SEABED COUNCIL NOTES LEGAL AND TECHNICAL COMMISSION REPORT

ON RULES FOR SULPHIDES AND CRUSTS, BIODIVERSITY ISSUES

CORRECTION

In Press Release SEA/1781, issued yesterday, 5 August, the second and third paragraphs from the bottom of page 4 should read:

PALESTINE RELIEF AGENCY WELCOMES NEW UNITED STATES PLEDGE TO EMERGENCY APPEAL

GAZA, 6 August, (UNRWA) -- Peter Hansen, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), today warmly welcomed the news that the United States will pledge up to $26 million to the Agency’s sixth emergency appeal for the occupied Palestinian territory.  The current appeal covers the six-month period to the end of December, 2003.

UNITED NATIONS HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES REQUEST $69 MILLION

IN EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR LIBERIA

United Nations humanitarian agencies requested $69 million in emergency assistance for Liberia this morning at Headquarters, with Secretary-General Kofi Annan saying, “The logic of this emergency appeal is simple:  without urgent action more lives will be lost.”

PACIFIC NATIONS START TALKS FOR INTERNATIONAL MEETING

ON SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES

APIA, SAMOA, 5 August -- The first multinational gathering leading up to next year’s International Meeting on Small Island Developing States is taking place in Apia, Samoa this week to review the progress achieved in ensuring the positive long-term development of small islands.

‘WITHOUT URGENT ACTION MORE LIVES WILL BE LOST’ SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL,

AS UN HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES REQUEST EMERGENCY FUNDS FOR LIBERIA

Following is the Kofi Annan’s message for the launch of the Revised Humanitarian Appeal for Liberia, delivered by Jacques Paul Klein, his Special Representative for Liberia, in New York on 6 August:

PROTOCOL TO CONTROL PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS TO ENTER INTO FORCE

GENEVA, 5 August (ECE) -- France has become the sixteenth country to ratify the Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).  The Protocol will, consequently, enter into force on 23 October 2003.

STRATEGIES NEEDED TO OFFER YOUNG CHANCE AT DECENT, PRODUCTIVE WORK

SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL ON INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY

Following is Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan’s message on International Youth Day, observed 12 August:

SECRETARY-GENERAL HORRIFIED BY JAKARTA BOMB ATTACK; CONDEMNS

‘DESPICABLE’ ACT IN STRONGEST POSSIBLE TERMS

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

The Secretary-General is horrified at the bomb explosion today at the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta, reportedly killing at least 10 people and injuring many more.  He condemns in the strongest possible terms this apparent act of terrorism.

SEABED COUNCIL NOTES LEGAL AND TECHNICAL COMMISSION REPORT ON RULES

FOR SULPHIDES AND CRUSTS, BIODIVERSITY ISSUES

(Reissued as received.)

KINGSTON, 4 August -- Commencing this morning the substantive work of its current session in Kingston, the Council of the International Seabed Authority discussed and took note of the report of its Legal and Technical Commission.

COUNCIL EXAMINES FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT, INCLUDING PLAN TO CONTINUE

FUND FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRY PARTICIPATION

(Reissued as received.)