Kofi Annan calls upon nations to work together in new millennium

Kofi Annan calls upon nations to work together in new millennium
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

UNITED NATIONS, DECEMBER 31: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called on nations to work together to overcome challenges of the new century, warning that even the strongest nation, acting alone, may not be able to protect its citizens from dangers of the new millennium.

``The new millennium need not be a time for fear or anxiety. If we work together and have faith in our own abilities, it can be a time of hope and opportunity,'' he said in his New Year message. In this context, he stressed the role of the UN and sought ideas and help from people to enable it overcome the challenges of the new century.

Annan expressed the hope that the new century would bring new hope but also warned that it could bring new dangers or old ones in alarming form. ``Some of us fear seeing our jobs and our way of life destroyed by economic change. Others fear bigotry, violence or disease. Others still are more worried that human activities may be ruining the global environment,'' he said.

These dangers do not respectnational frontiers, he said, and added, ``that is why we have the United Nations.''

Through the UN, Annan said, people were working to overcome the challenges facing the new millennium-- from preserving peace to defeating aids and other diseases and protecting the environment to ensuring that global markets benefit all and to making human rights a reality for everyone.