By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, March 7 -- On Wednesday at the US Mission to the UN a US drafted resolution on Syria was again the topic of a meeting of the Permanent Five members of the Security Council plus Morocco for the Arab League. Inner City Press first reported that the meeting was scheduled. At 3 pm Moroccan Permanent Representative Loulichki told the Press he had not attended, "my assistant did."
Inner City Press' sources say that at this second March 7 meeting, the issue of the sequence of stopping violence again arose. Russia in February proposed an amendment to have the government and opposition armed groups stop "in conjunction." Now the US proposes that the government go first. "That's the big issue," a participant said.
The reference to "further measures" is also said to be targeted for removal.
"OP9 Decides to review the implementation of this resolution within 14 days and, in the event of non-compliance, to consider swiftly further measures."
Meanwhile at the March 7 UN noon briefing, Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's deputy spokesman Eduardo Del Buey:
Inner City Press: I sent you these questions, I wanted to know, on the Kofi Annan envoy team, how many people are on the team? Is the UN paying all of them? How many of them used to work at the UN?
Deputy Spokesperson del Buey: Matthew, as we have said, these administrative details are being worked out, and when we have something to announce, we will announce it.
Inner City Press: But he is going to Syria, so --
Deputy Spokesperson del Buey: When we have something to say, we will say it. We are still working out the details of who is covering the costs and how they are being covered.
Annan -- and team -- are already on the road. Who is paying, and how much? Watch this site.
