By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/cmp1nlawn122809.html
UNITED NATIONS, December 28 -- In the UN General Assembly basement, by the UN Gift and Coffee Shops, there has been another ceiling collapse. This led to the closure of the UN Coffee Shop, leaving the only coffee available in international territory in the new North Lawn building.
The scene there on December 28 was one of chaos. Workmen whitewashed the ceilings, wires stuck out of walls, UN Protocol staffers worked the phones as they moved in. Already there is delay.
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has publicized a Town Hall meeting for staff on January 11, but staff tell Inner City Press it had been slated for January 4. The space was not ready. Mr. Ban is said to have shouted about delay, including in staff mobility plans.
Those who have ventured to Mr. Ban's new office on the new building's third floor call it the Ban Cave, complete with enormous marble walled bathroom with stand up shower. It is set back from First Avenue, said to be a safety measure. If it is the Ban Cave, who is the Joker? One wag askes, who is Robin -- Ms. Migiro? Mr. Nambiar? The Dark Knight Mr. Kim?
Forlorn on the first floor are two open areas with the brown chairs from the now closed Delegates Lounge. The areas are labeled, "Delegates Lounge." One wonders if, at night, drinks will be available. Where will the enormous tapestry of the Great Wall of China go? Already the new building is being analogized to a "high school or a Wal-Mart." Will diplomatic intrigue breathe life into it?
Meanwhile, as Egyptian authorities block Press access to protesters in front of the UN building in Cairo, the UN has said nothing. Inner City Press has put in a question at the time of what would have been the noon briefing. We'll see.
Journalistic footnote: returning from the new building via the loading dock, one passes through Publishing. While last week it seemed that under Franz Baumann, the UN Journal would cease hard copy publication on January 1, from Vienna Mr. Baumann wrote in that it will continue to be printed for delegations.
Inner City Press asked spokesman Martin Nesirky how distribution will be limited to mission and not staff or press. Nesirky said this level of detail was beneath him. But beneath the North Lawn, there is a document reception area where Mission are said to go. We'll see.
