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UN Middle East envoy in "regular contact" with regional leaders: spokesman

29 March 2012 03:53 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. UN Special Coordinatorfor the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry is in contact with Middle Eastern leaders on issues plaguing the region on a regular basis, UN spokesman Eduardo del Buey said here Wednesday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

Del Buey’s statement came during a daily press briefing, in response to a question from a reporter about how the UN was reacting to the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

The spokesman said that Serry is "in regular contact with leaders in the region and engaged on a daily basis on these issues " and serves as UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s "representative on the ground."

According to del Buey, Ban’s views on Israeli settlements as well as the views of the UN as a whole on this issue remain the same.

"The secretary-general considers settlements to be illegal," he said. "This continues to be the policy of the United Nations."

Del Buey responded to another inquiry from a journalist on reports that Israel will not cooperate with the UN Human Rights Council.

The Human Rights Council has "not received official confirmation of the various press reports quoting Israeli officials," he said.