Annan Begins Bilateral Meetings With World Leaders

Annan begins daylong series of bilateral meetings with world leaders

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan began a daylong series of bilateral meetings with world leaders today on the margins of the General Assembly’s annual high-level debate, conferring with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and United States President George W. Bush.

With dozens of Heads of State and Government in town to address the Assembly during its two-week long General Debate, Mr. Annan is expected to discuss a whole raft of issues ranging from the UN role in bringing peace to Iraq to fundamental reform of the world body’s institutions, including the Security Council.

Today he was also scheduled to meet with President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan, President Jacques Chirac of France, President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, President Megawati Soekarnoputri of Indonesia and Prime Minister José Maria Aznar of Spain.

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