Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un1cmp022608.html
UNITED NATIONS, February 26 -- They ask us for more and more money, Japan's deputy permanent representative to the UN Takahiro Shinyo told Inner City Press last week. He predicted the UN asking for up to $1 billion in add-ons, including some related to the already-funded Capital Master Plan. Japan has already paid $285 million, he said.
A question submitted in writing on Monday to the office of Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson about these budget add-on was not, at end of Tuesday, answered. UN Controller Warren Sach, absent for some time, was spotted in the lobby on Tuesday. Budget committee meetings are just around the corner. Even the briefings, on security and by the Department of Management's Alicia Barcena, will be closed to the press and public. Will supposed freedom of information be discussed behind closed doors?
When the UN goes into exile from its iconic 40 story tower, most will probably head to 380 Madison Avenue, where a lease is reportedly being finalized by UN Assistant Secretary General Michael Adlerstein. A recent visit found the building without sufficient security, a matter to be addressed with New York's Mayor Mike Bloomberg, it is said. Given the bombing in Algeria, the panel on which is only now being named, improvements to the UN's so-called swing space will be needed. But was this unforeseen?
