Background Release

COMMITTEE AGAINST TORTURE TO HOLD TWENTY-SIXTH SESSION AT PALAIS WILSON

IN GENEVA FROM 30 APRIL TO 18 MAY 2001

Panel Scheduled to Consider Reports from Georgia, Greece,

Bolivia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Brazil, Kazakhstan and Costa Rica

(Reissued as received.)

FIFTEEN YEARS AFTER CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR ACCIDENT,

UN CALLS FOR MORE ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS

Security Council                                            SC/7052/Rev.1**

SECRETARY-GENERAL EXPRESSES SADNESS AT DEATH OF REVEREND LEON SULLIVAN

Following is the text of a statement from Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY DESCRIBES DISASTROUS IMPACT, ‘LESSONS LEARNED’

FIFTEEN YEARS AFTER CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT

VIENNA, 25 April (IAEA) -- When the news of an accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant came out, it shocked the world.  The accident was by far the most devastating in the history of nuclear power, and the people of the region continue to live with its consequences.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR GREATER ASSISTANCE FOR CHERNOBYL VICTIMS

Following is the text of a statement made today -– the fifteenth anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident –- by Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

TRANSCRIPT OF PRESS CONFERENCE BY DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL LOUISE FRÉCHETTE

AT HEADQUARTERS, 24 APRIL 2001

LIBRARIES IN BAHRAIN, CHINA, GEORGIA, MEXICO AND UNITED STATES

DESIGNATED UNITED NATIONS DEPOSITORY LIBRARIES

Fifty-fifth General Assembly

Plenary

99^th Meeting (AM)

GENERAL ASSEMBLY ELECTS TWO ADDITIONAL JUDGES

FOR RWANDA INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL

The General Assembly this morning elected Winston Churchill Matanzima Maqutu (Lesotho) and Arlette Ramaroson (Madagascar) as judges for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), following two rounds of voting.  Their terms of office will commence as soon as possible.

Security Council

4314^th Meeting (PM)*

IN PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT, SECURITY COUNCIL SAYS LACK OF PROGRESS ON KEY ISSUES

REGARDING CONFLICT IN ABKHAZIA, GEORGIA, IS UNACCEPTABLE

The continued lack of progress on key issues concerning a comprehensive settlement of the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia, was unacceptable, the Security Council stressed in a statement this afternoon.