By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, November 27 -- As UN Security Council president for November, China's Liu Jieyi held eight, soon to be nine, question and answer stakeouts. This surpassed most presidencies, including France's, with only three. Vive la transparence!
In his end of presidency press conference, Inner City Press asked Liu Jieyi if the plan to send 200 guards for the UN Mission in Libya had been approved, and what the impact has been of the rejection of the African Union's request that the International Criminal Court's Kenya proceedings be deferred.
Liu Jieyi replied that he had just signed the approval letter for the new Libya guards. On the Kenya ICC vote, he said that since 70% of the Council's work is about Africa, the African Union should be listened to.
One scribe used a question to argue that the Assembly of State Parties is in part granting the African Union's request; another lobbed a vague softball question about the Geneva II talks on Syria.
For those, the Free Syrian Army has already said it is not attending. On November 26, at the last noon briefing of the month, Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson Martin Nesirky:
Inner City Press: it seems like General [Salim] Idriss is quoted saying that they will not attend Geneva II representing the Free Syrian Army. Is there a response to what seems to be a pretty major announcement?
Spokesperson Nesirky: We’re not going to comment on the positions of individual groups, firstly. But, what’s really important for the success of the conference is that the Syrian sides be represented by credible delegations, and the Secretary-General has made clear, indeed in his statement yesterday, his own expectation for all sides to start working now to take steps to help the Geneva conference succeed, including toward the cessation of violence, humanitarian access, release of detainees and return of Syrian refugees and internally displaced to their homes. Okay? Alright, thank you very much.
And that's the end of the month at the UN. UNless...
Footnote: France takes over the Security Council on Monday; because of Central African Republic (and Mali), the new Free UN Coalition for Access expects more than three stakeouts, and for questions to be granted somewhat objectively. Watch this site.
