AIDS; Common enemy for India and Pakistan. Kofi n

[Guest guest]

UN Press release. SG/SM/9254. AIDS/72. 13.04.2004

`AIDS IS A COMMON ENEMY THAT BOTH INDIA AND PAKISTAN HAVE TO FIGHT TOGETHER',

SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS IN MESSAGE TO CRICKET TEAMS

Following is the message by Secretary-General Kofi n to the cricket teams of

India and Pakistan, in Rawalpindi, today:

By the time this test match finishes, nearly 4,000 people will have been

infected with HIV in South Asia. For every over you bowl today, 10 people will

have been infected with the virus.

As cricketers, you can win the hearts of your people.

As role models, you can encourage young people to protect themselves, and urge

your leaders to pay more attention to the epidemic.

And by wearing the red ribbon, you show that you care deeply about AIDS and

about people living with HIV/AIDS, and so help to remove stigma and

discrimination, a major obstacle in the fight against the epidemic.

I congratulate you and the cricket boards of India and Pakistan, together with

the International Cricket Council, on their decision to highlight the AIDS

crisis during this historic tour. AIDS is a common enemy that both India and

Pakistan have to fight together.