UNITED NATIONS - On the eve of marking the Palestinian Unity Government in Cairo, Egypt, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon late Tuesday strongly appealed to the Palestinian parties - Fatah and Hamas - to strictly commit to peace, his press office said in a statement.

It said Ban "wishes to see unity in the framework of the positions of the Quartet and the commitments of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Arab Peace Initiative. The Secretary General therefore strongly appeals to all Palestinian parties to commit to these principles." It added that the Secretary General has continually supported efforts for unity and the work of Egypt and President Mahmoud Abbas in this regard.

Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry, traveled to Cairo for the marking today of the Palestinian unity agreement.
In a related matter, the UN Security Council President Ambassador Gerard Araud of France told a press conference late Tuesday on the work of the Council during the month of May that in France's view, the reconciliation deal between the two main Palestinian factions "could be a development in the right direction. As France we have to see how it works. We have to check on delivery.

“He added that France sticks to the conditions put forward by the international community when Hamas won the elections in Gaza. Those conditions are that Hamas renounce violence, recognize Israel and adhere to the previous agreements signed by the Palestinian Authority with Israel.
On the situation in Bahrain, Araud said the reason why the Council did not deal with the unrest there is because the members did not believe that the situation would threaten international peace and security. (KUNA)