By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, October 26 -- On Syria, the UN says that it and only it will announce when the promised Geneva Two talks will be, and who will be invited.
But the UN is not transparent, to say the least. Earlier today after its envoy Lakhdar Brahimi gave a press conference in Tehran, Reuters reported that Press TV translated that Brahimi said Iran should be invited. (This went into the Chicago Tribune, which previously ran and did not correct Reuters erroneous claim that Brahimi is a Nobel Peace Prize winner.)
First, in this instance, why wouldn't Reuters be able to translate Brahimi itself? (We know they are distracted.) Second, why wouldn't the UN by now, hours later, release a transcript of its envoy's remarks?
When Kofi Annan was the UN's envoy, he had a spokesperson always will him, e-mailing out what he said. Why is it not the same with Brahimi? To allow deniability?
Beyond the issue of inviting Iran and Saudi Arabia, the Hamlet of the UN Security Council, to Geneva Two, it has been suggested the "Erbil should also attend."
As Inner City Press noted hours ago, from Turkey Saudi-supported Jarba's Syria National Council denounced:
The Iraqi government continues to interfere with Syria’s internal affairs. Today, Saturday, October 26, Iraqi soldiers provoked a clash with Free Syrian Army (FSA) brigades stationed at al-Yarubiya border crossing with Iraq.
Iraqi army forces also shelled the al-Yarubiya post, early Saturday, in cooperation with militias of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG). These units are the armed wing of PYD (an affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers' Party PKK). PYD Militiamen launched a ground offensive on the city of a-Yarubiya and the border crossing of al-Yarubiya and clashed with FSA brigades there, in an attempt to control the Syrian side of the crossing. Iraqi soldiers stationed at the borders assisted PYD militiamen.
The Iraqi government's attack on FSA forces in Yarubiya is a considerable mistake and a blatant and unprecedented interference in Syrian affairs.
It's priceless, a Saudi-sponsored individual speaking from Turkey, denouncing "interference in Syrian affairs." But also, it's widely reported that the forces defeated by the Kurds at Yarubiya were al Qaeda -- just what Jarba's SNC and the FSA claim NOT to be or work with. Telling.
At the UN, not only did France host a dubious event declaring Jarba the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people, and Ban Ki-moon meeting Jarba at his UN-provided residence -- Ban's UN Correspondents Association hosted a faux "UN briefing" with Jarba, on which the UN would not answer questions. If Jarba from Turkey supports al Qaeda, and the UN and UNCA support Jarba, who's supporting whom? Watch this site.
