UN chief voices concern over visa delays by US for member states' delegates

UNITED NATIONS -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "remains very concerned" by delays in the issuance of visas by the United States to some representatives of Russia and other member states to attend UN meetings in New York, his spokesman said on Thursday.

For months, Guterres and the UN Legal Counsel have repeatedly conveyed their concerns as well as the legal position of the United Nations to US senior representatives, said spokesperson Stephane Dujarric in a note to correspondents.

"The secretary-general and his team will continue to follow this matter closely," he said.

In meetings of the UN Committee on Relations with the Host Country, Russia, Cuba and Syria were among the member states that raised the issue of visa delays by the host country, according to the latest report of the committee.