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BANGKOK, Thailand -- The 15th International AIDS Conference began on a disturbing note here on Sunday with the cancellation of a summit meeting of world leaders invited to discuss AIDS, one of the worst epidemics in history. Only one, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, accepted, said Dr. Peter Piot, the director of U.N. AIDS, an organizer of the conference. Former Presidents Bill Clinton and Nelson Mandela, as well as Denzel Douglas, the prime minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, and Paul Kagame, president of Rwanda, played prominent roles in the last International AIDS Conference, in Barcelona, Spain, in 2002. Spain's prime minister did not attend. President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa spoke at the opening of the conference in Durban, South Africa, in 2000

In its first progress report, issued a day before the start of the 15th International AIDS Conference in Bangkok on Sunday, the agency said that an estimated 440,000 people were being treated. That is about twice as many as in 2002 and 60,000 less than the WHO's goal at this point, said Dr. Jim Kim, director of the agency's AIDS program. [Lee Jong Wook] has staked his prestige on the effort, saying that the United Nations agency could not afford to let 3 by 5 fail because 'the collective response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic is the benchmark by which our generation will be judged.' Critics could point to a news conference in Bangkok on Saturday, WHO officials were long on promises and less specific about data concerning the effort that the Geneva-based agency is conducting with a number of government and private groups. For example, the WHO published a table listing the estimated number of people receiving antiretroviral treatment by country for 49 key countries. The total was 327,000. The WHO did not publish the countries with the remaining 113,000, and officials did not provide a list when asked at the news conference. The WHO has said 100,000 workers will be needed to meet the 3 by 5 goal. Since 2001, only about 15,000 workers have been trained in antiretroviral therapy in 32 affected countries. At least 3,000 workers have been trained in the first half of 2004, indicating that the training is gaining momentum, the report said

Although [Kofi Annan] has attended many other AIDS meetings since April 2001, and convened the first-ever General Assembly session devoted to a disease AIDS Bangkok is the first International AIDS Conference that Annan has attended. [Peter Piot]'s United Nations group has stressed the need to put AIDS on the agendas of political gatherings like Group of Eight summit meetings. At the same time, Piot and others have tried to get heads of state to attend meetings like this one to combine politics and public policy with the science of AIDS. The AIDS virus threatens to cause large epidemics in many Asian countries. With 17,000 participants, the largest of any AIDS conference, organizers said they hoped that the meeting would focus more attention on the threat to the continent. Tim Brown, an epidemiologist from the East West Center, said that the injection of drugs has been a major force in spreading HIV in many Asian countries. Piot said drug use was 'a touchy subject for political leaders in any country or culture.' Still, he added, there was 'a timid but growing leadership on AIDS.'

Although [Kofi Annan] has attended many other AIDS meetings since April 2001, and convened the first General Assembly session ever devoted to a disease AIDS Bangkok is the first International AIDS Conference that Annan has attended. [Peter Piot]'s United Nations group has stressed the need to put AIDS on the agendas of political gatherings like Group of Eight summit meetings. At the same time, Piot and others have tried to get heads of state to attend meetings like this one to combine politics and public policy with the science of AIDS. The AIDS virus threatens to cause large epidemics in many Asian countries. With 17,000 participants, the largest of any AIDS conference, organizers said they hoped that the meeting would focus more attention on the threat to the continent. Tim Brown, an epidemiologist from the East West Center, said that the injection of drugs has been a major force in spreading HIV in many Asian countries. Piot said drug use was 'a touchy subject for political leaders in any country or culture.' Still, he added, there was 'a timid but growing leadership on AIDS.'

Only one, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, accepted, said Dr. Peter Piot, the director of United Nations AIDS, an organizer of the conference. Dr. Piot's United Nations group has stressed the need to put AIDS on the agendas of political meetings like those of the Group of 8. At the same time, Dr. Piot and others have tried to get leaders to attend meetings like this one to combine politics and public policy with AIDS science. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India is not coming because his administration is just starting and is involved in budget debates this week, Dr. Piot said. Sonia Gandhi, the leader of the Congress Party, which leads the governing coalition in India, and Mr. [Nelson Mandela] are expected to speak at the close of the conference

In its first progress report, issued a day before the 15th International AIDS Conference here today, the WHO estimated that 440,000 people were being treated. That is about twice as many as in 2002, said Dr. Jim Kim, director of the agency's AIDS program. But the agency's goal had been to treat 60,000 more people by now. [Lee Jong Wook] said that the U.N. agency could not let it fail because 'the collective response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic is the benchmark by which our generation will be judged.' Only Botswana, Indonesia and Uganda have published such plans. Botswana is treating 18,000 people, with a goal of 30,000; Indonesia is treating 1,500, with a goal of 3,500; and Uganda is treating 20,000, with a goal of 55,000, said Melanie Zipperer, an agency spokeswoman. -->

Falling short: In its first progress report, issued a day before the 15th International AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, today, the World Health Organization estimated that 440,000 people were being treated. That is about twice as many as in 2002, said Dr. Jim Kim, director of the agency's AIDS program. But the agency's goal had been to treat 60,000 more people by now. Only Botswana, Indonesia and Uganda have published such plans. Botswana is treating 18,000 people, with a goal of 30,000; Indonesia is treating 1,500, with a goal of 3,500; and Uganda is treating 20,000, with a goal of 55,000, said Melanie Zipperer, an agency spokeswoman

As the 15th International AIDS Conference starts today in Bangkok, few expect the 15,000 participants will learn about a cure or successful vaccine

The program, known as 3 by 5, has been a subject of debate since the agency's director general, Dr. Lee Jong Wook, announced it last fall. In its first progress report, issued a day before the 15th International AIDS Conference here on Sunday, the World Health Organization estimated that 440,000 people were being treated. That is about twice as many as in 2002, said Dr. Jim Kim, director of the agency's AIDS program. But the agency's goal had been to treat 60,000 more people by now. Only Botswana, Indonesia and Uganda have published such plans. Botswana is treating 18,000 people, with a goal of 30,000; Indonesia is treating 1,500, with a goal of 3,500; and Uganda is treating 20,000, with a goal of 55,000, said Melanie Zipperer, an agency spokeswoman

In its first progress report, issued a day before the 15th International AIDS Conference here on Sunday, the WHO estimated that 440,000 people were being treated. That is about twice as many as in 2002, said Dr. Jim Kim, director of the agency's AIDS program. But the agency's goal had been to treat 60,000 more people by now. [Lee Jong Wook] said that the U.N. agency could not let it fail because 'the collective response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic is the benchmark by which our generation will be judged.' Dr. Peter Piot, the director of the U.N. AIDS program, a partner in the 3 by 5 effort, said, 'We have to be frank and admit that we have a long way to go.'