*EPF209 01/04/00
Text: Statement of International Y2K Steering Committee
(Group expresses pride in problem-solving efforts) (420)

An international committee overseeing a cooperative global effort to prepare for the Y2K computer date-reading problem expressed pride January 4 in the smooth passage of the new year and the rare occurrence of software problems.

At the same time, the steering committee of the International Y2K Cooperation Center (IY2KCC) predicted that minor Y2K anomalies will occur in some places in the next few weeks.

The committee said it will release a review of the entire effort next month.

Following is the text of the IY2KCC press release:

(begin text)

January 4, 2000

Statement of the International Y2K Cooperation Center Steering Committee

Major Y2K Successes Permit Reduced Monitoring

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The leaders of the global Y2K team assembled under the auspices of the United Nations and supported by the World Bank today issued the following statement:

"We are proud of the outstanding international program that has successfully addressed the potentially serious impacts of the Y2K computer problem. Unprecedented international cooperation and the dedicated efforts of millions of Y2K workers have given us this exciting result.

Y2K work must continue within organizations in order to assure that this major job is completed successfully. We expect localized glitches to continue over the weeks ahead. However, we are confident that these will be handled by the affected organizations in the course of normal operations. Accordingly, we believe it is now appropriate to reduce the level of monitoring and return to a more routine schedule.

We will issue a complete evaluation of the international efforts conducted by the International Y2K Cooperation Center in February. In the meantime, the Center, its partners the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program, and donor countries stand ready should assistance be needed to address significant Y2K disruptions in the developing world."

Y2K refers to possible computer and automated control system malfunctions when the year changes from 1999 to 2000. Many computers and automated systems are engineered to handle only two-digit year formats, and could make mistakes or stop working when they encounter "00" in the date field.

The IY2KCC was established in February 1999 under United Nations auspices with World Bank funding in response to the need to coordinate efforts to update computer and automated control systems around the world to smoothly transition to the year 2000.

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(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State)
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