PRESS RELEASE

"Microsoft and the United Nations Tradepoint Development Centre
(UNTPDC) today agreed to jointly design and develop a Secure ETO Browser
based on  a customised version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer 4. The
Secure ETO Browser will allow ETO users to certify and connect securely
to the UNTPDC's ETO system via the Secure Electronic Authenticated Link
SEAL Hubs using the ETO international standard.

Currently there are more than 7 million companies world-wide using the
Electronic Trading Opportunity (ETO) service with 160 million
transactions a month. This number will more than double within the
next twelve months. Access to the secure Global Trade Point Network will
be provided using smart cards supported by a smart card key management
system using Microsoft's Windows NT.

The UNTPDC / Microsoft plan is to ensure total inter-operability using
Microsoft Office applications and the Secure Electronic Authenticate
Link (SEAL) system which will connect securely the Global Trade Point
Network now operational in 173 countries."

The Secure ETO Browser based on  a customised version of
Microsoft's Internet Explorer 4 will be distributed during the United
Nations Conference on Secure Infrastructures for Electronic Commerce,
30th & 31st October 1997 Melbourne, Australia.

http://www.unicc.org/untpdc/conference/interact/
http://www.untpdc.org/untpdc/conference/interact/

Further information:

     
***** The United Nations Secure Infrastructure for Electronic Commerce
****

Carlos Moreira
Head 
United Nations Trade Point Development Center UNTPDC
United Nations Conference for Trade and Development UNCTAD
http://www.unicc.org/untpdc/welcome.html
http://www.untpdc.org/untpdc/welcome.html
email: cmoreira@urgento.gse.rmit.edu.au