30 April 2001

The President today met with H.E. Mr. James P. Cunningham, Chargé d'affaires of USA. Their discussion focused on the working schedule of the Security Council during the month of May, when the USA will hold the Council's rotating presidency.

The upcoming General Assembly special session on HIV/AIDS was on in the focus during two meetings today. The President met with the Permanent Representative of Poland, H.E. Mr. Janusz Stanczyk, who informed the President about the Eastern European group's endorsement of his country as chair of one of the session's four roundtables.

Later in the day, the President met with Dr. Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS. The office of the President is preparing HIV/AIDS special session in cooperation with the UNAIDS and the discussion focused on organizational aspects of the session.

The President today met with H.E. Mr. Jargalsaikhany Enkhsaikhan, Permanent Representative of Mongolia. They discussed the issue of desertification, in particular the financing mechanism of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.

The Permanent Representatives of Hungary, H.E. Mr. André Erdös, and Austria, H.E. Mr. Gerhard Pfanzelter met the President to discuss their countries' joint initiative regarding the protection of religious sites.