Talking Turkey Not Kurds, NATO Picks Reuters & Al Arabiya, Ban Ki-moon to Follow?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 28 -- Of Turkey's letter to the UN Security Council, Inner City Press asked UNSC President Gerard von Bohemen of New Zealand on the afternoon of July 27. Inner City Press was informed that it had been received and circulated; at least this was a straight-forward answer.

  On July 28, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg delivered the statement of the North Atlantic Council after Article 4 meeting convened by Turkey, then took three pre-selected questions.

  It began with "Turkish TV," asking if in the meeting there was any controversy (no, said Stoltenberg). Next was Reuters, which asked if NATO will do any of the work currently done by the US-led Coalition - Turkey's bombing of the Kurdish PKK (and YPD, it seems) was not mentioned.

  Third and last was Al-Arabiya, about the long sought no-fly or "safe" zone inside Syria. Then it was over. The question, for the Free UN Coalition for Access and others, was whether UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's scheduled Q&A stakeout on Syria on July 29 will be along with same lines: "Turkish TV," Reuters and Al-Arabiya. Or will US state media be thrown in?

   On July 27 Ban's UN issued one statement after the day's noon briefing - and then another.  At the noon briefing, Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Ban spoke “over the weekend to the Prime Minister of Turkey.  They spoke on regional issues — that is what I can share with you.”

  More than two hours later at 2:41 pm, Ban's spokesperson's office sent this out:

  “In response to questions on Turkey asked at the Monday noon briefing, the Spokesman had the following to say:

“The Secretary-General is concerned by the latest escalation of tension between Turkey and PKK elements. He expresses the hope that there will be an immediate return to constructive dialogue in order to continue to find a peaceful solution to the challenge at hand. The Secretary-General calls on all concerned to refrain from returning to a deadly conflict which has in the past brought so much suffering and grief to the people of Turkey.”

  But apparently calling for a return to dialogue didn't go down well in come quarters. So more than five hours later at 7:52 pm Ban's spokesperson's office put out a second statement:

“In response to further questions asked after the Noon Briefing on the recent attacks in Turkey, the Spokesman said:

 “The Secretary-General expresses his deepest condolences to the Government and people of Turkey in the face of recent violent terrorist attacks, which have claimed the lives of a number of citizens and injured many others.”

  It seems that if Turkey wants another statement, they'll get one. Watch this site.