Press Release

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES PALESTINIAN CEASEFIRE ORDER; ISRAELI

DECISION TO HALT OFFENSIVE MILITARY OPERATIONS

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

                                                            SG/SM/7962/Rev.1*

SECRETARY-GENERAL, IN MESSAGE TO MINE-BAN CONVENTION PARTIES,

EVOKES ‘ENORMOUS’ CHALLENGES STILL AHEAD

Following is the text of the message from Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the Third Meeting of the States Parties to the Mine-Ban Convention.  The message was delivered in Managua on the Secretary-General’s behalf today by Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs, Jayantha Dhanapala:

MULTIMEDIA WEB SITE LAUNCHED IN COMMEMORATION OF FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY

OF DAG HAMMARSKJÖLD’S DEATH

On 18 September 1961, Dag Hammarskjöld, the second Secretary-General of the United Nations, died in a plane crash in Ndola, Northern Rhodesia, with 15 others.

Security Council

4375^th Meeting (PM)

SECURITY COUNCIL ADOPTS REPORT TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY

In a brief meeting this afternoon, the Security Council adopted without a vote its annual report to the General Assembly for the period 16 June 2000 to

15 June 2001.

PRESS STATEMENT ON AFGHANISTAN BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Following is the text of today’s statement on Afghanistan by the President of the Security Council, Jean-David Levitte (France):

Members of the Security Council heard a full briefing by Under-Secretary-General Prendergast on the political, military and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, including the dire consequences of Taliban rule for the Afghan people.

Committee on Inalienable Rights

of the Palestinian People

258^th Meeting (AM)

PALESTINIAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE ELECTS NEW CHAIRMAN,

REVIEWS RECENT MIDEAST DEVELOPMENTS

The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People this morning elected by acclamation Papa Louis Fall (Senegal) as its Chairman for a one-year term.  Mr. Fall replaced Acting Chairman Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla (Cuba).

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES RESUMPTION OF INTER-KOREAN DIALOGUE

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

Security Council

4374^th Meeting* (PM)

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS SIERRA LEONE MISSION UNTIL 31 MARCH 2002,

UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTING RESOLUTION 1370 (2001)

The Security Council this afternoon extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) for six months starting 30 September 2001.

SECRETARY-GENERAL SADDENED BY ASSASSINATION OF KEY AFGHAN LEADER,

SAYS ACT OF TERRORISM FURTHER COMPLICATES EFFORTS TO END CONFLICT