Press Release

INCREASED EXPORT OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORLD’S POOREST COUNTRIES DESCRIBED

Security Council

4709^th Meeting (Resumed) (AM)

SECURITY COUNCIL HEARS OVER 60 SPEAKERS IN TWO-DAY DEBATE ON IRAQ’S DISARMAMENT;

IRAQ CRISIS MUST NOT AFFECT DETERMINATION TO CARRY OUT UN’S WIDER AGENDA,

SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL IN ROME ADDRESS

Following is the address of Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the Governing Council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, on its twenty-fifth anniversary, in Rome on 19 February:

Security Council

4709^th Meeting* (PM)

SECURITY COUNCIL HEARS 27 SPEAKERS IN DEBATE ON IRAQ’S DISARMAMENT;

MAJORITY SUPPORT STRENGTHENED INSPECTIONS, OPPOSE USE OF FORCE

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS BEHROOZ SADRY OF IRAN DEPUTY SPECIAL

REPRESENTATIVE FOR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Secretary-General Kofi Annan departed New York on Sunday, 16 February, for Brussels, where he arrived, via Paris, the following morning.

SECOND PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR INFORMATION SOCIETY WORLD SUMMIT OPENS IN GENEVA

(Reissued as received.)

LITERACY IS KEY TO A FUTURE OF FREEDOM AND HOPE FOR MANKIND

SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS AT LAUNCH OF UN LITERACY DECADE

      Following is the text of the remarks delivered by Secretary-General Kofi Annan at a ceremony held on Thursday evening, 13 February, at the New York Public Library, to mark the launch of the United Nations Literacy Decade (2003-2012):

UNITED NATIONS IS VALUABLE ALLY, INSTRUMENT IN STRUGGLE FOR PEACE,

SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS PEACE PRIZE FESTIVAL AND FORUM

Commission for Social Development

Forty-first Session

7^th & 8^th Meetings (AM & PM)

CITING ECONOMIC, SOCIAL VALUE OF OLDER PERSONS, SPEAKERS IN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

COMMISSION STRESS NEED TO INCLUDE AGEING ISSUES IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES