By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, November 5 -- The day after Australian Ambassador and UN Security Council president for November Gary Quinlan got his program of work agreed to, the Council met behind closed doors on the afternoon of November 5 about Syria chemical weapons, and Palestine.
Inner City Press reported on Palestinian Observer Riyad Mansour's letter and Q&A stakeout, here; additional letters about Jerusalem and the Al Aqsa Mosque were submitted to Quinlan by Jordan and by Israel.
Quinlan told the press all three letters have been circulated and that, if requested by Council members, a meeting would be possible on November 6 despite there also being International Court of Justice elections in the Council and General Assembly.
On Syria chemical weapons, after Quinlan summarized the briefing that was given behind closed doors by Sigrid Kaag by video from Beirut, he was asked by the correspondent from Al Mayadeen - who walked out of Quinlan's November 4 briefing - about his use of the term "Syrian regime."
Was Quinlan speaking in his national capacity -- for the "Australian regime," as the Al Mayadeen correspondent put it -- or for the Council? Quinlan nodded and said, "Syrian government."
Inner City Press asked Quinlan about Palestine, yielding the answer about the letters being circulated, and about reports of ISIS using chlorine in Iraq, and possibly having helicopters like other vehicles seized in Mosul.
Quinlan said that "one member" had brought that up in the consultations. After he left, Syrian Permanent Representative Bashar Ja'afari spoke of ISIS using choline in Iraq and that ISIS might have helicopters. Off-camera Ja'afari told Inner City Press his government had destroyed the three planes ISIS claimed to have, and that none of the three could fly.
Inner City Press asked Quinlan about Palestine, yielding the answer about the letters being circulated, and about reports of ISIS using chlorine in Iraq, and possibly having helicopters like other vehicles seized in Mosul.
Quinlan said that "one member" had brought that up in the consultations. After he left, Syrian Permanent Representative Bashar Ja'afari spoke of ISIS using choline in Iraq and that ISIS might have helicopters. Off-camera Ja'afari told Inner City Press his government had destroyed the three planes ISIS claimed to have, and that none of the three could fly.
Inner City Press also asked Ja'afari if UN Peacekeeping has contacted his government about getting UNDOF peacekeepers back on the Syrian side, taken over by Jabhat al Nusra. Ja'afari replied, no, that perhaps UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous is asleep or in winter lethargy.
Inner City Press notes that Ladsous is certainly not reporting on deaths and attacks in Central African Republic, click here for that.
Kaag is said to be seeking, or waiting for, another post in the UN system (Inner City Press asked her about it in a briefing, without direct response). Some wonder for how much longer these monthly briefing will continue. We'll see.
The previously afternoon, on November 4, the Security Council met on Libya, South Sudan and, at Quinlan's request, Burkina Faso.
The Burkina Faso briefing, which Inner City Press first reported on Tuesday morning, was to have been by UN envoy to West Africa Mohammed ibn Chambas. But first a source told Inner City Press that "the connection was too weak;" later, Quinlan mentioned the curfew there as well.
The Security Council agreed to "Elements to the Press" on Libya; on South Sudan and Burkina Faso, for now there were summaries by Quinlan.
Twenty four hours later, there was still no Press Statement by the Security Council on Burkina Faso. But then one was issued, but not read out by Quinlan, on South Sudan, then the same on Burkina Faso. We'll have more on this.
