The following was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan: On Sunday, 23 February, the Secretary-General met with former United States Senator Robert Dole in Washington, whom he had been unable to meet during his first trip to the nation's capital from 22 to 24 January 1997. During the meeting, the Secretary-General explained his two-track approach to United Nations reform. The Secretary-General and Mr. Dole also discussed peace-keeping and the ongoing efforts to persuade the United States Congress to approve the payment of past assessments to the United Nations.
On the same day, the Secretary-General also met with the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs, Princeton Lyman, the United States State Department official looking after matters concerning the United Nations.
The Secretary-General addressed the American Council on Education on the morning of Monday, 24 February, with nearly 1,000 college and university leaders in attendance (see Press Release SG/SM/6165 of 24 February). He returned to his New York office on the afternoon of the same day.
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