Secretary-General meets indigenous leaders, visits highlands in Peru

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan will tonight meet some of Peru's indigenous leaders during a visit to the country's highlands on his four-nation South American tour.

Mr. Annan and Peru's President Alejandro Toledo arrived in the highland city of Cuzco this morning on a flight from the capital, Lima. The Secretary-General's spokesman, Fred Eckhard, told a press briefing in New York today that they met Cuzco's mayor and the president of the Cuzco region.

After attending a ceremony of indigenous music and dance, Mr. Annan was awarded the keys to the city and was named Illustrious Guest of Cuzco and Honourable Guest of the region.

He said local authorities have an important role to play in bringing the everyday concerns of people to the attention of national and international policy-makers.

Mr. Annan said: "I want to encourage you to maintain your admirable engagement with the urgent issues of our time - I am referring, for example, to the contribution that the heritage, knowledge and traditions of the indigenous peoples of Peru, and indigenous peoples everywhere, can make to the world's quest for sustainable development."

Later Mr. Annan and President Toledo travelled to the famous Inca ruins at Machu Picchu. On his return to Cuzco tonight, Mr. Annan will hold talks with indigenous leaders.

Later this evening, the Secretary-General will head to Bolivia's capital, La Paz, for the last leg of his tour. He has already visited Chile and Ecuador. In Bolivia Mr. Annan will inaugurate the Ibero-American Summit on Friday.