Europe

UN political affairs chief visits Cyprus, Greece and Turkey

31 May 2005
The United Nations chief of political affairs is visiting Cyprus, Greece and Turkey to assess the mood on the island and in the region after the parallel referenda in Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities late last April on Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s proposal to re-unite before joining the European Union (EU).

Media figures on asylum in Italy ‘misleading,’ UN refugee agency says

27 May 2005
Over half of asylum applicants in Italy whose cases were examined on their merits in 2004 were judged to be in need of international protection, the United Nations refugee agency said today.

Set of 64 mortal remains repatriated to Kosovo under UN auspices

27 May 2005
A group of 64 bodies exhumed from Batajnica, Serbia, and believed to be of missing Kosovo Albanians, were repatriated under United Nations auspices today.
Soren Jesses-Petersen (file)

Kosovo making steady progress despite continued challenges, Security Council told

27 May 2005
Progress in Kosovo remains on track, in most priority areas, despite continued uncertainty, a change of Government and the fact that Kosovo Serbs continue to shun participation in the provisional institutions, Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s representative told the United Nations Security Council today.

Progress in Kosovo must be across the board, continuous – Annan

26 May 2005
Noting concrete progress in Kosovo toward internationally-agreed standards in such areas as government reform, the rule of law and minority rights, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in a report out today, stressed that continuing progress must be made in all priority areas for any future political settlement to proceed.
Kofi Annan

UN welcomes European agreement on increased development aid

25 May 2005
Top United Nations officials today praised the European Union's agreement to substantially boost its official development assistance (ODA) over the next decade, with half of the increase going to Africa.
Luciano Pavarotti

Marking UN's 60th anniversary, Pavarotti to advocate development goals in two concerts

25 May 2005
Marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, celebrated opera singer and UN Messenger of Peace Luciano Pavarotti will use two of his concerts this week to advocate supporting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), designed in 2000 to reduce or eliminate a host of socioe-conomic ills by 2015.
António Guterres

Former Portuguese Prime Minister proposed as next UN High Commissioner for Refugees

24 May 2005
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today recommended to the General Assembly that former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Manuel de Oliveira Guterres become the next UN High Commissioner for Refugees, with a three-year mandate beginning 15 June.

UN official concludes preliminary talks on Cyprus, heads to region at month's end

20 May 2005
The top United Nations political affairs official today wrapped up a series of preliminary talks with a senior Cypriot envoy on the Cyprus issue, ahead of an expected visit to the region at the end of the month.
USG Prendergast

Kieran Prendergast, top UN political affairs official, to retire in June

18 May 2005
The top United Nations political official, Sir Kieran Prendergast, will retire at the end of June after giving the world body more than eight years of service.