UN Special Coordinator holds talks in Jordan – Daily press briefing by the Spokesperson for SecGen (excerpts)

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICES OF THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

AND THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Michèle Montas, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, and Enrique Yeves, Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly.

Briefing by the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

Good afternoon all.

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** Middle East

The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry, returned today to Jerusalem after an official visit to Jordan.

While meeting with the Jordanian King, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Serry conveyed the Secretary-General’s appreciation for Jordan’s role in supporting efforts to negotiate a two-State solution and build the institutions of a Palestinian State.  He also stressed the importance of further action on the ground to enable Palestinian institutional and economic development, and to freeze all settlement activity, including in East Jerusalem.

Serry welcomed Jordan's support of efforts underway in Cairo aimed at reunifying Gaza and the West Bank within the framework of the legitimate Palestinian Authority.  He also expressed the UN’s continued support for the Arab Peace Initiative and a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace based on Security Council resolutions and international law.  We have more on that upstairs.

**Palestinians

Still on the Palestinians, the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees has issued an urgent appeal for the resettlement of the Palestinian refugees who used to live in Iraq.  Many of them have been stranded for over two years at two camps near the Iraq-Syria border.

UNHCR says that living conditions at the border camps are very difficult, with the refugees facing extreme temperatures, regular sandstorms, minimal security, and open sewage pits near tents and cooking facilities.  In addition, there are no medical facilities nearby and no ambulance services.  We have more on that upstairs.

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For information media • not an official record