UN of Ban Ki-moon Defers & Delays on Yemen & Somalia, MassiveGood & Green Climate Fund, Sri Lanka

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 25 -- Even on a slow day at the UN there are questions, if few answers and even less follow-through.

On the Friday after Thanksgiving Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Martin Nesirky about Yemen and Somalia, war crimes in Sri Lanka, the Green Climate Fund and defunct MassiveGood scam now dubbed MassiveFraud by some. Video here.

The answers ranged from "we're still studying" through "not our fault" to "we'll get back to you."

On Yemen, Inner City Press asked about Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's statements Wednesday that Ali Saleh would come to New York, stepping back from power, and that Ban hadn't discussed in any detail with Saleh what's now being protested as the immunity provisions of the deal.

Nesirky noted that Inner City Press was there when Ban spoke and all Ban was doing was recounting what Saleh said: "ultimately it's up to the president to travel as he sees fit."

He said the UN "has a clear position against impunity," and that Ban's envoy -- if not Saleh -- will be in New York on Monday. But what about the at least five dead protesting the deal that Ban applauded?

On Somalia, Inner City Press asked about Ethiopia entering the country, and if Ban thought it required Security Council approval or review. Nesirky said that Ban's office won't comment on what the Security Council should discuss, "that's for the Council to decide."

Inner City Press pointed out that previous Secretaries General -- the primary reference was to Kofi Annan on Iraq -- had spoken about how the UN Charter applies to the entry into one country by another.

On reports that the US and Saudi Arabia won't sign on to the Green Climate Fund, Inner City Press asked for Ban's view. Nesirky said that beyond the Green Climate Fund, Durban's discussions will include other topics, "we need to wait and see." That is, unlike even the UK, no criticism of the Obama administration's positions.

Now that the Sri Lanka's government own Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation Commission report has been leaked, as the UN's was, to The Island, Inner City Press asked about it. "National accountability is always the most important," Nesirky said, "it remains to be seen." Really?

Finally on the MassiveGood program, which after being touted by Ban Ki-moon and Philippe Douste-Blazy as to a way to raise funds for HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis spent over $11 million to raise only $300,000, Inner City Press what Ban had learned from this fiasco.

Inner City Press previously asked Ban's office about the waste of money and illegality in MassiveGood, involving former and current French government officials pretending to be based in Geneva when they weren't, for tax purposes, and misuse of funds for, among other things, a Spike Lee directed video.

"We'll find out," Nesirky said. We'll be waiting - watch this site.

For UN Re-Shuffle, Malcorra DSG, Pascoe Lateral, Of Lebanon Envoy, Nambiar To Go & a Khare Solution?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 25 -- After talk at the UN of a "big bang" in Ban Ki-moon's Secretariat, a re-organization for his second and final term as Secretary General started January 1, now the shakeup is described by sources as small, more of a re-shuffling.

For example, the sources predict, current Under Secretary General for Field Support Susana Malcorra is tapped to move up to Ban's Deputy spot, maintaining the position for a woman from the developing world, albeit no longer an African.

With Lynn Pascoe slated to leave the Department of Political Affairs by February or at latest April, the US is known to have made a play to keep the DPA post.

Strangely there is talk of moving Pascoe over to the Chief of Staff (or "Chef de Cabinet") post held throughout Ban's first term by Vijay Nambiar. One source said "Pascoe wouldn't be viewed as a second high level American, since he wasn't appointed under Obama."

Nambiar awaited departure would, of course, leave India down a major post. While not suggested by the Ban administration sources, moving Indian Atul Khare from his current "made up" post of Change Management to replace Malcorra as USG of DFS might be an elegant way to solve that problem.

But a diplomatic source noted that Pakistan, too, "deserves" a high post, just as it is taking a seat on the Security Council overlapping in 2012 with India.

Other USGs are being told to look for jobs in the field. Source say that USG for Management Angela Kane was encouraged to apply to field jobs, for example the Lebanon post vacated by Michael Williams, with Nicholas Hayson now thought to wait longer into the reshuffle. But Kim Won-soo, who might leave, is said to be encouraging Y.J. Choi, the campaign manager who engineered Ban's first term, to seek the Lebanon job.

Several sources marveled at how Ban has thus far ignored requests not only from the African Group but also G-77 to fill the Special Adviser on Africa post.

Inside the Department of Political Affairs, Pascoe is said to be finding the safest places possible for this proteges, while his Department is hard-lobbied by at the middle level by the Turkish Mission, "muscularly," a DPA staffer told Inner City Press disapprovingly. And so it goes at the UN.

Even on Thanksgiving, Police Threaten Arrest at Occupy Wall Street, Egypt Protest

By Matthew Russell Lee

LOWER MANHATTAN, November 24, updated with video -- As Occupy Wall Street celebrated Thanksgiving amid guitars and turkey dinners, police arrived and threatened arrests for criminal trespass due to noise. Video here

Some called it cliche and other, "police state," as drumming was brought to a close. The drummers consented -- "just for today," one said -- and other protests were announced, including at the Egyptian embassy in support of those protesting in Tahrir Square.

In the crowd was "White Hat," who earlier in the week proposed canceling the Occupy Wall Street observation mission to Cairo and returning the $29,000 allocated to the General Assembly. As reported by Inner City Press, that proposal failed. But the mission has not gone.

Now another stop might be Sana'a in Yemen, where democracy and accountability activists are being shot for opposing the immunity deal given to strongman Ali Saleh, in a deal crafted by the Gulf Cooperation Council, Saudi Arabia and the Obama administration behind them. Click here for Inner City Press' story on the deal.

#OccupyThanksgiving, Nov 24, 2011 (c) MRLee

After the standoff on Thanksgiving, under the watchful panopticon eye of the NY Police Department watchtower over Liberty Square, many in the crowd suggested celebrating in peace. Occu-Pumpkin-Pie, one of them called out. Marching on the banks will have to wait another day. Watch this site.

Footnote: also in the crowd was former Philadelphia police department Captain Ray Lewis, in uniform, who told the Press that NYPD "white shirts" should not be involved in tussles with protesters, and that the tear gassing of a sit-in at University of California - Davis was indicative of mismanagement. He got a good reception.

As Ban Names Kubis Afghan Envoy, Of Kyrgyz Accountability & Maxwell's Murder

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 23 -- With Staffan de Mistura leaving his post as UN envoy to Afghanistan, there's been speculation about who would replace him.

On November 22 Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky to confirm what Hamid Karzai's office said, that Ban had called and notified Karzai of the identify of de Mistura's successor.

Nesirky replied, " I can confirm there was a phone call, but I can’t tell you anything about the nature of the phone call. If I have any more details, for example, on any announcement on staffing, then I’ll let you know."

On November 23, the day before US Thanksgiving, past 5 pm Nesirky's office told the dwindling press corps over the UN's intercom system that de Mistura's successor had just been named. It is Jan Kubis, who among other things became involved in Kyrgystan after the the political and ethnic chaos. (Click here for Inner City Press' November 22 interview with outgoing Kyrgyz president Roza Otunbayeva.)

Kubis has previously served, among other posts, as Slovak foreign minister and as head of the UN Economic Commission for Europe.

When de Mistura after bragging to Richard Holbrooke that he had the Afghan job then temporarily said he wouldn't take it, along with Jean-Marie Guehenno and Ian Martin (now in Libya), Jan Kubis was in mix, reported at the time by Inner City Press, for the Kabul job. And now he has it. It's a small world or at least, for the UN, a small bench.

There are several accountability issues that come to mind. It is not clear if Kubis' involvement in Kyrgyzstan had any impact on the lack of accountability to date for violence, mostly against Uzbeks, in mid 2010.

While de Mistura repeatedly told Inner City Press he was pushing for accountability for the murder, by Afghan national forces, of UN staffer Louis Maxwell, now de Mistura is leaving and nothing has been done. Will it, under Kubis? Watch this site.

As Saleh Says He'll Step Back in Yemen, Ban Says Immunity "Not Discussed in Detail"

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 23, updated -- Hours after Yemen strongman Ali Saleh announced a deal to step back from power in exchange for immunity, at the UN in New York Secretary General Ban Ki-moon summoned wire reporters to the stakeout in front of the Security Council.

Ban told the press that he had spoken with Saleh, who told him he will go to Saudi Arabia today to sign the deal, then come to New York for medical treatment. "I'll be happy to meet him," Ban said. He added that Saleh "he will still remain as president" but step back.

Inner City Press asked Ban if he had discussed with Saleh the issue of immunity, which was explicitly granted in the Gulf Cooperation Council deal that Saleh has repeatedly indicated he would agree to.

No, Ban said, "I have not discussed in detail on that matter." Some wonder: how could Ban not raise the issue?

From the UN's transcript:

Inner City Press: What about the immunity provisions of the GCC deal? Was this discussed at all?

SG: I have not discussed in detail on that matter, but there has been agreement among GCC members which was endorsed and supported by the UN Security Council resolution. I hope that all this should be the basis of furthering the process in Yemen.

Last Friday when Saudi Arabia Permanent Representative spoke to the media outside the General Assembly, Inner City Press asked him about the immunity provisions of the GCC deal Saudi Arabia was central to. He said that the deal belongs to the Yemeni people.

Close observers say that the US State Department was even more centrally involved in the GCC deal. So what will the US say?

In front of the Security Council Wednesday morning, Inner City Press asked this month's Council president Cabral about any meetings about Yemen.

He said he had spoken with Ban's envoy in Yemen over the weekend, and agreed that the Council will meet this coming Monday, November 28, after the US Thanksgiving holiday. Ali Saleh has a lot to be thankful for. Watch this site.

Update of 10:50 am -- UK Permanent Representative Mark Lyall Grant told Inner City Press that the Council will be briefed about Yemen on Monday, whether or not Saleh goes and signs the deal. He asked, has that happened?

Update of 11:48 am -- Saleh signed, on television. But another P5 Security Council member's Permanent Representative mused, "some say he has to leave in 30 days, some say in 90 days, I don't know."

As Helen Clark "Opts Out" of UN Financial Disclosure, UNDP Brags About Its Own

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 23 -- Weeks after the absence of UN Development Program Administrator Helen Clark from the UN's Public Financial Disclosure web site was raised without answer by Inner City Press, UNDP on November 23 issued a press release about online financial disclosure:

New York, 23 November 2011— Members of the public can now access financial data on the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) development activities for the most recent fiscal period, thanks to a new open data portal... 'UNDP is committed to being transparent and to being accountable for all the contributions we receive,' UNDP Administrator Helen Clark said. 'Accountability ensures we can be more effective in our work.'

The questions about Ms. Clark's own financial disclosure, which even deputies of hers have made, cannot be unknown to UNDP. Back on November 8 at the UN's noon briefing Inner City Press asked:

Inner City Press: On public financial disclosure, what I wanted to ask you, I think earlier this year the Secretary-General said that 99 per cent of his officials had filed public financial disclosures in the system that he himself has filed in. And a more recent review shows that that’s not the case… Just as one example. Why is Helen Clark’s name not listed?

While the UN nine days later provided an answer about another official, nothing was provided about Ms. Clark.

And so on November 22 Inner City Press asked again:

Inner City Press: I still remain curious why Helen Clark’s name doesn’t appear on the list of high UN officials. And then I thought maybe the answer is that UNDP doesn’t file with the Secretariat, but has its own system. But then, I see Rebecca Grynspan, who is a UNDP official, with her filing on the Secretary-General’s public financial-disclosure page. I am asking, since the Secretary-General maintains this page and has made various representations about it, why isn’t this second or third highest official in the UN at least listed, even if she chooses not to disclose?

Spokesperson: I’d have to check; I don’t know the answer to that, Matthew. But, as you pointed out, there are many officials who are listed there.

Question: There seemed to be 23 that weren’t, and now Mr. Orr is listed, so now we are down to 22. But, it does seem, I mean, it seems, at least in this case, she is a pretty high officials and my colleague was just asking about her.

Spokesperson: Well, that’s fine, that’s fine. I’ll see what I can find out.

No answer was provided later that day, then the next morning came UNDP's press release about financial disclosure online, even quoting the elusive Helen Clark -- but no answer. As one observer put it, it looks like Clark has unilaterally "opted out" of Ban's already weak public financial disclosure program.

Clark has refused repeated requests to hold a Q&A press conference at UN headquarters. Watch this site.