٠٠:٠٠:٣١Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.
Footage shows the heads of delegation exchanging greetings before speaking at the negotiating table.
"Any news?" Lavrov began the dialogue.
"About the future of the agency?" Lazzarini responded, to which the Russian diplomat replied: "this is another question."
The Russian Foreign Ministry's press service said the sides discussed the escalating situation in the Middle East, the challenges of getting humanitarian aid into Gaza and the need for an immediate ceasefire in the enclave.
Earlier this year, Israel accused UNRWA employees of working with Hamas on the October 7 attacks, with several donors suspending ties temporarily. A number of staff were sacked, although the UN investigation say it couldn't 'independently authenticate information used by Israel' in nine other cases and 'no evidence' was provided in another.
Lavrov arrived in New York on Wednesday to take part in events at the UN General Assembly. The minister is also scheduled to attend several bilateral and multilateral meetings, including those of the CSTO, BRICS, G20 and the Group of Friends for the Defence of the UN Charter.
'Any news?' - Lavrov asks UNRWA commissioner-general about agency's affairs on UNGA sidelines
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.
Footage shows the heads of delegation exchanging greetings before speaking at the negotiating table.
"Any news?" Lavrov began the dialogue.
"About the future of the agency?" Lazzarini responded, to which the Russian diplomat replied: "this is another question."
The Russian Foreign Ministry's press service said the sides discussed the escalating situation in the Middle East, the challenges of getting humanitarian aid into Gaza and the need for an immediate ceasefire in the enclave.
Earlier this year, Israel accused UNRWA employees of working with Hamas on the October 7 attacks, with several donors suspending ties temporarily. A number of staff were sacked, although the UN investigation say it couldn't 'independently authenticate information used by Israel' in nine other cases and 'no evidence' was provided in another.
Lavrov arrived in New York on Wednesday to take part in events at the UN General Assembly. The minister is also scheduled to attend several bilateral and multilateral meetings, including those of the CSTO, BRICS, G20 and the Group of Friends for the Defence of the UN Charter.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.
Footage shows the heads of delegation exchanging greetings before speaking at the negotiating table.
"Any news?" Lavrov began the dialogue.
"About the future of the agency?" Lazzarini responded, to which the Russian diplomat replied: "this is another question."
The Russian Foreign Ministry's press service said the sides discussed the escalating situation in the Middle East, the challenges of getting humanitarian aid into Gaza and the need for an immediate ceasefire in the enclave.
Earlier this year, Israel accused UNRWA employees of working with Hamas on the October 7 attacks, with several donors suspending ties temporarily. A number of staff were sacked, although the UN investigation say it couldn't 'independently authenticate information used by Israel' in nine other cases and 'no evidence' was provided in another.
Lavrov arrived in New York on Wednesday to take part in events at the UN General Assembly. The minister is also scheduled to attend several bilateral and multilateral meetings, including those of the CSTO, BRICS, G20 and the Group of Friends for the Defence of the UN Charter.