New York - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday welcomed the agreement reached by the leaders of the Group of 20 nations to better regulate global financial markets.

Ban praised "the agreement on the international coordination of stimulus packages, a move he had advocated in his remarks at the White House, also new market regulation to avoid future crises, more inclusive new economic governance, and the need to avoid trade and investment protectionism," his spokesperson said in a statement released in New York.

New York - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Friday the flare-up in fighting that violated the ceasefire in Gaza Strip has the potential to inflict more suffering and violence to the civilian population.

Rockets fired into Israel by Palestinian militants and Israeli retaliation have threatened the truce agreed upon since June between the two sides, Ban said, calling on both sides to respect international humanitarian and human rights law.

New York - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday urged the G20 summit in Washington to demonstrate its resolve to find solutions to the deepening financial crisis affecting countries around the world.

The summit on Saturday was called by the White House at the urging of European leaders to work out solutions to the current financial crisis.

New York - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday welcomed Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir's announcement of an immediate ceasefire in the troubled western region of Darfur.

Al-Bashir said the fighting should stop between the government's armed forces and warring factions and called for an effective monitoring mechanism to monitor the ceasefire. He also called for the disarming of militia forces.

New York - The world's richest governments should draw on their political will to assist poor countries as the amount of bail- out money in developed countries have far exceeded the funds wealthy nations have provided for development in poor ones, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday.

New York - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged the Kosovo government to show flexibility and agree to a revamped UN mission there following its secession from Serbia.

A six-point plan to reorganize the UN mission was accepted by Belgrade, but opposed by Pristina. Ban had decided to change the UN mission's mandate in Pristina and draw down its personnel after Pristina declared independence from Serbia.