UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 24 (Xinhuanet) -- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan greeted the year 2004 on Wednesday with appeals to world leaders to pay attention to threats of extreme poverty, hunger, infectious disease and other threats to global development.

    "These dangers stalk large parts of our planet. They kill millions and millions of people every year. They destroy societies.They fuel division and desperation," Annan said in a New Year message.

    Noting that the past year had seen war in Iraq and the deep divisions it sparked, he said that the time had come to give poor countries real opportunity to develop and to save the resources ofour planet.

    "Yes, we have to fight terrorism. Yes, we must prevent the spread of deadly weapons," Annan declared. "But let's also say yesto development. Let's bring hope into the lives of those who suffer. Without development and hope, there will be no peace."

    Recalling the millennium development goals, such as halving extreme poverty by 2015, he said: "To meet these goals would cost only a fraction of what our world spends on weapons of war. Yet itwould bring hope to billions, and greater security to us all.

    "But in 2003 we did not live up to these promises. We let ourselves be swept along by the tide of war and division," he added. "2004 must be different. It must be the year when we begin to turn the tide." Enditem