Part of Near East (4)
I believe the answer is:
area
'part' is the definition.
(area is a kind of part)
'of near east' is the wordplay.
'of' indicates a hidden word.
'AREA' can be found hidden inside 'near east'.
(Other definitions for area that I've seen before include "Space for a specific purpose, say picnic" , "Field of activity or surface" , "Expanse of a surface" , "Length multiplied by breadth" , "land" .)