Annan arrives in Chile for start of South American tour

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in the Chilean capital, Santiago de Chile, this morning for the first leg of his four-country South American tour.

Mr. Annan will hold talks today with Alicia Barcena, the acting Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), as well as the Heads of the UN agencies in Chile.

Tonight Mr. Annan is scheduled to attend a dinner hosted by Chile's Foreign Minister, Maria-Soledad Alvear.

The Secretary-General will remain in Chile until Friday afternoon, when he travels on to Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.