By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
January 31 --
When the
Security
Council held
its first
month-end wrap
up session
since 2005 on
Thursday
morning, one
expected to be
able to see
what the ten
elected
members of the
Council
thought of
decision
making.
But
the session
was closed. UN
member states
which are not
on the Council
were allowed
to attend but
not to speak.
Inner City
Press, in the
stakeout area
beside the
Council doors,
spoke with
those going in
and
out, most of
whom requested
anonymity,
perhaps to run
for the
Council
themselves in
the future.
The
picture that
emerged
contains not
insubstantial
praise for the
presidency of
Pakistan's
Masood Khan,
for being well
organized and
having good
"concept
notes" for the
debates on
counter-terrorism
and
"multi-dimensional"
peacekeeping.
The
criticism was
of the way the
North Korea
resolution was
negotiated,
essentially
between the US
and China
without
involvement of
the
elected ten.
Inner
City Press
asked Masood
Khan this
question at
his end of the
month
press
conference,
and also why
the session
had been
closed.
Khan
said it was
"prudent" to
have it
closed, that
the wrap up
was being
revived, that
it had been
interactive.
He also called
"prudent" the
bilateral
negotiations
of the DPRK
text
between the US
and China. But
what of the
criticism?
As
Inner City
Press thanked
Khan for on
behalf of the
Free UN
Coalition
for Access, he
held a number
of Q&A
stakeouts
after closed
door
consultations,
and was
willing to
answer
questions
beyond that
had
just been
discussed in
the Council. Video
here, from
Minute 7:27
and 31:30.
It was as Khan as
projected back
on January 3
-- when he
also said
there were
different
views in the
Security
Council on the
UN using
drones, an
issue we
continue to
follow.
As
Pakistan moved
out its tea
maker and
South Korean
moved in its
on
Thursday
afternoon,
here's hoping
that incoming
president Kim
Sook is
consonant with
Khan in taking
and answering
questions.
Watch this
site.
