At UN, China Raises Afghan Killings to Block Debate of Myanmar's, Burma Off Month's Council Agenda

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/unsc1civilians100209.html

UNITED NATIONS, October 2, updated -- China has raised the killing of Afghan civilians, in response to a proposal to include Myanmar and Protection of Civilians in the footnotes of October's UN Security Council program of work, Inner City Press has learned.

In connection with what is usually a routine beginning of the month Council meeting, China disputed the possibility that the "umbrella" topic of Protection of Civilians might be loophole through which the activities of Burma's Than Shwe military government could be raised.

So China, as Russia has done in the past, said that the killing of civilians in Afghanistan by the U.S. and NATO is also relevant.

October's Council president, Vietnam, is having to run the debate. The Council members had a customary breakfast, and then retired to the consultation room.

The few reporters at the stakeout drifted away. At 10:39, only Inner City Press remained at the stakeout, under the now vacant space where a tapestry "after" Picasso's Femme Sur l'Echelle used to be. It was entirely silent. Watch this site.

Update of 11:10 a.m. -- A Council diplomat tells Inner City Press that all except China said, Afghanistan is on the agenda anyway, under an ISAF item.

Update of 1:10 p.m. -- When Vietnam's Ambassador held a press conference as Council president, Inner City Press asked about the omission of Myanmar from even the footnotes of the program of work. We operate by consensus, he answered, and it is not in the footnotes. So, those who proposed Burma's inclusion let it drop. We aim to have more on this -- watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unsc1civilians100209.html