGAINST TORTURE, OPTIONAL PROTOCOL, IN MESSAGE FOR INTERNATIONAL DAY

Following is the message by Secretary-General Kofi Annan for the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, 26 June:

PRESS STATEMENT ON MIDDLE EAST BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Following is the press statement on the Middle East delivered by Security Council President Sergey Lavrov (Russian Federation):

Having heard and discussed the briefing by Under-Secretary-General Kieran Prendergast on the situation in the Middle East, the Members of the Security Council expressed their serious concern at continuing and increasing violence in the region.

SECRETARY-GENERAL TO ATTEND ‘QUARTET’ MEETING IN AMMAN, JORDAN, 22 JUNE

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

The Secretary-General will participate in a meeting of Quartet Principals in Amman, Jordan, on 22 June.  The meeting follows the recent Aqaba Summit at which both Israel and the Palestinians agreed to begin implementing the Quartet’s Road Map.

Security Council

4773^rd Meeting (AM)

IN BRIEFING TO SECURITY COUNCIL, UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS

URGES ISRAELIS, PALESTINIANS TO STAY COURSE OF PEACE

Briefing the Security Council this morning on the situation in the Middle East, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Kieran Prendergast urged both Israelis and Palestinians to stay the course of peace, saying that violence only led down into the abyss.

PRESS ARRANGEMENTS FOR IAEA BOARD OF GOVERNORS MEETING, BEGINNING 16 JUNE

UNICRI AND ITALIAN GOVERNMENT IN DEFENCE OF CHILDREN’S RIGHTS IN ANGOLA

(Reissued as received.)

LUIS MORENO-OCAMPO, PROSECUTOR FOR INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT,

TO BE SWORN IN AT THE HAGUE 16 JUNE

THE HAGUE, 13 June (ICC) -- The first Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, will be sworn in during a public session of the Court at the Great Hall of Justice of the Peace Palace at The Hague on 16 June.  The ceremony will be presided over by Judge Philippe Kirsch and witnessed by the other judges of the Court.

BRAZIL TO HOST UNCTAD XI IN JUNE 2004

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 13 June (UNCTAD) -- The eleventh United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XI) will be held at the Anhembi Conference Centre in Sao Paulo, Brazil, from 13 to 18 June 2004.

CARTAGENA PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY ENTERS INTO FORCE IN SEPTEMBER

(Reissued as received.)

NAIROBI, 13 June (United Nations Environment Programme) -- Palau has become the fiftieth country to ratify the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, starting a 90-day countdown to the agreement's entry into force.

UN AGENCIES WARN THAT FOOD AID NEEDS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA REMAIN SUBSTANTIAL

(Reissued as received.)

JOHANNESBURG/ROME, 13 June (FAO) -- Southern Africa still requires substantial food aid despite the fact that more food was produced in the region than during last year's severe food crisis, according to reports released by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).