By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, December 17 -- When a country complains to and about the UN, and a journalist asks for the response to the criticism, one would expect one. But not at this UN.
On December 17, Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-mon's spokesperson Martin Nesirky about Cyprus' criticism of Ban's envoy Alexander Downer and his meeting(s) in Northern Cyprus:
President Nicos Anastasiades instructed the foreign ministry to issue the demarche to the UN both here in Nicosia and at headquarters in New York after it transpired that Downer met with Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu at the Turkish ‘embassy’ in the north.
Deputy permanent secretary at the foreign ministry, Tasos Tzionis, yesterday issued the demarche to UN Special Representative in Cyprus Lisa Buttenheim regarding Downer’s visit to the Turkish ‘embassy’.
Anastasiades also instructed Cyprus’ permanent representative at the UN in New York to do the same at the UN Secretariat.
In the briefing, Nesirky said he would provide Inner City Press and others with a response later in the day. And he did:
Subject: Your question on Cyprus
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Date: Tue, Dec 17, 2013 at 4:14 PM
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Date: Tue, Dec 17, 2013 at 4:14 PM
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com
Please see below in response to your question today concerning Cyprus:
During his visit to Cyprus last week, Alexander Downer, the Secretary-General's Special Adviser, held intensive discussions with the sides to move forward the conclusion of a joint statement that has been under negotiation over the past weeks. Through these discussions and through constructive engagement by the Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Greece and Turkey, important progress was achieved on the joint statement. Although this work has not yet concluded, the Secretary-General is hopeful that it will lead to a successful outcome soon.
The problem is, this is not responsive to Cyprus' criticism, or to Inner City Press' question.
Back in September when Cyprus president Anastasiades took questions at the UN, Inner City Press asked him about his dispute with country's Central Bank chief, and if his speech had been coordinated in any way with Turkey, since it was so upbeat. Video here, from Minute 6:13.
Anastasiades said while he tries not to speak about things in Cyprus when he is out of the country, he respects its constitution and the rules and regulations of the Euro system and of the ECB.
On Cyprus we try to open new avenues, he said, "I have a vision to see that my country is going to be reunited... we are not ignoring the rights of Turkish Cypriots.
On Famagusta, he said we are in the process of negotiating: for the port to be open, under EU, Turkey to open airports and ports to ships and planes with Cyprus [flags], then Cyprus would raise veto [threat] on accession process of Turkey.
In that press conference, Inner City Press got the first question, but instead of thanking Anastasiades on behalf of the new Free UN Coalition for Access (which it does when the old UN Correspondents Association insists on pretending it represents all journalists at the UN), thanks was given for "the journalists here."
That's how it should and could be done. But later that day, not only did UNCA's 2013 president Pamela Falk of CBS re-appear for the UNFCCC -- a person who'd lost election for the UNCA board again insisted on getting the first question at an ICC press conference. This means: first questions for sale. UNreal.
Since then, UNCA has moved to accept donated television equipment from Samsung while claiming no mission was involved. (Even the UN admits the equipment went from Samsung to the South Korean Mission to the UN to UNCA.)
Now, amid doubts whether given UNCA leaders' past financial links with and censorship for Sri Lankan government officials -- click here for that -- Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa might attend their $250 a plate event, a new question arises. Will UNCA, a grouping of correspondents, disclose who is attending, and who paid, and how much? Watch this site.
