Prelude to UN Scandal, Lorenzo with PGAs Deiss & Khalifa, UNCA Amnesia

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 10 -- The scandal unveiled in the corruption charges against former UN General Assembly President John Ashe, Francis Lorenzo of South South News and others continues to expand. This is in spite of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon trying to limit the UN's inquiry to only two groups, Sun Kian Ip and the Global Sustainability Foundation.

 Ban and other UN apologists have also tried to say John Ashe, and perhaps Sam Kutesa (whose wife is affiliated with the Global Sustainability Foundation) are the only PGAs affected.

 But Inner City Press' reporting has found not only a lack of transparency, but also connection to Lorenzo and Ashe affiliated groups for a number of other former PGAs. (The current PGA, Mogens Lykketoft, employs Ashe's chief of staff and his Office has been used to campaign for fellow Dane Helle Thorning Schmidt to head UNHCR.)

 Beyond the two above named, the GSF and Sun Kiam Ip, the compromised positions of the others in the UN's orbit, including the South-South Steering Committee for Sustainable Development (SS-SCSD), the  International Organization for South-South Cooperation (IOSSC) and the UN Correspondents Association (UNCA) have come to the fore.

  As noted, both SS-SCSD and IOSSC have posted notices on their websites expressing shock at the charges against Ashe and Lorenzo.

 IOSSC says: "In light of recent events, Mr. Francis Lorenzo is suspended from his position as Executive President of IOSSC." (IOSSC is ostensibly an international organization with members like Sri Lanka, beyond Ashe's Antigua and Barbuda and Lorenzo's Dominican Republic; it echoes to IIMSAM, a group now in Dubai whose impermissible use of Diplomat passes Inner City Pressuncovered, even while as here there were attempts in the UN to cover up, here: IIMSAM with another former UN PGA.)

  But before the fall, Lorenzo not only schoozed UN officials, correspondents and diplomats - he collected PGAs, and held press conferences in the UN Press Briefing Room, like here.

Here's Lorenzo giving an award to (Swiss) PGA Joseph Deiss, with UN caption "Joseph Deiss, President of the sixty-fifth session of the General Assembly, receives an award from the UN-founded South-South News." (Note that: UN "founded" SSN.)

 When Deiss began, Inner City Press reported: 

"Joseph Deiss on his first day at President of the UN General Assembly was asked by Inner City Press if he is paid by the Swiss government. Video here, from Minute 21:37.

  No, Deiss replied, there is “no involvement by the Swiss government.” He said he is “totally free from the Swiss government.” Video here, from Minute 23:15.

  But later he conceded that the Swiss government pays for his apartment -- “I get from the government... a flat to live on” -- and for his airfare. Video here, from Minute 25:10. Those are payments, and the contradiction between the unequivocal claim of “no involvement by the Swiss government” and the subsequent admission he receives a free apartment from the Swiss government does not bode well.

  Deiss also said without further specificity that he has “some activities outside the government that [he] can reduce but continue to receive a salary.” 

  What ARE those activities? Should they not be disclosed, for possible conflict of interest?

  The UN budget of the PGA's office pays for a total of four professional level posts, and $289,000 for expenses. Inner City Press has been told that fully three of these posts are being given by Deiss to Swiss nationals. When asked, Deiss responded vaguely about his commitment to diversity.

  Deiss seemed to say that two or three Swiss will be put on the UN payroll, in the four professional posts he controls. Inner City Press understands that these will also be receiving Swiss government pension payments.

  Inner City Press was told months ago that in order to beat out Belgium's Louis Michel for the nomination of the Western European and Other Group to become President of the GA, Deiss bought the vote of Finland by promising a post -- one of the four -- to a Finn. Inner City Press asked Deiss' transition team the question weeks ago, without answer.

When Inner City Press asked Deiss about this on September 14, he denied it."

 Even further back, here is Lorenzo with "Haya Rashed Al Khalifa (second from right), President of the sixty-first session of the General Assembly."

  At least the UN Photo website hasn't deleted these photos.  On SS-SCSD's site, the link to John Ashe now says "The Page You Are Looking For Could Not Be Found."

 From other involved websites, compromising material is simply absent.  On UNCA's site, for example, there is nothing before 2013. But evidence remains on other groups' sites.

  Inner City Press yesterday published photographs from anUNCA award ceremony at which UNCA took Ban into a side room for photo-ops with the involved businessmen, after taking money from Lorenzo's South South News and giving SSN an award.

   While UNCA does not represent all journalists accredited to cover the UN -- Inner City Press for example quit the group in 2012 with another Executive Committee member and co-founded the new Free UN Coalition for Access -- the UN gives it a privileged position, a large clubhouse on the third floor of the UN and, automatically, the first question at press conferences.

  But is that appropriate, given that UNCA received money from South South News, “NGO 1” in the filing against Ashe? Not only did UNCA receive money from South South News: it gave the group an “UNCA award” at a ceremony at the high-ceilinged Cipriani's restaurant on December 15, 2011.

  Inner City Press, which did not quit UNCA in fully ripened disgust in 2012, was present on December 15, 2011 and witnessed, when Secretary General Ban Ki-moon came into Cipriani's, him being shepherded into a side room for photographs with Asian men in business suits who Inner City Press did not then recognize.

  Shepherding Ban for this (compensated) photo op with dubious businessmen was Giampaolo Pioli, then as now the president of UNCA. South South News interviewed Pioli that night, bragging of the UNCA award it got / paid for, screenshot from video here.

    (For context it must be noted too that Pioli rented one of his Manhattan apartments to Palitha Kohona then granted Kohona's request as Sri Lanka's Ambassador to screen his government's war crimes denial film “Lies Agreed To” in the UN's Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium: this precipitated Inner City Press quitting UNCA, in full disclosure.)

   How can UNCA be given first questions to ask about a scandal involving South South News, from which UNCA took more then to which it gave an award? And what are the other implications?

  (In terms of Mr. Ng's desire for photo ops, Inner City Press is informed that he separately wanted a photo with US President Obama, and paid six figures to a middleman - who disappeared with the money. UNCA on the other hand, one wag noted, delivered Ban Ki-moon for photos at Cipriani's.)

  UNCA, it should be noted, has been and is open to business interested beyond Mr. Ng and South South News. Another UNCA awards ceremony was sponsored by a company called “Acoona;” the Italian oil company ENI pays the group money.

But UNCA's South South News connection, given what has been disclosed and charged this week, should at a minimum and as a first step disqualify UNCA from first questions from the UN, and from the continuation of its role.

Wider, and going forward in this series, limiting UN investigation to OIOS - whose director of investigations Stefanovic has resigned, Inner City Press hereby exclusively reported on October 9 - looking at only two NGOs is laughable. The scandal is expanding: there is a pattern here, pattern and practice. Watch this site.
   

Ten Swiss Years in UN Spin HRC & Sanctions Reforms, Going Big in Small Five

 

By Matthew Russell Lee, Review

UNITED NATIONS, September 4 -- Switzerland joined the UN ten years ago, and its UN Mission website presents it as an unmitigated success. But closer examination finds that some of its claimed impacted, on and of the UN, are more ambiguous than presented.

Switzerland makes much of the Geneva-based Human Rights Council. But just this month, Sudan's candidacy for the HRC while its president has been indicted for genocide by the ICC has drawn fire. Word has been, for Sudan to drop out, it will get a quiet commitment for lighter treatment by the HRC.

Last week on August 30, Inner City Press asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's Associate Spokesman Farhan Haq about the efficacy of any challenge to the Secretariat to Sudan's candidacy:

Inner City Press: there's a letter that was sent to Patricia O’Brien about Sudan’s candidacy for the Human Rights Council. It’s been publicly announced; I don’t know if the UN has received it. And also, does the Secretariat have any role in ruling on the eligibility of countries to run in elections for the Human Rights Council?

Associate Spokesperson Farhan Haq: Well, certainly, Member States can request our expertise, our legal expertise, on points of order if they choose to do so. In this case, though, the question of membership in the Human Rights Council is up to the Member States, as it properly is, and we will leave it in their hands how to handle this issue.

Now, amid claims by some it vindicates the HRC, Sudan is backing out. But in exchange for what? Sudan's National Congress Party's secretary of organizations Adil Awad on September 2 said he now expects Sudan to be relieved of monitoring by a special rapporteur...

On the positive side, Switzerland's (increasingly leadership, and lonely) role in the so-called Small Five for reform of the Security Council's working methods stands out.

Their draft resolution was withdrawn, but Ambassador Seger seems committed to press forward, bringing a legal approach too rare in the UN. Seger insists, correctly, on more participation in the Security Council as head of a Peacebuilding Commission configuration. Seger's predecessor Peter Maurer now heads the ICRC and is headed to Syia.

On the other hand it was unfortunate that Nicolas Michel, while serving at the UN's top lawyer, also accepted Swiss payments for his housing, in violation of the UN charter and rules, as exposed by Inner City Press.

And Joseph Deiss, while he was PGA, was only halting in disclosing who paid for his housing and travel. For a PGA, it is legal to take from one's country. But Deiss appeared to deny it, when Inner City Press first raised it.

The ombudsperson of the Al Qaeda Sanctions committee was something of a good reform. But recently, for example, the reform proved illusory. A person removed from the Al Qaeda list, businessman Jim'ale, was then just put on the Somalia / Eritrea sanctions list.

Switzerland is in the position to critique and even reform these things. We'll be watching.

As Jeremic Accused of "Bribes" To Be PGA, Witness Qatar, WEOG, Ban Ki-moon Races

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 9 -- Presidents of the UN General Assembly usually campaign for and stealthly gain the position with the unequivocal support of their government. 

  In the case of monarchies Qatar and Bahrain this of course was no problem. Nor for Joseph Deiss of Switzerland, or long-time Daniel Ortega ally Padre Miguel d'Escoto of Nicaragua.

  But with Vuk Jeremic it is different. His Democratic Party is now out of power in Serbia, and opponents internal and external are leaking information about Jeremic's campaign and prospective funding of his year atop of the General Assembly. (Click here for Inner City Press' July 6 story.)

  Now in Serbia it is alleged that part of the $2.4 million first allocation is for "bribery" to help Vuk gain the position. The irony here is that this is how UN elections are contested and won.

  Witness the current Western European & Other Group race of Finland, Australia and Luxembourg for two Security Council seats. Finland gave out chocolates (and more, including trips to a mediation conference); Australia through a reception in the "Ambassadors' River View" tent facing the East River; Luxembourg is working the field.

  One might also compare it to what Qatar spent a year ago to beat Nepal for the Asia and Pacific Group nomination, or what Lithuania spent this year in unsuccessful opposition to Jeremic. Or even to what South Korea and Ban Ki-moon spent to win the Secretary General post.

  But Vuk's party is out of power, and this mayor of Belgrade is gunning for him. How much will be spent on his office this coming year?

  As noted, Inner City Press has reported on Switzerland paying for the housing of PGA Joseph Deiss (despite the oath nearly ubiquitous in the Organization to serve the UN and not one's country), and has inquired into thefundraising of Srgjan Kerim (beyond the $1 million from his government.)

  Now incoming PGA Vuk Jeremic of Serbia, whose election Inner City Press predicted with 97 votes (he got 99) is under some fire at home, for a reported $7 million request.

  Jeremic's rival in the Democratic Party (DS), Belgrade Mayor Dragan Dilas, has put the figure at $7.5 million and called it disgraceful. For now, it's said that only $2.9 million have been approved, prior to the vote for PGA, but running only throw December.

  In order to assess Jeremic's reported estimate, Inner City Press asked the office of the current Qatari PGA:

"This is a press request to know the budget of the current President of the General Assembly for his year in office, both from UN and non-UN sources.

"To explain, there is now a controversy in the press in Serbia about the incoming president's proposed budget from his country... in this context, and generally for UN transparency, I am asking you for the total PGA budget for his year, broken down as much as are willing to."

  The answer that came back so far did not have the number from Qatar, only from the UN:

"Dear Matthew, The Office of the PGA receives $250,000 for each presidency from the regular UN budget. This amount has been set in 1998 by Member States. The national government of the PGA may contribute to the funding of the operations and activities of the PGA/OPGA.

"There is also the Trust Fund established in support of the Office and used to cover the costs of PGA initiatives such as specific thematic debates. Member States can make voluntary contributions to this Fund - but during this session the Fund received no contributions."

  There is another wrinkle, raised to Inner City Press by another UN source: beyond the now-outdated $250,000, the UN pays for some of the PGA Office's posts, and others are seconded by other countries. Still, it has become harder and harder for poor countries to be PGA: witness Nepal losing out to Qatar. Now there is Serbia. Inner City Press has reiterated its request for the actual Qatari number. Watch this site.

For PGA, Jeremic $7 M Might Beat Kerim's $1 M, But Qatar Hides Ball

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 6 -- That the highest position in the UN system, President of the General Assembly, is essentially privately funded creates unfairness against small countries and possibly conflicts of interest.

  In the past, Inner City Press has reported on Switzerland paying for the housing of PGA Joseph Deiss (despite the oath nearly ubiquitous in the Organization to serve the UN and not one's country), and has inquired into thefundraising of Srgjan Kerim (beyond the $1 million from his government.)

  Now incoming PGA Vuk Jeremic of Serbia, whose election Inner City Press predicted with 97 votes (he got 99) is under some fire at home, for a reported $7 million request.

  Jeremic's rival in the Democratic Party (DS), Belgrade Mayor Dragan Dilas, has put the figure at $7.5 million and called it disgraceful. For now, it's said that only $2.9 million have been approved, prior to the vote for PGA, but running only throw December.

In order to asses Jeremic's reported estimate, Inner City Press asked the office of the current Qatari PGA:

"This is a press request to know the budget of the current President of the General Assembly for his year in office, both from UN and non-UN sources.

"To explain, there is now a controversy in the press in Serbia about the incoming president's proposed budget from his country... in this context, and generally for UN transparency, I am asking you for the total PGA budget for his year, broken down as much as are willing to."

 The answer that came back did not have the number from Qatar, only from the UN:

"Dear Matthew, The Office of the PGA receives $250,000 for each presidency from the regular UN budget. This amount has been set in 1998 by Member States. The national government of the PGA may contribute to the funding of the operations and activities of the PGA/OPGA.

"There is also the Trust Fund established in support of the Office and used to cover the costs of PGA initiatives such as specific thematic debates. Member States can make voluntary contributions to this Fund - but during this session the Fund received no contributions."

There is another wrinkle, raised to Inner City Press by another UN source: beyond the now-outdated $250,000, the UN pays for some of the PGA Office's posts, and others are seconded by other countries. Still, it has become harder and harder for poor countries to be PGA: witness Nepal losing out to Qatar. Now there is Serbia. Inner City Press has reiterated its request for the actual Qatari number. Watch this site.

At UN, Stonewalling on N. Korean and Palestine, Kim with DPRK, O'Brien

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 8 -- As Joseph Deiss delivered his swan song as outgoing President of the General Assembly on Thursday, including an evening reception of Permanent Representatives, the work and intrigue of the United Nations continued.

While Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was still out of town, his senior adviser Kim Won-soo worked the crowd, including a lengthy discussion with the Permanent Representative of North Korea. Earlier in the day, without answer, Inner City Press asked Ban's Deputy Spokesman Eduardo del Buey:

"Can you confirm that the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Valerie Amos, will be visiting the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea or North Korea, and if so, is that, I believe that is taking place, I would like confirmation of that and whether Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who spoke a lot about the issue and rapprochement on the peninsula, had any role, has had any communications with [the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] regarding this visit by the Emergency Relief Coordinator?"

Del Buey didn't answer, or email any answer, but later than evening Kim Won-soo was deep in discussion with the DPRK Permanent Representative.

Kim Woo-soon & DPRK Perm Rep, Sept 8, 2011, Amos not shown

Also at the day's noon briefing, Inner City Press and then others asked repeatedly for a briefing by Ban's top lawyer Under Secretary General Patricia O'Brien, including on the issue of how filings by Palestine will be handled by the Secretariat.

No answer was given, no briefing has been offered, but O'Brien was spotting Thursday night chatting with Mr. Kim and Department of Field Support deputy Tony Banbury. We'll have more on this.

The Press-shy Patricia O'Brien in GA Sept 8, Palestine not shown

More informed Permanent Representatives to the UN told Inner City Press that the statement on the Durban III review conference is under "silence procedure" until Friday at noon.

There was a meeting of the Security Council's Permanent Five members, on topics ranging from Syria -- China and Russia "reiterated their positions," one attendee told Inner City Press -- to Libya, on which Inner City Press will be publishing a story later on Thursday. Watch this site.

Footnote: At Deiss' last press conference on Thursday morning, Inner City Press asked him if receiving housing and other funds from Switzerland had been a conflict of interest, and if such funding limited the President of the General Assembly post to rich countries like his successor, Qatar.

Deiss said no, and noted that he received seconded staff from countries. But doesn't THAT mean that richer countries have more say? To his credit, Deiss said that the failure to fund "protocol" for the PGA is a problem. We'll have more on this.

At UN, As European Union Uses Special Rights, Caricom Calls It Abuse, Qatar on Tap as President of the General Assembly

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 17 -- Six weeks after the European Union won special rights in the UN General Assembly after months of opposition led by the Caribbean states group CARICOM, the struggle continued at the tail end of a General Assembly debate on the Millennium Summit.

After GA President Joseph Deiss allowed the European Union to speak, Deiss tried to end the meeting. But the Ambassador of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Camillo Gonsalves asked to take the floor.

He said, on behalf of Caricom, that the EU should not have been allowed to speak in the Explanation After the Vote section, since as a non member state, the EU had no vote.

Deiss said he “took note” of the statement, then again tried to end the meeting. The representative of Venezuela tapped her formica country name plate on her desk until Deiss begrudgingly gave her the floor.

After she said that Venezuela for the record supported CARICOM's objection, Deiss called hers a “declaration after a declaration,” and gaveled the meeting closed.

Afterward, Inner City Press asked Ambassador Gonsalves to explain. “There were to be no general statements,” he said. “The EU was inscribed to speak after the vote. A special provision was created by the chair for the EU, who didn't ask if anyone else wanted to speak in that way. As soon as the EU spoke, he shut it down.”

Ban Ki-moon & Ashton: "When Cathy met Ban Ki," 1 wants special rights, the other a 2d term

An EU member's Permanent Representative argued to Inner City Press that while St. Vincent should then have been allowed to make a general statement, if the EU did, there was nothing wrong with letting the EU make a general statement. But only the EU? When member states weren't allowed? This is why they were and are called special rights. Will the incoming President of the General Assembly, the Ambassador of Qatar who is to be elected on June 22, be so accommodating to the European Union? Watch this site.

UN's Ban Greeted & Dined with Coup Leader Rajoelina, Says They Didn't Meet

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 12 -- As UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was returning from Istanbul and the Least Developed Countries meeting there, Inner City Press asked Ban's acting deputy spokesman Farhan Haq about one of Ban's encounters there with

Inner City Press: Andry Rajoelina, the disputed leader of Madagascar, who is not recognized by the African Union... There is a lot of wonders why the Secretary-General would meet with this… why he was in Istanbul, although that’s not your concern, but did Ban Ki-moon meet with him? If so, why, and can we get a readout of this controversial meeting?

Some hours later, Ban's Spokesperson's Office sent this denial:

From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Date: Wed, May 11, 2011 at 3:47 PM
Subject: Your question on Andry Rajoelina
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com

Regarding your question at the noon briefing, I can inform you that the Secretary-General did not meet Andry Rajoelina in Istanbul.

This turns on the meaning of the word “meet.” As Inner City Press asked Ban's lead spokesman Martin Nesirky at the May 12 UN noon briefing, multiple photos exist of Ban shaking hands with and greeting Rajoelina, and sitting at the same table with Rajoelina for a dinner.

After Nesirky said that Inner City Press' question had been answered the previous day, he said that the Istanbul meeting was “multilateral diplomacy,” and that the invitations were made by Turkey's president Gul.

That may explain it -- alongside the greeting and dinner with Ban and Gul, Rajoelina made a deal with Turkey for an expensive dam:

Turkey plans to develop a 300- megawatt hydropower plant in Madagascar, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said. The facility will be built at Mahavola, 150 kilometers (93 miles) west of the capital, Antananarivo, Gul said in a statement e-mailed by Madagascar’s presidency yesterday. Gul met Madagascar’s president, Andry Rajoelina, at a conference in Istanbul yesterday, it said.

Multilateral, indeed. Watch this site.

UN General Assembly Fails to Oversee Ban Ki-Moondoggle & Mercenary Deals

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, March 16 -- General Assembly President Joseph Deiss has staked a claim for global governance by the UN, which he calls the “G-192” to distinguish it from the G-20 club of large and rich nations.

But in his term so far, he allowed the already marginal General Assembly to be circumvented even by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, on matters ranging from the budget to the UN's relations with corporations.

Earlier this month in the GA's budget committee, a complaint was lodged that by adding money and time to the UN Capital Master Plan, in this case $100 million in US Tax Equalization Funds, Ban Ki-moon had violated a General Assembly resolution requiring that the GA be told and approval any such change in scope to the CMP.

Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman about the criticism to what is now being called the “Ban Ki-moondoggle” and was told to ask CMP chief Michael Adlerstein. But Adlerstein when asked said to ask the member states.

On March 16, Inner City Press asked Deiss and GA spokesman Jean Victor Nkolo if Deiss agrees with the Group of 77 that Ban violated a GA resolution in changing the budget and time table of the CMP without GA input.

That's up to the committee, Nkolo said. What then is the role of the President of the GA when the GA roles is being ignored?

Similarly, Inner City Press asked Nkolo about a UN Joint Inspection Unit report this year that the General Assembly should assert oversight power on the UN Global Compact, an initiative started by Kofi Annan that under Ban Ki-moon has put a convicted fraudster, from South Korea, on its board of directors, and most recently granted UNGC membership to a private military contractor, G4S, under fire for involvement in Israeli run prisons in the Occupid Palestinian Territories.

Nkolo said the Global Compact is a unit of the Secretariat -- exactly what the UN JIU was criticizing and asking the GA to change -- and that he would see what committee deals with the UN Global Compact. No GA commitee does: that's just the point that the JIU should be changed.

Meanwhile, neither Ban's spokesman nor the Global Compact has yet answered Inner City Press' questions about the mercenary firm G4S's membership in the UNGC, 24 hours after the questions were posed.

Finally on March 16, Inner City Press asked Nkolo if Deiss believes that meeting of the committee on revitalization of the GA, at which greater media access was called for, should remain closed to the public. Inner City Press went into the committee's meeting this week and quoted and analyzed a few statements by Japan and Peru in Twitter posts.

Then US Deputy Permanent Representative Rosemary DiCarlo came up and said that the meeting was closed to the press. A GA staffer later confirmed this. Deiss has said he is for openness. We'll see.

At UN, Debate Ends with Kashmir and Karabakh, Vietnam Hits at Swedish Pique

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 29, 2010 -- The UN General Assembly debate ended Wednesday with a whimper not a bang, with bickering about regional disputes and a self-important speech by self styled visionary GA President Joseph Deiss, before a nearly empty GA hall.

Azerbaijan and Armenia mixed it out about Nagorno Karabakh. India and Pakistan traded charges of interference around Jammu and Kashmir. Eritrea and Ethiopia fought another round, while the Democratic People's Republic of Korea -- North Korea to you -- lashes out at South Korea and the United States, declaring itself innocent of sinking the Cheonan ship.

The UN can be blamed for its role in not solving several of these conflicts. The UN has a force in Kashmir, and like in Western Sahara there was talk of a plebecite / referendum. But none was ever held. Pakistan quoted from what it said was a 1952 offer by Nehru to leave J&K if so requested.

In Eritrea, the claim is that the UN and international community never enforced a border dispute ruling. On the Cheonan ship sinking, the UN Security Council issued a Presidential Statement that was so vague it allows each side to keep claiming victory ad infinitum. And so on.

After Deiss, who has refused to disclose the outside business interests he says are paying him this year, declared that the G-20 must make itself relevant, there was a final requester for the floor: Vietnam.

In a speech on Tuesday, Sweden had criticized the treatment of press and bloggers in eight countries. Three of them, led by Cuba, hit back on Tuesday night, raising questions about Sweden's own record. Inner City Press wrote Wednesday morning about the showdown, including Cuba's statement that Sweden was asked to but refused to stay to hear the reply.

The Swedish Mission called Wednesday to explain that generally it does not talk back to criticisms of its human rights record, because it believes in the freedom of speech. Inner City Press asked Deiss' spokesman if Sweden would be able to speak on Wednesday afternoon at the Debate's final session if they wanted, and the answer seemed to be yes.

But after Vietnam's reply to Sweden, there was no call to surreply. Inner City Press understands that the Swedish reason for its Permanent Representative not being present Tuesday night was the way in which the Cuban Permanent Representative made the request to stay: as a barked order by the glass wall to the side of the GA rostrum.

So this General Debate ended inconclusive, in a fit of pique. And so it goes at the UN. Watch this site.

At UN, Sweden's Hit & Run Human Rights Attack Lambasted by Cuba in UN General Assembly

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 29, 2010 -- As this UN General Debate reaches what some call its garbage time stage, when all the heads of state and attendant security are gone and the General Assembly Hall is largely empty, the deep fissures in the international community become apparent.

In a near empty GA on September 28, Sweden delivered a high minded speech, barely mentioning its own country but rather critiquing the human rights records of at least ten countries. The speech followed the more modest plea of Tuvalu, largely devoted to the right of Taiwan to participate in the UN's specialized agencies. A cynical called this Tuvalu “singing for its supper” -- saying what was necessary to keep Taiwanese aid following in, as Burkina Faso also did on Tuesday night.

At the end of the proceedings, new GA President and international man of mystery Joseph Deiss -- what are the outside business interests he mentioned but did not disclose? -- opened the floor for the right to reply. Most interventions were predictable.

Iran replied to the claims about three islands by the United Arab Emirates, a dispute between oil rich and well armed states which never seems to end.

Ethiopia issued a litany of complaint, including on behalf of Djibouti, against Eritrea, which in turn responded that the so called international community never enforced the boundary judgment it won.

Then Cuba, moving beyond the parochial, lambasted Sweden's “arrogant” attack on eight states in the Global South (somehow Cuba missed two). Most compellingly, at least to Inner City Press, Cuba said that the Sweden speaker had been asked to stay and hear Cuba's response, but chose not to. Even at the UN this passes for bad form.

UN Television panned over to the Swedish set of seat, in which two young staffers sat, looking outgunned. Neither of them chose to surreply. One imagined the Swedish speaker out to dinner, having gravlax and thinking big thoughts. But at the UN you have to engage. Score one for Cuba, on these grounds alone. Watch this site.

At UN, Deiss Says Not Paid By Swiss, Then Admits Swiss Apartment & Airfare

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 14, updated -- Joseph Deiss on his first day at President of the UN General Assembly was asked by Inner City Press if he is paid by the Swiss government. Video here, from Minute 21:37.

No, Deiss replied, there is “no involvement by the Swiss government.” He said he is “totally free from the Swiss government.” Video here, from Minute 23:15.

But later he conceded that the Swiss government pays for his apartment -- “I get from the government... a flat to live on” -- and for his airfare. Video here, from Minute 25:10. Those are payments, and the contradiction between the unequivocal claim of “no involvement by the Swiss government” and the subsequent admission he receives a free apartment from the Swiss government does not bode well.

Deiss also said without further specificity that he has “some activities outside the government that [he] can reduce but continue to receive a salary.”

What ARE those activities? Should they not be disclosed, for possible conflict of interest?

The UN budget of the PGA's office pays for a total of four professional level posts, and $289,00o for expenses. Inner City Press has been told that fully three of these posts are being given by Deiss to Swiss nationals. When asked, Deiss responded vaguely about his commitment to diversity.

Deiss seemed to say that two or three Swiss will be put on the UN payroll, in the four professional posts he controls. Inner City Press understands that these will also be receiving Swiss goverment pension payments.

Inner City Press was told months ago that in order to beat out Belgium's Louis Michel for the nomination of the Western European and Other Group to become President of the GA, Deiss bought the vote of Finland by promising a post -- one of the four -- to a Finn. Inner City Press asked Deiss' transition team the question weeks ago, without answer.

When Inner City Press asked Deiss about this on September 14, he denied it. We'll see.

Deiss speech to the GA said that “we must advocate for a[n] open General Assembly.” Inner City Press asked, for example, if Deiss favors that the meetings of the GA's Committee on Relations with the Host Country, which fields visa and other complaints about the US, should be open to the press.

After some on stage whispering, Deiss countered that this was a Secretariat matter. But it is not -- it is a committee of member states of the GA, staffed by a secretariat. After Inner City Press' last story, the following answer was provided:

Subject: Your question on the Host Country Committee
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply
To: Matthew Lee [at] InnerCityPress.com
Date: Mon, Sep 13, 2010 at 2:41 PM

At the 238th meeting of the Host Country Committee on 23 July 2008), the Chairman at that time indicated that "...while the meeting is open to any interested delegations in their capacity as observers, it is not open to members of the press or the public". This was also reflected in the Journal. This practice has been followed for subsequent meetings. The change was prompted by a request for clarification by Mr. Lee, as in the past the meetings were not formally identified as "closed" in the Journal, and DPI did attend and provide a summary of the meetings (it no longer does so under the revised arrangement). A detailed summary of the discussions remains available through the annual reports of the Host Country Committee to the General Assembly.

There IS a General Assembly role. Watch this site.