By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, December 19 -- After eight hours of Korea meetings, the UN Security Council was unable to agree to any press statement. Council President Susan Rice said that while “most members” agreed to condemn North Korea for the November 23 island shelling, “consensus was not possible.” This was China, according to numerous Western diplomats.
Russia's Vitaly Churkin against blamed the Council Presidency for denying his request for as Saturday rather than Sunday meeting, saying that would have given more time to reach an agreed statement before the military exercises South Korea has scheduled for Monday.
Inner City Press asked Ambassador Rice to respond to Churkin's statement about the denied meeting. She answered that several important Council members had asked for more time. In a seemingly contradictory answer, she said that since nothing had been agreed to since November 23, an extra day would not have made a difference. But why then was “more time” before a Saturday meeting needed?
Both Vitaly Churkin and Susan Rice said that all 15 members want Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to name an envoy to the Korean peninsula. Inner City Press asked Churkin if Ban should wait for a Council statement before doing so, and Churkin said no. One wonders why Ban hasn't already named an envoy.
Ban Ki-moon did not come to the Security Council on Sunday. His senior adviser Kim Won-soo and DPA chief Lynn Pascoe both did, but neither spoke to the press. The military exercise might start within hours. We'll see.
Footnote: The Security Council has a full program on Monday, including naming chairs of committees (Inner City Press reported on Friday about the Portugal versus Bosnia fight for the Working Methods committee) and Cote d'Ivoire, where sources tell Inner City Press Ouattara has written to the Council contradicting Laurent Gbagbo's requests for the UN to leave. What a month -- and it's not over. Watch this site.
