Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un2pgafunding031908.html
UNITED NATIONS, March 19 -- The day after the President of the General Assembly Srgjan Kerim acknowledged to Inner City Press that his rent and salary is paid by the Government of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and called for a reform in which this would be prohibited and funds provided by the UN itself, two Ambassadors on the Security Council raised questions about Kerim's proposal. France's Deputy Permanent Representative Jean-Pierre Lacroix said "there is already an envelope" of funds given to Kerim's office, "it's more a question of how is it used, frankly." The General Assembly has voted $280,000 a year for the Office of the President of the General Assembly, which Kerim's spokesman has told Inner City Press is devoted only to "travel and representation as well as transportation, communication and security related costs."
"I didn't know that was the arrangement," Indonesia's Permanent Representative Marty Natalegawa told Inner City Press. He said that before any hasty decision is reached to give the President of the General Assembly more money, a broader context must be considered, the possible precedent it would set for such posts as the "chairs of various committees, forums and processes."
While Ban Ki-moon has spoken of the need for transparency and reform to try to bring about greater public confidence in the UN system, when Inner City Press on Wednesday asked his spokesperson Michele Montas if he believes the President of the General Assembly should be funded by the UN, or by outside parties, she replied that "we don't have to comment on this... this does not have anything to do with the reform program."
Told of Kerim's position that currently no rules apply to whom he takes money from, Amb. Natalegawa asked rhetorically, "So all options are open, then."
Sources told Inner City Press that its story about Kerim's acceptance of rent in Essex House and a salary have summoned an inevitable comparison to what is paid to legislators and the president in FYROM, and its UN Ambassador in New York. Talk has begun that FYROM sought recoupment from Kerim's employer, the WAZ media group -- if so, Amb. Natalegawa would be right, all options have been open. Questions have arisen regarding whether the proper authorizations were obtained before these payments to Mr. Kerim began.
From the Balkans, it can be viewed that Kerim masterfully deflected an inquiry into what funding he has been and is taking into a broader called for reform, delivered to Inner City Press by Kerim's spokesman:
"President Kerim has always maintained that all costs related to the post and functioning of the General Assembly President should be covered through the regular UN budget... rather than the makeshift arrangements that currently exist.
"This would ensure each elected President has an equal opportunity to deliver results -- whether from a developed or developing country, no matter how large or small. An entirely UN funded budget would enhance the independence of the President, and increase transparency and accountability to Member States."
Lost in this proposal, seen from the Balkans, are the specifics of what has been received. Developing.
