New Palestinian Government 'positive step forward' : Ban Ki-moon

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon views the establishment of the new Palestinian government as "an important and positive step forward" and wants to encourage that process, his spokesperson emphasized today at a press briefing in New York.

The Secretary-General leaves this week for his first official trip to the Middle East since taking office in January, with stops scheduled in Egypt, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon.