Middle East

Two years on from war in Lebanon, progress on cluster munitions – UN agency

14 August 2008
Two years after the end of fighting in Lebanon between Hizbollah and the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), the threat of cluster munitions has been reduced but not eliminated in the south of the country, according to a United Nations agency in charge of clearing mines from the area.

Ban welcomes outcome of Lebanon-Syria talks

14 August 2008
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the results of the summit between Lebanese President Michel Suleiman and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad which was held in Damascus.

Landmark cooperation deal signed between UN and Iraqi Government

13 August 2008
The United Nations today signed a landmark agreement with the Government of Iraq which lays down a three-year blueprint for the world body’s work in reconstruction, development and humanitarian assistance.

Security Council, Ban deplore deadly bombing in northern Lebanon

13 August 2008
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council today condemned this morning’s bombing in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, voicing hope that it will not impede recent political progress in the Middle Eastern nation.

Tributes by UN officials mark passing of Palestinian poet

13 August 2008
Senior United Nations officials in the Middle East have joined their voices to those paying tribute to the late Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, who was laid to rest today.

New string quartet piece to mark anniversary of UN Baghdad terrorist attack

8 August 2008
A new classical music work called Songs without Borders, composed in memory of United Nations personnel who have perished in the line of duty, will be performed on the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attack against the world body’s Baghdad office which claimed 22 lives.

Israel and Palestinians to boost postal services with help from UN agency

7 August 2008
Israeli and Palestinian postal authorities have agreed to start direct mail exchanges between the Palestinian Authority and the 191 member countries of the United Nations Universal Postal Union (UPU), with mail transiting through Jordan.

UN mission in Iraq ‘regrets’ failure of parliament to pass an electoral law

7 August 2008
The United Nations Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) says it regrets that an opportunity was missed yesterday when the country’s parliament adjourned without reaching agreement on a new provincial elections law.

Time for Iraqis to make political progress, UN political chief says

6 August 2008
Iraqis must focus on political dialogue, reconciliation and bread-and-butter economic issues now that they are seeing improved security, the top United Nations political official told the Security Council today.

Palestinians stranded on Iraq-Syria border to resettle in Iceland – UN agency

5 August 2008
More than two dozen Palestinians stranded for the last two years in makeshift camps in the desert on the Iraq-Syria border are set to leave in the coming weeks for Iceland, the United Nations refugee agency said today, while calling attention to the plight of more than 2,000 Palestinians who remain in the camps.