Ban Ki

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the Security Council on Oct. 21 that he was "not optimistic" following his talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders to urge them to defuse tensions, diplomats said.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will brief the Security Council on Oct. 21 on his trip to the Middle East where he is seeking to defuse weeks of violence, diplomats said.

As Russia and the United States work on formulas as inclusive as possible to find a solution to the Syrian crisis, without letting the Islamist factions take over the entire country, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the European Union on Sept. 28 to do more to confront the migration crisis stemming from the four-year-old Syrian civil war.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras continued his high-profile meetings in the “Big Apple” on Monday, with UN Chief Ban Ki moon and Cyprus President Nikos Anastasiades next up on Tuesday.

Tsipras’ Monday “highlights” included a brief conversation with Raul Castro, Cuba’s “Commandante No. 2″, who invited him to the island nation, as well as with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.

UN General Secretary Ban Ki moon called on the European countries to ‘do more’ on the refugee crisis from the podium of the United Nations General Assembly.

Greek PM Alexis Tsipras landed in New York, early Sunday to take part in the 70th United Nations Annual Assembly. During his 6-day stay in the US, the Greek PM hopes to gain the support of the US in an effort to promote a better deal for the enormous Greek debt.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an has called on the United Nations to act against Israel?s ?breach? of the sanctity of the al-Aqsa Mosque in east Jerusalem, a presidential source said late Sept. 14.

The United Nations is expected on Sept.10 to allow the Palestinians to raise their flag at its headquarters in New York in a symbolic move highlighting Palestinian aspirations for statehood.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sept. 8 condemned the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party's (PKK) recent attacks in Turkey which have killed dozens of soldiers and police officers since Sept. 6.

"[Ban] conveys his condolences to the families of the victims and expresses his deep sympathy to the government and people of Turkey," read a statement issued by his spokesperson.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon accused all parties in the Syrian conflict of "indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks" on civilians and said the U.N. and its partners couldn't deliver food to 422,000 people in besieged areas in July.