Middle East

With tensions high between Israel and Lebanon, Annan recommends renewal of UN force mandate

20 January 2005
Recommending a six-month extension of the United Nations peace-monitoring force's mandate in the so-called Blue Line between Israel and Lebanon, Secretary-General Kofi Annan says two incidents in January decisively shattered a period of relative calm over the past six months.

UN encouraged by new Palestinian move to end Gaza violence

20 January 2005
The latest developments in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the deployment of Palestinian security forces in northern Gaza are "very encouraging," a United Nations spokesman said today, after days of concern that a fresh upsurge of violence could abort renewed hopes for progress.
Annan briefs reporters at headquarters

In face of violence, UN has done all it can technically for Iraqi elections – Annan

17 January 2005
With less than two weeks left before Iraq’s elections, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today the United Nations had fulfilled its role as technical adviser, and he appealed to the Government to make the vote as inclusive as possible despite the “far from ideal” situation of violence prevailing in the country.

After renewed violence, Annan vows to get Middle East peace plan back on track

17 January 2005
Alarmed by the recent upsurge of violence between Israelis and Palestinians after hopes of a fresh start with the election of a new Palestinian president, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan vowed today to do whatever it takes to get the so-called Road Map peace plan back on track.
Amb. Ashraf Qazi

Arab nationalists in Iraq must be persuaded to support elections, UN envoy says

16 January 2005
Elections scheduled to take place at the end of this month in Iraq must be as inclusive as possible, the United Nations envoy to the country said today, calling for greater efforts to reach out to Arab nationalists, especially the Sunni Muslims who have voiced reservations about the polling process.
Kofi Annan

Annan says Palestinians should support new leadership to achieve statehood

15 January 2005
Calling recent violence a setback to the Middle East peace process, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today appealed to Palestinians to support their new leader in efforts to achieve the long-sought goal of statehood.

Annan condemns deadly Palestinian terror attack at Gaza crossing

14 January 2005
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today condemned the Palestinian terror attack Thursday night that caused the death of six Israeli civilians and injury to four others.

As Iraqi vote nears UN officials stress need for inclusiveness

14 January 2005
With barely two weeks left before Iraq holds elections for a provisional national assembly which will appoint a new government and write a constitution, top United Nations officials today called for the poll to be as inclusive as possible despite the violence in the war-wracked country.
USG Prendergast

UN official paints modestly optimistic picture for progress in Middle East conflict

13 January 2005
For the second straight month the head of the United Nations Political Affairs office today presented a modestly optimistic picture of the “enormous potential” for progress towards settling the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians in contrast to the gloomy forebodings of much of the past year.
Staffan de Mistura

Annan's personal envoy for southern Lebanon named deputy of UN mission in Iraq

13 January 2005
Secretary-General Kofi Annan today appointed his personal envoy focusing on containing tensions along the line marking the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon to be his Deputy Special Representative for Iraq.