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The United Nations has been authorized by Glafcos Clerides, the Greek Cypriot leader, and Rauf Denktash, the Turkish Cypriot leader, to seek submissions on a flag and anthem for Cyprus through open public competition as foreseen in the proposal for a comprehensive settlement put to them by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The College of Commissioners of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) met today at UN Headquarters in New York with Executive Chairman Hans Blix to review the work of the inspectors on the ground in Iraq.

The United Nations team working in Sudan today welcomed the resumption of peace talks in Nairobi after a nine-week break, which was brokered by the regional Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

Reacting to charges of bias and partiality levelled by a rebel faction operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the United Nations peacekeeping mission in that country today strongly reaffirmed its objectivity.

Stressing that the responsibility for a solution to the situation in Western Sahara rested solely with the parties, the members of the United Nations Security Council today said they agreed to extend the mandate of the UN mission there to give the parties time to consider the proposal presented to them recently by the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, James A. Baker III.

The partnership between the United Nations and Africa rests on a vision that takes into account both the preoccupations and the aspirations of the people of the continent, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a message today to a summit meeting of Central African countries.

Weapons collection in northern Afghanistan has stalled due to disagreements between two key factions assisting the multi-party force monitoring the demobilization programme, according to the United Nations mission in the country.

Despite some positive Government initiatives, the human rights situation in Guatemala is deteriorating, according to a United Nations expert.

South Asia suffers from excessive land degradation, desertification and habitat fragmentation, depleting the wide variety of forest products that are an important source of food, medicine and income for indigenous people, according to a new report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Secretary-General Kofi Annan today offered United Nations assistance after a deadly earthquake struck Mexico last night.