Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/unsc4srilanka021809.html
UNITED NATIONS, February 18 -- As meetings begin on the need to reform the UN Security Council, the disposition of a member's request for a briefing about the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka exemplifies flaws in how the body functions.
In early February, as the pace of civilian death escalated in northern Sri Lanka, Mexican Ambassador Claude Heller asked for a briefing in the Council on the issue. Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin responded that such a briefing would be improper. Churkin later confirmed this to Inner City Press, on camera, adding that while the issue could for example be raised in the General Assembly, it is not on the Security Council's agenda.
Inner City Press last week asked Mexico's Heller for the status of his request. He said that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had sent an envoy, that the request was still live, and that he and Mexico believe that Sri Lanka can be discussed in the Council.
But later on February 18, this month's Council president, Japan's Yukio Takaso, replied to Inner City Press' follow-up question by stating that "at this moment, there is no strong request for a member." Video here, from Minute 5:43. Inner City Press asked, weren't you tasked to mediate between Mexico and Russia on this issue? Ambassador Takasu said, "yes, I am tasked to coordinate this position, this disagreement, I have been trying to narrow differences." By his account, the result of his narrowing has been to push the issue of Sri Lanka even further from discussion or briefing in the Security Council.
Other Security Council Ambassadors have told Inner City Press that Takasu has been very solicitous of Russia, for example apologizing profusely to Churkin for not being able to block some uses of the word "Georgia" with respect to Abkhazia, which Russia, followed only by Nicaragua, has recognized as independent from that country. (For the record, Takasu is solicitous of the Press as well, scrupulously takes all questions, at least as President.) In this scenario, Japan which wants a permanent seat on the Council is bending over backwards during the month of its presidency to please the existing Permanent Five, Russia included.
A close observer of Japanese foreign policy, speaking on condition of anonymity because of a need to continue to deal with those involved in the policy, surmises that since Japan's national position is to keep the Sri Lanka issue out of the Council, Takasu's mediation as president was impacted by the goals of his nation. Takasu often says, "putting on my chapeau" as Japanese Ambassador, as opposed to ostensibly non-national Council president. But, this close observer said, in the case of Sri Lanka, Japanese foreign policy may have been implemented in part by its role as monthly president.
Footnote: In a somewhat similar issue on the Council's horizon, Inner City Press asked Mr. Takasu if the reports that North Korea is moving toward testing a long-range missile have been mentioned among Council members, and how the Council might react to such a test. Takasu replied that the issue, which he is known to be discussing, has not arising in the Council, and that "it is not useful to speculate" on the "expected response by the Council." Video here, from Minute 10:25.
And see, www.innercitypress.com/unsc4srilanka021809.html
