U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Wednesday 2005 was a "real difficult" year because of devastating natural disasters and continuing conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, DPA reported. He cited the tsunami that struck Indian Ocean nations and the earthquake in northern Pakistan, where recovery and shelter efforts are still underway. "But I look forward to next year, my last year as secretary-general," Annan told a year-end news conference. He said he plans to focus on fighting poverty, environmental disasters, armed conflicts, terrorism and weapons of mass destruction in the months before his second five-year term ends next December. Annan urged U.N. members to make changes for a "U.N. fit for the tasks ahead," including approving a two-year administrative budget that would help implement those changes. He was referring to internal fighting between the bloc of developing countries and the European Union, which differed on how the budget for 2006-2007 should be drawn up.
