By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
UNITED NATIONS, June 4 – After the Cyprus talks collapsed at Crans Montana in Switzerland back in early July 2017, on August 3 Inner City Press asked the UN when its Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide was quitting. It happened on August 15; he has still not been replaced as of May 25. Now Inner City Press can report that as UN interim special envoy Jane Holl Lute has still not been approved by Turkey - and that previously Antonio Guterres tried to give the job to French former head of UN Peacekeeping Jean-Marie Guehenno, recently out of a job with the Crisis Group. Guehenno was rejected, on EU grounds that will also limit any ongoing envoy. On June 1 Inner City Press asked UN Security Council president Nebenzia, here, which got picked up without direct attribution by the Cyprus Mail, here. On June 4, Inner City Press asked Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: On Cyprus, the… the President of the Security Council, Ambassador [Vassily] Nebenzia, said on Friday, when I asked him about Cyprus, that he didn't think that this even interim envoy would move forward until some political events took place, which I took to mean elections in Turkey. And I wanted to ask you point-blank, I guess, because there was… basically, Jane Holl Lute was welcomed by one side, and then you said, we have nothing to announce. Can you just give us sort of a sense of what's led to the…
Spokesman: It's… you know, its a case of people speculating without any official announcement from our part. We… you know, we will announce what we need to announce when we feel the situation is ready. And I'm not… you know, Cyprus, as most of the issues we deal with, are delicate and complex. And I'm not going to try to look into the future, say when… if and when we're going to announce it.
Inner City Press: What about a quick look into the past, not on speculation, but just to understand how things work? It's my understanding that… that the Secretary-General tried to send Mr. [Jean-Marie] Guéhenno to Cyprus as an envoy, and he was rejected on the grounds that he's an EU [European Union] member. And I wanted to know, is it true… does the UN accept that one of the parties of interest in the Cyprus matter now determines that… that EU members can't be envoys?
Spokesman: Listen, I'm not going to get into whatever discussions may be had, but it's an obvious answer that the UN will not propose an envoy or a mediator or a negotiator between parties if both parties don't agree to that person. But on Mr. Guéhenno, I have no specific comment.
Inner City Press: I mean, is there a situation in which a party could announce a… a… a systematic banning of all… of a certain category from a continent or…
Spokesman: Every case is looked at." Really? Guterres is to meet with Guehenno on June 4, still in accurately listed as CEO of the International Crisis Group... The interim Cyprus job would only be to talk to the Cypriot, Greek Cypriot and the guarantors; for the more permanent post, if necessary, it seems no national of a P5 country, or even of the EU, could be selected. So... a diplomat from Latin America, Africa or Asia? Guterres recently sent Bathily to Madascagar, another failed mediation. The UN is getting lower each day. Here is the May 8 video: Inner City Press asked Guterres' spokesman Dujarric to confirm that Jane Holl Lute is Guterres' interim envoy on Cyprus. Dujarric refused. [Later, the transcript became available, here: Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you, on Cyprus, I'd asked you before — or maybe it was Farhan [Haq] — to confirm that Jane Holl Lute was named as interim envoy; it seems to be the case.
Spokesman: No. That's not the case.
Inner City Press: There is no interim… there's no one reaching out…?
Spokesman: I have no announcement to share with you.
Inner City Press: The… the… the Foreign Minister of Cyprus has… has thanked the Secretary-General for naming an interim official. So who is that interim official?
Spokesman: I don't have any announcement for you at this point. Yes, sir?
Inner City Press: That's kind of un-transparent.
Spokesman: It's not un-transparent. When we're ready to announce something, we're ready to announce. People from… in 193 Member States often announce things for us. When we are ready to announce it, we will announce it.] On May 4, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Farhan Haq, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: A spokesperson for the Turkish foreign ministry, Hami Aksoy, has said: "It is not possible to reach a federal solution with the Greek Cypriots' mindset. We believe it is time to try a new way." So, this is setting off waves, saying that essentially that Turkey is saying that the former framework for dealing with this may be thrown out the window. Is there a response from the UN? And people there continue to say that Jane Holl Lute is this temporary envoy. Is that something that you continue to deny?
Deputy Spokesman: There's nothing to announce about any visits and, like I said a few days ago, there's certainly no appointment of a special envoy to announce. Regarding these quotes, we're not going to respond to all of the rhetoric from different officials, but what we have made clear is the need for the parties to come back to the table, and we're trying to see what can be done to bring them back." On May 2, Inner City Press asked the UN to confirm or deny reports that Jane Holl Lute is becoming interim envoy - the UN refused to confirm. From the UN's May 2 transcript: Inner City Press: there have been a number of reports saying the Secretary-General has made Jane Holl Lute a sort of a temporary or interim envoy on Cyprus. Can you address that? I know, also, in her other role that she has for the UN… you know, she has a number of other… of outside… some business and board… corporate board service. Has this been vetted?
Deputy Spokesman: At this point, all I can really say on that is that there are currently no plans to appoint a Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on Cyprus. Upon the closing of the Conference on Cyprus last year, the Secretary-General encouraged all parties to reflect in order to determine whether the conditions would mature again for a meaningful process in the near future. The UN is in contact with the parties to determine a way to seek the outcomes of their reflections and their views on the way forward. Yes?
Inner City Press: But on Jane Holl Lute, nothing?
Deputy Spokesman: That's what I have for now. I’ve got no further thing to announce." And he closed his Office five hours later with nothing. From the UN's April 17 transcript: Inner City Press: I want to be sure to ask you something on Cyprus, just to understand better. There's a story in the Cyprus Mail that says, "Rosemary DiCarlo has the most likely chance of becoming the next personal envoy of UN Secretary-General António Guterres in Cyprus"… or “on Cyprus”, I guess that would be. And I just wanted to know, is it even possible that one could be Under-Secretary-General of Political Affairs and also a… an envoy on a specific topic? And when does she begin?
Spokesman: As you know, we announce new appointments when we're ready to announce them so that there's… wherever we are in the world, there's a wonderful game of speculating what the Secretary-General will do until there's an announcement. As… in theory, anything is possible. But, obviously, we're not in a position to talk about an announcement.
Inner City Press: But isn't it a job that takes…?
Spokesman: There was a discussion yesterday with the two… in Cyprus where the two leaders had a frank and open exchange of views during their two-hour tête-à-tête discussion, which was facilitated by the UN. This was the first time the two leaders met since the conclusion of the Conference on Cyprus in Crans-Montana in July of last year. Both sides have made it clear that the meeting did not mark the resumption of the negotiations. But, obviously, as we've always said, the Secretary-General's good offices remain at the disposal of both parties.
Inner City Press: And when does Rosemary DiCarlo start?
Spokesman: 1 May, I believe." We'll see. The UN wouldn't even give a read out of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' meeting with Cyprus' foreign minister Christodoulides in Rome, despite Cyprus statements about it being constructive and productive. The UN calls it short and not worthy of a read-out. Video here.
Spokesman: It's… you know, its a case of people speculating without any official announcement from our part. We… you know, we will announce what we need to announce when we feel the situation is ready. And I'm not… you know, Cyprus, as most of the issues we deal with, are delicate and complex. And I'm not going to try to look into the future, say when… if and when we're going to announce it.
Inner City Press: What about a quick look into the past, not on speculation, but just to understand how things work? It's my understanding that… that the Secretary-General tried to send Mr. [Jean-Marie] Guéhenno to Cyprus as an envoy, and he was rejected on the grounds that he's an EU [European Union] member. And I wanted to know, is it true… does the UN accept that one of the parties of interest in the Cyprus matter now determines that… that EU members can't be envoys?
Spokesman: Listen, I'm not going to get into whatever discussions may be had, but it's an obvious answer that the UN will not propose an envoy or a mediator or a negotiator between parties if both parties don't agree to that person. But on Mr. Guéhenno, I have no specific comment.
Inner City Press: I mean, is there a situation in which a party could announce a… a… a systematic banning of all… of a certain category from a continent or…
Spokesman: Every case is looked at." Really? Guterres is to meet with Guehenno on June 4, still in accurately listed as CEO of the International Crisis Group... The interim Cyprus job would only be to talk to the Cypriot, Greek Cypriot and the guarantors; for the more permanent post, if necessary, it seems no national of a P5 country, or even of the EU, could be selected. So... a diplomat from Latin America, Africa or Asia? Guterres recently sent Bathily to Madascagar, another failed mediation. The UN is getting lower each day. Here is the May 8 video: Inner City Press asked Guterres' spokesman Dujarric to confirm that Jane Holl Lute is Guterres' interim envoy on Cyprus. Dujarric refused. [Later, the transcript became available, here: Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you, on Cyprus, I'd asked you before — or maybe it was Farhan [Haq] — to confirm that Jane Holl Lute was named as interim envoy; it seems to be the case.
Spokesman: No. That's not the case.
Inner City Press: There is no interim… there's no one reaching out…?
Spokesman: I have no announcement to share with you.
Inner City Press: The… the… the Foreign Minister of Cyprus has… has thanked the Secretary-General for naming an interim official. So who is that interim official?
Spokesman: I don't have any announcement for you at this point. Yes, sir?
Inner City Press: That's kind of un-transparent.
Spokesman: It's not un-transparent. When we're ready to announce something, we're ready to announce. People from… in 193 Member States often announce things for us. When we are ready to announce it, we will announce it.] On May 4, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Farhan Haq, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: A spokesperson for the Turkish foreign ministry, Hami Aksoy, has said: "It is not possible to reach a federal solution with the Greek Cypriots' mindset. We believe it is time to try a new way." So, this is setting off waves, saying that essentially that Turkey is saying that the former framework for dealing with this may be thrown out the window. Is there a response from the UN? And people there continue to say that Jane Holl Lute is this temporary envoy. Is that something that you continue to deny?
Deputy Spokesman: There's nothing to announce about any visits and, like I said a few days ago, there's certainly no appointment of a special envoy to announce. Regarding these quotes, we're not going to respond to all of the rhetoric from different officials, but what we have made clear is the need for the parties to come back to the table, and we're trying to see what can be done to bring them back." On May 2, Inner City Press asked the UN to confirm or deny reports that Jane Holl Lute is becoming interim envoy - the UN refused to confirm. From the UN's May 2 transcript: Inner City Press: there have been a number of reports saying the Secretary-General has made Jane Holl Lute a sort of a temporary or interim envoy on Cyprus. Can you address that? I know, also, in her other role that she has for the UN… you know, she has a number of other… of outside… some business and board… corporate board service. Has this been vetted?
Deputy Spokesman: At this point, all I can really say on that is that there are currently no plans to appoint a Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on Cyprus. Upon the closing of the Conference on Cyprus last year, the Secretary-General encouraged all parties to reflect in order to determine whether the conditions would mature again for a meaningful process in the near future. The UN is in contact with the parties to determine a way to seek the outcomes of their reflections and their views on the way forward. Yes?
Inner City Press: But on Jane Holl Lute, nothing?
Deputy Spokesman: That's what I have for now. I’ve got no further thing to announce." And he closed his Office five hours later with nothing. From the UN's April 17 transcript: Inner City Press: I want to be sure to ask you something on Cyprus, just to understand better. There's a story in the Cyprus Mail that says, "Rosemary DiCarlo has the most likely chance of becoming the next personal envoy of UN Secretary-General António Guterres in Cyprus"… or “on Cyprus”, I guess that would be. And I just wanted to know, is it even possible that one could be Under-Secretary-General of Political Affairs and also a… an envoy on a specific topic? And when does she begin?
Spokesman: As you know, we announce new appointments when we're ready to announce them so that there's… wherever we are in the world, there's a wonderful game of speculating what the Secretary-General will do until there's an announcement. As… in theory, anything is possible. But, obviously, we're not in a position to talk about an announcement.
Inner City Press: But isn't it a job that takes…?
Spokesman: There was a discussion yesterday with the two… in Cyprus where the two leaders had a frank and open exchange of views during their two-hour tête-à-tête discussion, which was facilitated by the UN. This was the first time the two leaders met since the conclusion of the Conference on Cyprus in Crans-Montana in July of last year. Both sides have made it clear that the meeting did not mark the resumption of the negotiations. But, obviously, as we've always said, the Secretary-General's good offices remain at the disposal of both parties.
Inner City Press: And when does Rosemary DiCarlo start?
Spokesman: 1 May, I believe." We'll see. The UN wouldn't even give a read out of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' meeting with Cyprus' foreign minister Christodoulides in Rome, despite Cyprus statements about it being constructive and productive. The UN calls it short and not worthy of a read-out. Video here.
