Press Release

FRENCH LANGUAGE TELEVISION CHANNEL -- TV5 -- TO BE AVAILABLE TO UN DELEGATES, MEDIA,

STAFF UNDER AGREEMENT WITH INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION OF LA FRANCOPHONIE

Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding this morning between the United Nations and the International Organisation of La Francophonie, delegates, non-governmental organizations, media and staff at Headquarters will have access to the French language television channel TV5. 

SECRETARY-GENERAL GRAVELY CONCERNED AT RISING CASUALTIES IN ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT; URGES IMMEDIATE END TO VIOLENCE

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

The Secretary-General is gravely concerned at the rising and alarming toll of casualties in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  In the last 24 hours alone,

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT BUSH ON PRESENTATION

OF ‘ROAD MAP’ TO ISRAELIS, PALESTINIANS

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

Commission on Status of Women

Forty-seventh Session

13^th Meeting (PM)

WOMEN’S COMMISSION ADOPTS AGREED CONCLUSIONS ON MEDIA, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES,

TEXTS ON AFGHANISTAN, PALESTINIAN WOMEN, HIV/AIDS

Security Council

4719^th Meeting (PM)

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS ETHIOPIA/ERITREA MISSION UNTIL 15 SEPTEMBER,

UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTING RESOLUTION 1466 (2003)

The Security Council this afternoon extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), which was to expire on midnight, until 15 September.

HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE TO HOLD SEVENTY-SEVENTH SESSION

IN GENEVA FROM 17 MARCH TO 4 APRIL 2003

Experts to Examine Reports of Estonia, Luxembourg and Mali

(Reissued as received.)

DEPUTY-SECRETARY-GENERAL PRAISES NEW YORK CITY’S MAYOR FOR ‘NEW ERA’

IN RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN UN AND ‘THIS GREAT WORLD CAPITAL’

Following are the remarks of Deputy-Secretary-General Louise Fréchette to the reception “To Celebrate the United Nations in New York”, hosted by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on 12 March:

It is a great pleasure to be here tonight.

COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS TO HOLD FIFTY-NINTH SESSION

AT PALAIS DES NATIONS FROM 17 MARCH TO 25 APRIL 2003

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 13 March (UN Information Service) -- The principal human rights organ of the United Nations will conduct its annual six-week session for 2003 from 17 March to 25 April.

UN HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT WORSENING

HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN BAIDOA

(Reissued as received.)

NAIROBI, 12 March (OCHA) -- United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia Maxwell Gaylard is deeply concerned about the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in and around Baidoa, where fighting for control of the town has disrupted aid activities for more than eight months.

EXPERT PANEL ON ILLEGAL EXPLOITATION OF RESOURCES IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

TO BEGIN WORK IN NAIROBI ON 24 MARCH