The United Nations on Friday urged the U.S. to facilitate access for Palestinian officials attending this year's General Assembly amid reports Washington could deny Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas a visa, while saying it has received no official notification from U.S. authorities on the matter.
Spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that visa applications for heads of state and other senior officials are handled by the U.S., the host country, rather than the U.N. Secretariat.
"We have not received any official notification from the U.S.,” Dujarric said, adding that the UN was aware of the reports.
Some local media reports said the Trump administration was planning, for the second consecutive year, to bar Abbas from traveling to New York to address the U.N. General Assembly next month.
Dujarric said the U.N.’s position was that the U.S. should meet its obligations under the host country agreement, which is intended to facilitate the entry of diplomats and government officials traveling to New York for UN business.
