PRESS STATEMENT ON Middle East Situation BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Following is this evening's press statement on the Middle East by Security Council President Sergey Lavrov (Russian Federation):

The members of the Security Council heard a briefing by the Under-Secretary-General, Kieran Prendergast, on the sending of the fact-finding team to Jenin.

Meeting of States Parties

to Law of Sea Convention

70^th Meeting (AM)

STATES PARTIES TO LAW OF SEA CONVENTION CONCLUDE TWELFTH MEETING,

APPROVE $7.8 MILLION 2003 BUDGET FOR INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL

The States parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea concluded their twelfth meeting this morning, approving a $7.8 million budget for the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea for 2003.

UNITED NATIONS JOINT STATEMENT ON GLOBAL COMPACT BY SECRETARY-GENERAL

AND PRESIDENT OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF EMPLOYERS (IOE)

The following statement was issued today in New York:

Fifty-sixth General Assembly

Fourth Committee

23^rd Meeting (AM)

PROPOSALS, RECOMMENDATIONS OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON PEACEKEEPING ENDORSED

IN DRAFT TEXT APPROVED BY FOURTH COMMITTEE

PRESS STATEMENT ON MIDDLE EAST BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

The following statement to the press was made yesterday evening by the President of the Security Council, Sergey Lavrov (Russian Federation):

Members of the Security Council closely follow the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

DISCUSSIONS CONCLUDE BETWEEN UN, ISRAEL ON FACT-FINDING TEAM;

ISRAELI CABINET TO TAKE FORMAL DECISION 28 APRIL

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

SECRETARY-GENERAL’S SPECIAL ENVOY CONCLUDES FOUR-DAY MISSION TO MYANMAR

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

Razali Ismail, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Myanmar, left Yangon Friday after concluding his four-day mission aimed at helping facilitate the national reconciliation process in Myanmar.

UNITED NATIONS MEMBER STATES POISED TO ENDORSE WIDE-RANGING GOALS FOR CHILDREN

Global Effort to Reduce Mortality, AIDS, Exploitation, and Poverty among Children

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WILL STILL HAVE CRUCIAL ROLE IN HELPING EAST TIMORESE

TO CONSOLIDATE NEW INSTITUTIONS, SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS SECURITY COUNCIL

The following statement by Secretary-General Kofi Annan was delivered today at the Security Council meeting on the situation in East Timor:

PRESS STATEMENT BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ON EAST TIMOR

Following is the press statement on East Timor delivered today by Security Council President Sergey Lavrov (Russian Federation):