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.

Round-up

UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION ON CRIME PREVENTION AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE CONCLUDES

ELEVENTH SESSION IN VIENNA, 16 - 25 APRIL

(Reissued as received.)

AFRICA’S ‘NEW SPIRIT OF DEMOCRATIC EMPOWERMENT’, CONTINENT’S SOBERING CHALLENGES

HIGHLIGHTED BY SECRETARY-GENERAL IN ADDRESS AT HARVARD’S KENNEDY SCHOOL

Following is the text of the Godkin Lecture delivered by Secretary-General Kofi Annan at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, on 24 April:

Meeting of States Parties

to Law of Sea Convention

68^th Meeting (AM)

STATES PARTIES TO LAW OF SEA CONVENTION BRIEFED ON DEEP SEABED MINING

PROSPECTS BY EXPERT PANEL FROM INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY

Director of Seafarer’s Rights Centre Also Addresses Meeting

Meeting of States Parties

to Law of Sea Convention

69^th Meeting (PM)

LAW OF SEA MEETING APPROVES DECISION ON FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS,

PARTICIPATION OF SUBSIDIARY BODIES

SECURITY COUNCIL SANCTIONS COMMITTEE ADDS NEW INDIVIDUALS

AND ENTITIES TO ITS CONSOLIDATED LIST

(Reissued as received.)

NEW YORK, 25 April (Department of Political Affairs) -- The Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) on 24 April 2002 decided to add the entities and individuals listed below to its consolidated list.

Background release

COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS TO HOLD

TWENTY-EIGHTH SESSION FROM 29 APRIL TO 17 MAY

Committee Scheduled to Consider Efforts

Of Czech Republic, Ireland, Benin, United Kingdom, Trinidad and Tobago

(Reissued as received.)

SECRETARY-GENERAL, ACCEPTING REPORT ON CHALLENGES OF FUTURE PEACE OPERATIONS,

SAYS TOMORROW’S TESTS WILL REQUIRE DEEPER, MORE CONSISTENT COLLABORATION

Following are the remarks of Secretary-General Kofi Annan, as he accepted the report “Challenges of Peace Operations:  Into the 21^st Century”, from Sweden’s Foreign Minister at a Headquarters seminar on 25 April: