SECRETARY-GENERAL SADDENED BY SECOND EL SALVADOR EARTHQUAKE,

ASSURES GOVERNMENT OF UN COMMITMENT TO RELIEF EFFORT

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

The Secretary-General was deeply saddened to learn of the second earthquake to strike El Salvador in a month's time.  He extends his condolences to the Government and to the families of the victims.

MILLENNIUM SUMMIT TARGETS CANNOT BE MET WITHOUT RESOURCES FOR DEVELOPMENT,

SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS PANEL

Following is the text of Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s opening remarks at the first meeting of the High-level Panel on Financing for Development in New York today:

SECRETARY-GENERAL EXPRESSES GREAT REGRET AT DEATH OF WILLIAM EPSTEIN,

LEADING ADVOCATE FOR ‘NOBLE CAUSE’ OF GLOBAL NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT

Following is the statement of Secretary-General Kofi Annan, delivered on his behalf by Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs Jayantha Dhanapala, at a memorial service for William Epstein in New York on

14 February:

URBANIZATION OF POVERTY ONE OF NEW MILLENNIUM’S BIGGEST GLOBAL CHALLENGES,

SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL IN MESSAGE TO UN COMMISSION ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

Following is the message of Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the eighteenth session of the United Nations Commission on Human Settlements, delivered on his behalf by Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka, Executive Director of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (HABITAT), in Nairobi on 12 February:

HIGH-LEVEL EVENT ON DEVELOPMENT FINANCING CAN MARK TURNING POINT FOR POOR,

SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL IN STATEMENT TO PREPARATORY COMMITTEE

Following is the statement of Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the Preparatory Committee for the High-level intergovernmental Event on Financing for Development in New York on 12 February:

SECRETARY-GENERAL ASKS UN EMERGENCY RELIEF COORDINATOR

TO GO TO AFGHANISTAN

Following is the text of a statement made today by the Office of the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

SECRETARY-GENERAL LISTS MAIN POINTS OF UNITED NATIONS DISCUSSIONS

WITH REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ON PEACE-BUILDING

Following is the text of a statement made today by Secretary-General Kofi Annan, at the concluding session of the fourth High-Level Meeting between the United Nations and Regional Organizations:

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONGRATULATES NEW ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER,

EXPRESSES SINCERE HOPE SEARCH FOR PEACE WILL CONTINUE

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

The Secretary-General wishes to congratulate the leader of the Likud Party, Ariel Sharon, upon his election yesterday as Prime Minister of Israel.

                                          SG/SM/7707*

SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

NEED FOR COOPERATION IS GREATER THAN EVER

Following is the text of a statement made today in New York by Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the fourth high-level meeting of the United Nations and regional organizations:

I am delighted to welcome you to New York for this fourth high-level meeting between the United Nations and so many of the world's leading regional organizations.