Middle East

Iran: UN health agency seeks $3.5 million to help quake victims

31 December 2003
With cold night temperatures, inadequate water and sanitation, and insufficient care for the injured posing serious risks for the survivors of Iran's devastating earthquake, the United Nations health agency has appealed for $3.5 million to buy supplies and rehabilitate health facilities to prevent further sickness and deaths.

UN transfers $.2.6 billion in oil revenues to development fund for Iraq

31 December 2003
The United Nations today is transferring $2.6 billion in surplus funds from its now-defunct "oil-for-food" programme to the Development Fund for Iraq.

UN official calls for generous aid to displaced Iranian quake survivors

30 December 2003
The United Nations official responsible for internally displaced people today appealed to the global community to generously aid the survivors of last week’s devastating earthquake in Iran and to support long-term efforts to rebuild the country’s destroyed communities.
Amb. Tafrov briefs reporters

Security Council members strongly condemn repeated attacks in Iraq

29 December 2003
United Nations Security Council members today condemned “in the strongest terms” repeated attacks in Iraq against foreign and Iraqi nationals, as well as international and coalition personnel.

UN sends funds and emergency teams to earthquake-ravaged Iran

26 December 2003
With Iran’s Government reporting heavy casualties from an earthquake which rocked the southeastern part of the country, the United Nations today dispatched funds and experts to bolster relief efforts.

Iraqi official agrees to meet Annan for talks in January on future UN role - spokesman

24 December 2003
Adnan Pachachi, President of the Iraqi Governing Council for January, has agreed to come to New York next month to meet with Secretary-General Kofi Annan for talks on the future role of the United Nations in the country, a UN spokesman said today.
Kofi Annan

Annan strongly condemns latest incursion into Gaza refugee camp

23 December 2003
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today strongly condemned the latest military incursion in the Rafah refugee camp in Gaza, which left at least eight Palestinians, many of them civilians, dead.

Planned UN meeting on Iraq may be held later than 15 January - spokesman

23 December 2003
A planned meeting between the United Nations and representatives of the Iraqi Governing Council and the United States-led Coalition Provisional Authority could be slightly delayed in order to accommodate the schedule of participants, a UN spokesman said today.
Council President Amb. Stefan Tafrov

Mandate of UN's Israel-Syria disengagement force extended through next June

22 December 2003
The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping force established in 1974 to maintain the ceasefire between Israeli and Syrian forces in the Golan Heights.

Shocked by attack on Egyptian official, Annan urges dialogue over violence

22 December 2003
Reacting to today's attack in Jerusalem on Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Maher, a United Nations spokesman said Secretary-General Kofi Annan was "shocked" by the incident.