By Matthew Russell Lee, Photos here
UNITED NATIONS, June 5 – In an otherwise empty UN on Sunday evening, Cyprus talks or attempts to talk ended at 11 pm, with Secretary General Antonio Guterres announcing in the third person that talks would continue "in June," then taking no questions. Nor did those he met with take questions, including Inner City Press' audible question about hydrocarbons. "When Actually Employed" envoy Espen Barth Eide was present but did not take questions on Sunday night. But on Monday, with one hour's notice, he was the guest at a truncated UN noon briefing. Inner City Press asked Eide about the hydrocarbons issue, and how many days he works and gets paid. He said twenty day a week, correcting that to money, and said that hydrocarbons barely came up in the meeting. At least he answered the question - later on June 5 when Inner City Press asked Guterres' spokesman Dujarric how many days Yemen enovy IOCA works, and if he will disclose for Burundi envoy Michel Kafando, Dujarric cut the question off - despite the fact that When Actually Employed envoy disclosed less - while indulging Moroccan state media three rounds of questions. On Sunday while Inner City Press arrived at 6:30, and was in the conference room well before 7, even the photo started more than 10 minutes late. Downstairs, Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades said he wasn't "here for a blame game." Video here. Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci said that one side was imposing pre-conditions. Video here. Upstairs, in came UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who'd remained silent for 18 hours on the London Bridge attacks, accompanied by his equally UNresponsive spokesman Stephane Dujarric, Jeffrey Feltman and Katrin Hett and Espen Barth Eide. There was the three-way handshake, Alamy Live News photos here; Periscope video here. To the side, a dinner setting was on a table facing out toward First Avenue. A stakeout afterward was scheduled. Would the latter include Eide? After the UN's envoy on Cyprus, whom UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said was full time, said he has no current plans to return to Cyprus, Inner City Press on May 31 asked Dujarric: Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you about Cyprus. I'm sure you've seen the President of Cyprus has said that Mr. [Espen Barth] Eide was out of line in speaking about hydrocarbons as exploration as a risk, and then mostly I wanted to ask you about this quote by the… the… by the spokes, Aleem Siddique, saying that Mr. Eide has no pl… no current plans to return to the island. So I just wanted to know, where do things stand from the Secretary-General's point of view on this… this thing that was thought to be coming to a conclusion? And also just about Mr. Eide, is he "when actually employed?" When he says he's not going back, is he still working on the case? Where does he work [inaudible] work?
Spokesman: Mr. Eide continues in his role. I'm not going to comment on whatever comments were made on the hydrocarbons.
Inner City Press: Is he a full-time envoy?
Spokesman: Yeah, he is, as far as I know. If he's not, I'll correct… the record will be corrected, but I believe he is.
Spokesman: Mr. Eide continues in his role. I'm not going to comment on whatever comments were made on the hydrocarbons.
Inner City Press: Is he a full-time envoy?
Spokesman: Yeah, he is, as far as I know. If he's not, I'll correct… the record will be corrected, but I believe he is.
Update: now in the UN transcript there's this: "[He later added that Mr. Eide is on a “when actually employed” contract.]" Added to who? Perhaps Dujarric announced it over his public address system piped into the office the UN gives to (Dujarric) friendly journalists. But Dujarric evicted Inner City Press from the UN Press Briefing Room and from Inner City Press' long time times office S-303 (see paragraphs 9-10, here); he keeps Inner City Press restricted. He did not email this correction to Inner City Press. On June 1 Inner City Press asked him, UN transcript here: I'd asked you yesterday about Espen Barth Eide, and I did see your correct… your amplification that he's "when actually employed". So, I wanted to know, in these cases where there are envoys that are "when actually employed"… and this is… it's not… is it possible to know, just in the last… without getting into the specifics of his diplomacy, in… in the course of the last 365 days, how many days has he… has he… and I'm saying it because it's public money, so I… I know there's a balance. Can you get that number?
Spokesman: I… we can see. I don't know if it's tabulated at the end of the year or when they're tabulated if there's…
Inner City Press: However it's tabulated.
Spokesman: Yeah. All right.
Spokesman: I… we can see. I don't know if it's tabulated at the end of the year or when they're tabulated if there's…
Inner City Press: However it's tabulated.
Spokesman: Yeah. All right.
Seven hours later, nothing. The UN is corrupt. On March 31 Dujarric also put out this statement: "The Secretary-General today invited Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci and Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades to New York for a joint meeting to discuss the Cyprus talks and the way forward. Both leaders have accepted his invitation. The Secretary-General looks forward to welcoming the leaders, together with his Special Adviser on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, on the evening of Sunday, 4 June. Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General
New York, 31 May 2017."
New York, 31 May 2017."
