By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, August 1 -- For the UN inspection in Panama of the ship bound from Cuba to North Korea, August 5 was supposed to be the date.
But it has taken longer than expected to unload all of the sugar. And Panama's president has made it a point to pose for photos with every old MiG engine taken out. So now it's August 12.
Outside the UN Security Council Thursday morning, Inner City Press asked South Korea's Permanent Representative Kim Sook about the delay, and about the head of the UN team, Martin Udin.
He replied that Udin was the UK Ambassador to Korea, and therefore knows what North Korea is like. He noted that Cuba has pledged to cooperate with the Security Council and added, let's see.
Also in front of the Security Council Thursday morning, Inner City Press learned more about incoming Council president Argentina's August 6 high level session on "cooperation with regional organizations."
President Cristina Kirchner will attended - and Malvinas (or Falkland) Islands will be on the agenda. Foreign minsters including of Venezuela and Ecuador are slated to attend. Cuba has been mentioned, then mentioned as not yet confirmed.
One might link these two stories, the Cuban ship in Panama and the Security Council on August 6. But sources tell Inner City Press a question has arising about the CELAC grouping being among the "regional organizations" on August 6. Watch this site.
Footnote: Into the bilateral meetings with new UNSC President Argentina, after Togo, France ran in. A question is pending, from the Free UN Coalition for Access since it is a transparency policy question, whether France thinks UN Peacekeeping under Herve Ladsous should disclose which Congolese Army units they support, and who won Ladsous' drone contract. The question pends elsewhere, too. Watch this site.
