COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS HEARS FROM SPECIAL RAPPORTEURS

ON SITUATIONS IN BURUNDI, MYANMAR

Minister of Justice of Togolese Republic Speaks

(Reissued as received.)

AIR POLLUTION FROM BAGHDAD FIRES POSES RISKS FOR HUMAN HEALTH

AND ENVIRONMENT, SAYS UNEP

(Reissued as received.)

AMMAN/NAIROBI, 30 March (UNEP) -- Toxic smoke from burning oil wells in southern Iraq and from oil-filled trenches and bomb-ignited fires in Baghdad are the clearest evidence so far that the current conflict may further damage Iraq's already highly stressed environment, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

PRESS STATEMENT ON CÔTE D’IVOIRE BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Following is the press statement on Côte d’Ivoire delivered today by Security Council President Mamady Traoré (Guinea):

Members of the Security Council are deeply concerned by the incidents that took place at Daloa on 26 March 2003 during the demonstration organized by the “Jeunes Patriotes”.

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR ‘SWIFT AND GENEROUS’ RESPONSE

TO APPEAL FOR HUMANITARIAN AID FOR IRAQI PEOPLE

Following is the text of remarks, as delivered today, by Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette at a press conference launching the flash appeal for humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people:

Special Committee on

Peacekeeping Operations

174^th Meeting (AM)

SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON PEACKEEPING OPERATIONS CONCLUDES 2003 SESSION,

ADOPTS ANNUAL REPORT

Calls for Improved UN Capacity to Assess Conflict Situations,

UNFPA, EUROPEAN UNION SIGN 22 MILLION EURO AGREEMENT

(Reissued as received.)

NEW YORK, 28 March (UNFPA)–- UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, and the European Union signed an agreement yesterday for a 22 million euro, three-year Reproductive Health Initiative for Youth in Asia, which will be implemented in seven countries.

TRANSCRIPT OF PRESS CONFERENCE BY DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL LOUISE FRÉCHETTE

AT UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, 28 MARCH 2003

SECRETARY-GENERAL DEEPLY CONCERNED OVER FIGHTING IN LIBERIA;

URGES ALL PARTIES TO ENSURE PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS

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

Security Council

4728^th Meeting (AM)

SECURITY COUNCIL TOLD PEACE AGREEMENT BETWEEN PAPUA NEW GUINEA, BOUGAINVILLE

CAN BE FULLY IMPLEMENTED BY YEAR’S END, DESPITE SERIOUS OBSTACLES

Security Council

4731^st Meeting (PM)

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS DEADLINE FOR NOMINATION OF ‘AD LITEM’ JUDGES

FOR RWANDA TRIBUNAL UNTIL 15 APRIL

The Security Council this afternoon extended the deadline for the nomination of ad litem judges for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda until

15 April, as the number of nominations received fell short of the minimum specified in the Tribunal’s Statute.