By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, October 2 -- Confession as revisionism? The New York Times tonight ran an interview with UN Disarmament official Angela Kane, allowing her to say she regretted not investigating the alleged use of chemical weapons in Khan al Asal in Syria in March.
Several facts are not stated in the article. For example, even when the UN team under Ake Sellstrom returned to Syria from September 25 to 30, they did NOT visit Khan al Asal.
Also, while inconvenient, Angela Kane in her previous UN post as head of the Department of Management was subject to investigation for irregularities in the UN's "UMOJA" computer upgrade. Inner City Press exclusively reported on this, including obtaining and publishing the audit.
The NYT story uses the adjective "friendly" as in Kane asking "friendly" countries to fly the chemical weapons samples. But this is key -- while a long time UN official, when she was taken out of her Department of Management post, it was her native Germany which lobbied Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to keep Kane on and thus to keep an Under Secretary General post for Germany.
This is how the UN works. Kane was offered a UN job in Lebanon, sources told Inner City Press, and rejected it. Over the candidacy of the Philippines' Permanent Representative, Kane got the Disarmament post. But the connection with Germany, given its position on Syria, should have been mentioned.
We don't mean to be harsh -- the NYT recently switched UN correspondents, and giving time is key. (Some other media with bureau chiefs too long, too embedded here, it's another story -- one from Reuters has even spied for the UN, still UNexplained, click here for that).
But while wanting to give time, these omissions may not bode well. We'll retain an open mind.
Footnote: one also wonders why the NYT has not covered the controversy surrounding Saudi sponsored Syria rebel boss Ahmad al Jarba being feted in the UN by France, and hosted by Ban Ki-moon in his residence, much less France's colonial domination of the Security Council's upcoming trip to Africa. But, one issue at a time. Watch this site.
