UNITED NATIONS, May 9: Responding to a request by the UN General Assembly, Secretary General Kofi Annan has asked his secretariat to work expeditiously to prepare a report on recent events in Jenin and other Palestinian cities, a spokesman said on Thursday.

On Wednesday the General Assembly adopted a resolution asking the Secretary-General Kofi Annan to “present a report, drawing upon the available resources and information, on the recent events that took place in Jenin and in other Palestinian cities.”

Israel had blocked a UN fact finding mission to Jenin sought by a Security Council resolution saying it was biased, Mr. Annan aborted the mission. “The Secretariat will review available information,” spokesman Fred Eckhard told reporters. “It will also request the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority to provide information.”

“We hope that the parties will cooperate fully with us as we prepare this report,” he added.