By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive
UNITED NATIONS, February 2 – With the UN's envoy on Syria Staffan de Mistura set to meet new US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on February 3, multiple UN sources are sounding a dissonant note to Inner City Press.
The sources tell Inner City Press that de Mistura is in fact angling to replace Helen Clark atop the UN Development Program or UNDP.
Inner City Press last month reported on Clark stepping down, reviewed candidates from the UK's David Miliband to France's Segolene Royal, and asked the UN's holdover spokesman Stephane Dujarric to describe the process. He declined.
(Inner City Press on February 3 published a story about UN turn-over and transition based not on Dujarric's non-answers, but just published UN vacancy announcements.)
Now multiple independent sources tell Inner City Press that de Mistura wants the position, has lobbied some member states about it, including after anger at him was expressed at a recent meeting of the Syrian opposition.
But what message would it send, de Mistura campaigning for a different UN post at this time? Watch this site.
When de Mistura took questions on January 31, Inner City Press asked him among other things if the Trump administration's proposal for safe zones in Syria (and Yemen) had been discussed. Video here.
No, de Mistura said, new US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley hadn't raised it. Some wondered if that reflects the irrelevance to which the UN sank under Ban Ki-moon. We'll see.
When Russia's Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin announced on Friday December 30 that he hoped for a unanimous vote on New Year's Eve at 11 am on a resolution endorsing his country's and Turkey's ceasefire plan in Syria, Inner City Press asked him which groups are included. Video here.
But at 11 am, Churkin said other Council members are difficult, and said they might not vote until "tonight" - New Year's Eve. Journalists laughed, nervously.
The Ambassador of New Zealand, leaving the Security Council later in the day after a two year term, said clarification is needed as to what is exempt from the ceasefire -- all of Idlib? -- and that there's a problem with endorsing. Video here.
But after language was changed to welcoming with some other amendments, final version Tweeted here, the Security Council members returned at 1 pm and adopted the resolution. Afterward for the US Mission to the UNDeputy Ambassador Michele Sison, not Samantha Power, gave a speech of skepticism, as did the UK's Peter Wilson. There were no right of reply, and the Syrian delegation did not speak.
After the meeting came the ritual changing of the flags. New Zealand, for one, watched its being removed. The delegations of Bolivia, including Permanent Representative Sasha Llorenti, and of Kazakhstan took photos with their flags. Video here.
But at 11 am, Churkin said other Council members are difficult, and said they might not vote until "tonight" - New Year's Eve. Journalists laughed, nervously.
The Ambassador of New Zealand, leaving the Security Council later in the day after a two year term, said clarification is needed as to what is exempt from the ceasefire -- all of Idlib? -- and that there's a problem with endorsing. Video here.
But after language was changed to welcoming with some other amendments, final version Tweeted here, the Security Council members returned at 1 pm and adopted the resolution. Afterward for the US Mission to the UNDeputy Ambassador Michele Sison, not Samantha Power, gave a speech of skepticism, as did the UK's Peter Wilson. There were no right of reply, and the Syrian delegation did not speak.
After the meeting came the ritual changing of the flags. New Zealand, for one, watched its being removed. The delegations of Bolivia, including Permanent Representative Sasha Llorenti, and of Kazakhstan took photos with their flags. Video here.
