By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, January 10 -- The situation in Anbar in Iraq is deadly serious; in the UN Security Council in New York, less so.
After the Security Council met on January 9 about Iraq, Inner City Press asked Jordan's Permanent Representative Prince Zeid, the Council president for the month, if a draft Presidential Statement had been circulated by the United States.
When on Friday afternoon a public meeting of the Security Council was called for 5:30 pm, it was for the agreed-to presidential statement. The UN's machinery whirled into gear: the UN Television cameras, Security officers, interpreters.
But when the meeting started at 5:34 pm, even watching UNTV on a small screen out at the stakeout it was clear that one of the 15 seats was empty: Nigeria's.
Since it is often said that all 15 have to be present to hold such a meeting, Inner City Press ran up to the third floor gallery to look again. Sure enough: Nigeria's seat, next to Luxembourg, was empty. Click here.
Prince Zeid read about the Presidential Statement -- it did NOT call on the government to show restraint -- and the meeting was over.
Iraq's Permanent Representative Mohamed Ali Alhakim came out and despite being discouraged by some from doing a public, UN televised stakeout, told Inner City Press (on behalf of the Free UN Coalition for Access) that he would take to the microphone.
Inner City Press asked him what the government sees as the next steps in Falluja, given that at least some Council members have been talking about the need to show restraint, even maximum restraint.
Mohamed Ali Alhakim replied that the government is "working with the tribes" and is hoping that the fight can take place outside of the city.
Afterward Inner City Press asked a Council legal expert if, in fact, Nigeria was marked absent and if there was any precedent. "You saw what you saw," was the pithy answer; a precedent back in 1950 was cited. Surely there are some more recent. But this is just the first month, for the five new members.
Since the statement was basically agreed to between the United States and Iraq and rubber stamped by the other Council members, perhaps it was fair for Nigeria to not arrive. In further fairness, there was a closed meeting down in Conference Room 1 of the "Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations," which Nigeria has chaired. Photo and snark here. We may have more on this. Watch this site.
