Iraq says it will provide information on biological weapons to UN special disarmament commission. UN Transition Mission in Haiti continues search operations following yesterday's ferry disaster. International Monetary Fund working to mitigate marginalization of poor countries in globalized economy.
Governments meet in Montreal to strengthen protection of ozone layer.
In rare moment of agreement, Disarmament Conference decides to transmit its report on just-concluded 1997 session to UN General Assembly. High Commissioner Sadako Ogata briefed the Council this morning on recent events, recalling that last week, military forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo surrounded a transit centre in Kisangani and forced some 800 Rwandan and Burundi refugees to return to Rwanda. Their actions follow on Monday's decision by President Pascal Lissouba to unilaterally appoint the Mayor of Brazzaville, Bernard Kolelas, as the country's new Prime Minister. A UN spokesman told reporters that the action was taken without consultation with the mediators or with former President Denis Sassou Nguesso. Ambassador Sahnoun and President Bongo hope to convene the Friday summit with the participation of the heads of State of the International Mediation Committee, which includes Senegal, Mali, Benin, Chad, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon as Chair.