UNITED NATIONS, July 13 (UPI) -- U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan Wednesday gave a ringing endorsement to Middle East envoy Terje Roed-Larsen despite Palestinian criticism.
"The secretary-general wishes to express his full support," said a spokeswoman at U.N. World Headquarters in New York. "As his special coordinator for the Middle East peace process and personal representative of the secretary-general to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority, Roed-Larsen speaks on his behalf."
The envoy told the Security Council Tuesday the Palestinian Authority "is in deep distress and is in real danger of collapse."
He criticized the Palestinians and Israel for failing to implement the so-called road map to peace sponsored by the diplomatic Quartet, consisting of the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the United States.
"Roed-Larsen's intention was to convey concerns within the Quartet and, more widely in the international community, regarding a lack of implementation by both parties of their road map obligations," said the spokeswoman, Marie Okabe.
