UNITED NATIONS, April 29 -- The usually dry issue of Western Sahara has become a test of the Japanese presidency of the Security Council, as well of some Council members' commitment to human rights, namely France and Gabon which oppose rights in the mandate, and Uganda and Nigeria, which say they will fight to get it in.
Already the vote slated for April 29 was pushed back to the month's (and week's) last day. The difficulty is that the Council is slated to leave for Greentree for a retreat with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon about peacekeeping. This, and the traffic to get there, provide Uganda and Nigeria with leverage. But Morocco, France and Gabon are digging in their heels.
Gabon was left alone to defend Morocco's position, engendering sympathy as delegations including Mexico's leveled criticism, how ever diplomatic. On the other hand China, which is not part of the Group of Friends on Western Sahara, told Inner City Press on Thursday they oppose any mix of human rights and the Security Council.
At Japan's end of presidency reception Thursday night Yukio Takasu, this month's presidency, said his term cannot yet to graded, it all depends on how he revolves the Western Sahara issue tomorrow. Later in the reception, as the two bars were being closed and the sushi rounds were stopped, Takasu conferred with Uganda's Ambassador Ruganda. Some said Japan was or was trying to "put the screws" to Uganda.
Uganda's Ruganda and mission officials, pressure not shown
Afterwards, Inner City Press asked Ruganda about his country's commitment to human rights in Western Sahara. We do not bluff, he indicated. One UN staffer canceled his Friday plans. But what about the retreat? Watch this site.
Footnote: at the Japanese reception, four of the P-5 Permanent Representatives were there. Susan Rice, however, was apparently in Washington, from which she will appear by video on Friday to tell the press about the NBT, for which Ahmadinejad will be the second speaker. At the Japanese reception, Alejandro Wolff filled in for her. But Ambassadors Araud, Lyall Grant, Churkin and Li Baodong were all there, along with their counterparts from Austria, Brazil, Bosnia and Uganda, among others. Noblesse oblige...
