Speaking at a reception in New York in honor of the 20th anniversary of the accession of Azerbaijan to the UN and the country’s presidency of the Security Council, Ban Ki-moon, referring to President Ilham Aliyev, stated that "the UN will continue to support Azerbaijan’s efforts to build prosperous and democratic future for the country’s total population", APA reports quoting UN official website. UN Secretary-General congratulates the Government and people of Azerbaijan with the 20th anniversary of accession to the UN.

On May 2, the U.N. Security Council held its first meeting under the presidency of Azerbaijan. The UN Security Council adopted resolution threatened Sudan and South Sudan with sanctions if the former civil war foes fail to halt an escalating conflict and resume talks within two weeks on a string of disputes over oil revenues and border demarcation. The 15-member panel unanimously approved a resolution after weeks of border fighting between the African neighbors that have raised fears Khartoum and Juba, which split when the south seceded last year, could launch an all-out war.

Bilateral relations between Turkmenistan and the United States are built on the long-term, mutually beneficial basis, and they have great potential, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammadov's welcome address to participants of the second exhibition of companies of the U.S. and the Turkmen-U.S. Business Forum, held in Ashgabat, says on Wednesday, State News Agency of Turkmenistan (TDH) reported.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović today ahead of World Press Freedom Day on 3 May paid tribute to the courage of media workers and emphasized their essential role in the development of democracy. “I admire your fearless efforts to tell the truth. We would live in a very different world without a strong independent media. Risking your safety and even lives in the line of duty, you continue to courageously fulfill your mission,” said Mijatović.

Commander of the Turkish Land Forces, General Hayri Kıvrıkoğlu will visit Azerbaijan, defense sources told APA. The visit is expected to take place early June and it will be first visit of Hayri Kıvrıkoğlu to Azerbaijan as a Commander of the Turkish Land Forces. Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilic confirmed the reports on the visit, but didn’t give details.

Every year, approximately 1.2 million barrels of oil are discharged into the Persian Gulf, damaging its sea life and eco-system. The figure is small when considering the nearly five billion barrels of oil annually exported through the Persian Gulf, Abdol-Reza Karbasi, deputy head of marine environment at Iran's Department of Environment, said.

A draft state strategy of relations with the people of the North Caucasus has been developed in Georgia. Today the draft will be discussed in parliament along with representatives of academic circles. The goal of the strategy is strengthening relations between the people of Georgia and the North Caucasus in culture, education, science, commerce, trade and other spheres. According to the document Georgia welcomes tourists from the North Caucasus, and regards their arrival as a step towards the development of relations.

UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon and UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova sent a joint message on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day. The message received from the United Nations Department of Public Information Office in Baku says that freedom of expression is one of our most precious rights. It underpins every other freedom and provides a foundation for human dignity. Free, pluralistic and independent media is essential for its exercise.

Georgian Trade Unions Amalgamation will hold demonstration in connection with International Workers' Day on the Rose Revolution Square in Tbilisi on May 1. As the Trade Unions Amalgamation said, the demonstration will be peaceful. Its participants, presumably about 10,000 people will march from the square to the parliament and will hold a rally there, which will make public all the amendments to the law, which were ignored by lawmakers, but were aimed at improving the situation and protecting the rights of workers.

Syrian authorities should take the last chance given to them and immediately fulfil the plan of Special Envoy of the UN and the Arab League to Syria, Kofi Annan. Turkish President Abdullah Gul made this statement yesterday at a meeting of the National Security Committee, Sabah newspaper reported. Following the meeting, Gul said that Syria should stop the violence and move on to negotiations between the conflicting parties.