Russia’s federal and regional governments have undertaken several impressive steps to tackle the concerns of its small number of indigenous peoples, but significant challenges remain in overcoming poverty, unemployment and other social ills, a United Nations human rights expert said today.

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia last year, is “inextricably caught” between the differing perceptions of the opposing sides, which hinder its efforts to bring the majority Albanians and minority Serbian and other ethnic groups closer together, the top UN official there said today.

Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders met today to continue discussions on governance, focusing on the executive, as part of ongoing United Nations-backed talks to unify the Mediterranean island, the world body said today.

Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro today highlighted the vital partnership between the United Nations and the European Union (EU) in helping to improve the lives of millions of people around the world, particularly through their support to countries emerging from crises.