Europe

SRSG Harri Holkeri

UN envoy condemns attack on Kosovo's Environment Minister

22 February 2004
The senior United Nations envoy to Kosovo today deplored a blast which wounded the province's environment minister and several others.

UNESCO urges teaching from earliest age in indigenous mother languages

20 February 2004
With an average of two indigenous languages dying out every month, the United Nations cultural agency has called for national education systems to teach children in mother tongues from the earliest age as a means both of stimulating learning ability and preserving the world’s rich heritage of linguistic diversity.
Louise Arbour

Annan to name Canadian Justice Louise Arbour as top UN human rights official

20 February 2004
Louise Arbour, a Canadian Supreme Court Justice and ex-prosecutor of United Nations war crimes tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, will be named the new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights - succeeding Sergio Vieira de Mello, who was killed in a terrorist attack in Baghdad last August.

Cyprus parties continue talks in Nicosia – UN

20 February 2004
Talks continued in Cyprus today on a plan by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan to reunify the island nation before its entry into the European Union on 1 May.

Switzerland and UN relief agency to host conference on aid to Palestine refugees

20 February 2004
The United Nations and the Government of Switzerland today announced plans to host a conference this June on the future of humanitarian aid to Palestine refugees.
Alvaro de Soto (C) chairs meeting in Nicosia

Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders meet as talks resume under UN auspices

19 February 2004
The Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders met for direct talks today in Cyprus as negotiations resumed on a plan by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan to reunify the island nation before its entry into the European Union on 1 May.
Special Adviser de Soto briefs the press

Annan's adviser meets with Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders

18 February 2004
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s top adviser for Cyprus met separately with the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders today on the eve of the resumption of direct talks aimed at securing agreement on a plan that would reunify the island nation ahead of its entry into the European Union in May.

Senior UN and EU officials hold talks on crisis management

18 February 2004
Following up on an agreement reached last year between the United Nations and the European Union (EU), officials from both organizations today held a daylong meeting at UN Headquarters in New York on joint efforts to manage emerging crises.

UN-chaired meeting hails progress in Georgia-Abkhaz peace process

18 February 2004
A United Nations-chaired meeting to review the peace process between Georgia and Abkhaz separatists today hailed progress made in political and security matters, refugee returns and economic cooperation despite the difficult situation on the ground.

UN-backed treaty banning most dangerous pesticides to come into force in May

18 February 2004
An international treaty banning the world's most dangerous pesticides, industrial chemicals and hazardous by-products of combustion will enter into force on 17 May now that 50 countries have ratified the pact, the United Nations announced today.