Worried about the dangerous standstill in the Israeli-Palestinian political process, the top United Nations political official today encouraged the leaders of both sides to “respond positively” to last month’s speech by United States President Barack Obama in order to move the peace talks forward.

The following Security Council press statement on the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur was issued today by Council President Noël Nelson Messone (Gabon):

On 22 June 2011, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) approved the deletion (de-listing) of the eight entries specified below from the Al-Qaida Sanctions List.

BRUSSELS, 23 June (Division for Palestinian Rights) — The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People will convene the United Nations International Meeting in Support of the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process, on 28 and 29 June 2011 in Brussels, Belgium. The theme of the Meeting is “The role of Europe in advancing Palestinian statehood and achieving peace between Israelis and Palestinians”.

The Special Committee on Decolonization concluded its 2011 substantive session today with the passage of a draft resolution on the Question of Tokelau, which would have the General Assembly acknowledge the Territory’s decision that consideration of any future act of self-determination would be deferred and that Tokelau and New Zealand would renew efforts to ensuring that essential services and infrastructure in the Pacific Territory’s three atolls was enhanced.

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message, delivered by Margaret Vogt, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic, to the Partners’ Round Table on the Central African Republic, held in Brussels on 17 June:

Reiterating the need for a comprehensive strategy to foster peace and stability in Somalia, the Security Council called today on the signatories of the 9 June Kampala Accord to honour their obligations under that agreement and ensure “cohesion, unity and focus” in completing the transitional tasks set forth in the Djibouti Agreement and the Transitional Charter.

Warning that illicit drugs and organized criminal networks were wreaking havoc in many countries — even holding hostage the stability and development of entire regions — the top United Nations anti-drugs and crime official told the Security Council today that tackling those scourges required “urgent action” supported by a coordinated response, led by the world body.