By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/lula0deiss031210.html
WASHINGTON, March 12 -- In the UN General Assembly, hand overs of power from one President to the next are usually routine. But this September may see fireworks. Libya's Ali Treki, who Inner City Press exclusively reported as being on a Swiss and thus Schengen group travel ban list, may have to hand power to Swiss diplomat Joseph Deiss.
Numerous sources describe to Inner City Press Deiss' buzzing around the UN, after gaining the "Western European and Other Group" nomination for the post. The Swiss Mission to the UN, which was unwilling to confirm or even deny Ali Treki's presence on their travel ban list, has not spoke of Deiss' visit. Ah transparency.
Meanwhile, press in Latin America and even Chilean Ambassador to the UN Munoz have been speaking of Brazil's Lula as a possible UN Secretary General in 2012. While many in the UN might wish that this would happen, it is considered impolitic for Munoz, currently seeking an Assistant Secretary General post from Ban Ki-moon, to talk up a competing Lula candidacy.
Others say "ah ha" about the Lula story, thinking this might explain Lula's schmoozing with Iran and other non favored regimes. What's next, Lula praising Sri Lanka's Rajapaksa and his blood bath on the beach? Pro Rajapaksa Sri Lankans are expected to demonstrate Friday at noon in front of the UN, echoing the Non Aligned Movements letter claiming that the UN has no human rights mandate.
Cynics says this dance between the Rajapaksas and Ban Ki-moon is entire scripted, with each side getting what it wants. Ban gets to claim -- for now -- that he has done or at least said something about the blood bath on the beach, and his own chief of staff's questionable role in summary execution of surrendering LTTE leaders.
Mahinda Rajapaksa gets to say, again, that he stood out to interference. But when will Ban name his panel? And why is its scope, even in advance, more limited than in Guinea, or what the UN special rapporteur is calling for on Myanmar? Watch this site.
