UNITED NATIONS GLOBAL COMPACT CONVENES UNPRECEDENTED MEETING

TO ADVANCE CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP WORLDWIDE

GRAVE CONSEQUENCES AWAIT IF MILLENNIUM GOALS ON WATER, SANITATION GO

UNMET, SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS IN MESSAGE FOR YEAR OF FRESHWATER

Developed Countries Also at Risk from Further

Environmental Damage, Food Insecurity, Instability, He Warns

Following is the text of a message issued by Secretary-General Kofi Annan today in observance of the International Year of Freshwater (2003):

‘OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES HAS IMPROVED REMARKABLY,’

SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL AT LUNCHEON FOR UN FOUNDATION

Following is the text of remarks as delivered by Secretary-General Kofi Annan, at the luncheon honouring Mr. R.E. Turner and the Board of Directors of the United Nations Foundation (UNF) in New York today:

UNRWA LAUNCHES $94 MILLION APPEAL FOR WEST BANK AND GAZA

JERUSALEM, 10 December -- The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) today launched an appeal to the international community for $94 million needed to allow the Agency to carry out emergency relief work in the occupied Palestinian territory during the first half of 2003.  By comparison, in 2002 UNRWA asked donors for $173 million over the full year and almost

'KNOWLEDGE MEANS POWER' -- AND THOSE WHO PROVIDE HONEST INFORMATION ARE

BEST ALLIES OF UN, SAYS KOFI ANNAN IN BBC WORLD SERVICE LECTURE

Secretary-General Announces

New World Service Series on 'Millennium Milestones'

Following is Secretary-General Kofi Annan's BBC World Service lecture, delivered in New York on 10 December:

SECRETARY-GENERAL STRESSES NEED FOR DETERMINATION TO MAKE PROTECTION

OF CIVILIANS AN INESCAPABLE DUTY FOR ALL PARTIES IN CONFLICT

            Following is the statement delivered today by Secretary-General Kofi Annan at the meeting of the Security Council on the protection of civilians in armed conflict:

                                                            SG/SM/8550/Rev.1*

Fifty-seventh General Assembly

Second Committee

42^nd Meeting (PM)

SECOND COMMITTEE DRAFT RESOLUTION CALLS FOR GREATER TRANSPARENCY

IN REFORM OF INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL ARCHITECTURE

Approves International Finance and Development Text, Eight Others

Security Council

4660^th Meeting* (AM & PM)

SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS SECURITY COUNCIL PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS

IN SITUATIONS OF ARMED CONFLICT IS KEY TO SUSTAINABLE PEACE

Practical Action Called for; Human Rights Day Discussion

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL OUTLINES 'DOMINANT CONCEPTS' IN DEVELOPMENT POLICY

AT INTERACTION CEO RETREAT

Following is the speech by Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette to InterAction's Annual CEO Retreat, Washington, D.C., 9 December: