By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive
UNITED NATIONS, December 9 -- Hours after French Ambassador Gerard Araud bragged on Syria that "Russia and China who didn't want to hear Mrs. Pillay have been obliged to discover they were ready to accept it," China has proposed that if Pillay briefs on Syria, she should cover Palestine as well, Inner City Press has learned.
This has thrown the Council into some chaos, with Deputy Permanent Representative emerging from the Council to seek instructions by cell phone and stern faced proponents of a Syria-only briefing declining to speak.
Word of the impasse spread. Syrian Permanent Representative Bashar Ja'afari told Inner City Press, if she briefs it should be on more than one topic -- precisely the position put forward by China. Higher level diplomats began to arrive at the Council at 1:30 pm, after the normal UN lunch hour.
Inner City Press asked Gerard Araud of France, "Palestine briefing, is there a problem?"
"No," he said, raising his hand and marching on. Marching to where? Watch this site.
Update of 1:45 pm: now it appears that Council chamber is being set up for a procedural vote, which Araud had said in the morning would be avoided. Council mavens say the last procedural vote was in 2007. And now it comes together: Syria and Palestine. Watch this site.
