By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, January 25, updated -- The request for the Arab League to brief the UN Security Council on Syria was the subject of back and forth inside and in front of the Council on Wednesday.
A Council source emerged and told Inner City Press "there is a problem with the annexes" to the Arab League's letter. The UK Permanent Representative Mark Lyall Grant came out and told assembled reporters that "it is agreed," that the month's Council president, South Africa's Baso Sangqu, will contact the Arab League and set up the briefing.
Lyall Grant said the UK wanted the briefing to be Monday (though given the request that it be "ministerial," getting by then Ministers Hague, Juppe, Clinton, Westerwelle, for example, not to mention Lavrov seems unlikely. One Council wag noted, "as she does," that US Ambassador Susan Rice is a minister.)
Finally Council President Sangqu emerged. Told of what Lyall Grant said, Sangqu said "he jumped the gun." Inner City Press asked him about the annexes. He replied that one was only in Arabic, which he can't read, and the other isn't here yet, they've said it's coming "by courier." He said that if Syria asks to also speak, it should be granted.
Sangqu also said he would tell the Arab League that "some members" want the briefing to include Sudanese military official Al Dabi -- who had responsibility in the Darfur conflicts, for which the International Criminal Court has indicted president Omar al Bashir. Can you say, amateur hour? Watch this site.
Update of 3:50 pm -- a Western diplomat says Al-Arabi tells them he's willing to brief the Council on Monday, and in person. One problem, it seems, is that Ban Ki-moon "as is so often the case" will be out of town. Apparently it would be violate protocol to have the Secretary General of the Arab League some and not meet the UN SG. So, video only?
French - Turkish Update: Tuesday morning Inner City Press reported that attendees to the French convened meetings on Syria included Turkey.
But on Wednesday in front of UN Secretary General's question and answer session with member states, which was closed to the press and public, Inner City Press was told by two diplomats that Turkey had declined France's invitation, citing the "Armenian genocide law" and, they said, French arrogance.
