By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive
UNITED NATIONS, February 4 -- As the UN Security Council met Friday about Cote d'Ivoire, the closed doors consultations left many questions hanging. After Inner City Press for three days asked the UN why the helicopters voted on by the Council on January 21 were still not in Abidjan, the reason became clear, not from the UN but Kiev.
Ukraine just approved the shift of copters from Liberia to Ivory Coast - click here. Why didn't the UN just say that?
Inner City Press asked Alassane Ouattara's Ambassador Bamba about the two journalists, reportedly Forces Nouvelles affiliated, whom the UN transported on January 28 from Bouake to Abidjan, where they were arrested as rebels. I don't have anything on that, Ambassador Bamba said.
Another Ivorian Mission source called the case an “outrage” - but the UN and Choi Young-jin have yet to. Mr. Choi has said he will talk to the Press after the consultations.
A Permanent Five member's Permanent Representative emerged and told Inner City Press that South Africa is proposing a Council press statement (actually, elements to the press) in support of the African Union mediation including South African President Jacob Zuma. Another diplomat shook his head and said this would “make Gbagbo happy.”
Following the Security Council's unceremonious ouster of the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary General under Martin Nesirky, on Friday representatives of UNESCO and, it was said, UNICEF were told they could not even wait in the Quiet Room of the Council. Paranoia, one agency rep called it. And so it goes.
