By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, November 18, updated -- After a military dominated election in Myanmar, when the UN Security Council met about the country on November 18, some expected at least a statement to result, perhaps mixing diplomatic critique of the election with praise for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi.
But when the Council session ended at 1:30 on Thursday, there was no statement. The UK presidency of the Council did not emerge to say anything, even informally. Inner City Press is told that when China said there would be no statement, even if the Council waited all afternoon, the UK and US backed down “meekly,” as the source put it.
Inner City Press asked Chinese Permanent Representative Li Baodong as he left if there would be a statement. They are still discussing it, he replied. He said China has a long border with Myanmar and wants stability, through development. As Reuters reports, Than Shwe is already beating the drum for more investment after releasing ASSK.
Just after the election, a representative of the Kachin National Organization Gum San Nsang told Inner City Press of problems along the border with China, which he perhaps diplomaticlly called a “good neighbor.” When Inner City Press asked about this, standing with Japanese media, Li Baodong smiled and said, “China is a good neighbor to everyone.” Then he left to host of lunch of the Council's Permanent Five members.
Thursday afternoon, the Council has scheduled a closed door briefing about Guinea by UN envoy Said Djinnit. Inner City Press is told that not only Russia but also Nigeria opposed the idea of the Guinea meeting, Nigeria because “ECOWAS is doing something there,” one source put it.
Therefore despite the state of emergency in Guinea, the source said, France may not even be proposing a statement, only the briefing. And so far nothing on the coup attempt in Madagascar. “It was a weird session,” the source said. “Everything got blocked.” And so it goes at the UN.
Update of 4:30 pm -- to some's surprise, there were "Elements to the Press" read out by UK Deputy Permanent Representative Philip Parham, which we publish below as a public service. A source tells Inner City Press that during the consultations, Uganda referred back to the Council's November 16 stand off on Western Sahara and said it would have been good to have had the same enthusiasm and comity being shown on Guinea. After reading the element, Parham rushed from the microphone, taking not a single question. Maybe it's a UK thing?
Elements to the Press by Philip Parham, Deputy Permanent Representative to the UK Mission to the UN on the elections in Guinea – 18 November 2010
Good afternoon,
I’m just going to let you know about the discussion which the Security Council has just had about Guinea. The members of the Security Council were briefed by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Said Djinnit, on the situation in Guinea and the latest developments of the Presidential elections.
The members of the Security Council welcomed the holding of the run-off elections on the 7 November in Guinea and the high voter turnout. The members of the Security Council took note of the provisional results as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission on the 15 November. They urged all parties to follow the existing legal procedure, resolve their differences peacefully and respect the final decision of the Supreme Court.
The members of the Security Council deplored the violence that has occurred in Guinea in the aftermath of the announcement of the results. They urged all political leaders in Guinea to refrain from any acts that could incite violence and to appeal to their supporters to remain calm. They further stressed the responsibility of national security forces and government officials to maintain public order and to protect civilians.
The members of the Security Council paid tribute to the commitment of Special Representative Djinnit and ECOWAS and its mandated facilitator, President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso. They also welcomed the coherent approach of the United Nations, the African Union and ECOWAS on this issue and they further welcomed the determination of interim President, General Sekouba Konate, to pursue peaceful elections in Guinea and encouraged him to continue this process until its successful conclusion in an inclusive manner across political lines. Thank you.
