By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive
UNITED NATIONS, December 6 -- On Cote d'Ivoire, the UN Security Council remains deadlocked, and contrary to reports the reason is not only Russia.
Inner City Press on Monday morning asked China's Permanent Representative to the UN Li Baodong about the status of negotiations on the press statement drafted by France and circulated on December 6.
“Both parties have to figure out how to share,” Li Baodong told Inner City Press.
While US President Barack Obama, Nicolas Sarkozy of France and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and his envoy Y.J. Choi have all declared Alassane Ouattara the winner over Laurent Gbagbo, China is pointing to the pro-Gbagbo decision of the pro-Gbagbo Constitutional Council, and is calling it an internal matter.
Further detail of the December 2 Security Council closed door consultations on Cote d'Ivoire have been conveyed to Inner City Press. Choi is now described as “out of it,” seemingly unaware that despite his certification announcement, Gbagbo would point to the Constitutional Council decision and inaugurate himself.
US Ambassador and this month's Council President Susan Rice, sources tell Inner City Press, urged Choi if he needed to leave the video conference and go make his pro Ouattara announcement, he should do it.
No, Choi said "complacently," according to the witness. Then came the announcements by the Electoral Commission -- whose chairman asked the US and France for protection to leave the country -- and the Constitutional Commission.
How could Choi know so little? a Council diplomat asked. We hope to hear from the UN, Choi -- and the US Mission to the UN on these topics. Watch this site.
From the UN's December 3 noon briefing transcript:
Inner City Press: is Mr. Choi going to brief the Council later today on this announcement by the Constitutional Court turning back… turning yesterday’s results over? And also, does Mr. Choi and UNOCI, do they have the raw numbers the election as has been reported? And if so, what are they… when do they intend to announce their count of who won, Mr. Ouattara or Mr. Gbagbo?
Spokesperson Martin Nesirky: Well, I can tell you that the Special Representative of the Secretary-General has just finished a press briefing in Abidjan, where he has delivered a statement on the certification of the result of the second round and I would hope to be able to bring you that as soon as possible. And as I say, in addition to that — maybe you had not yet entered the room — I would expect a statement from the Secretary-General quite soon in fact, on the same topic.
Inner City Press: Has been asked to brief the Council, do you know?
Spokesperson: Who?
Inner City Press: Mr. Choi.
Spokesperson: I think I would prefer you to check with the Security Council presidency — with the [United States] Mission — on that. What I can tell you is that the Secretary-General, as I was saying just a little while ago, did speak to Ambassador Rice this morning, along with a number of other leaders in the region and elsewhere. So, this is obviously something that is moving quite fast and we expect to issue the statement from the Secretary-General quite soon. I can tell you that on the ground our Mission has increased patrols and it’s tense, but there have been no major security incidents of concern today. That’s what I can tell you, for now.
Inner City Press: I was just speaking to an Ivorian, I guess diplomat, who is… their argument is that in the north the vote was deeply flawed and ballot… I just… it made me wonder, what was ONUCI’s sort of presence in the north? Maybe you can answer it now or sort… file… find later in the day, but if that’s the argument by the Gbagbo camp, I just wonder what percentage of UNOCI was deployed there, whether they had any sort of knowledge of the type things that are being alleged, it seems important to figure that out.
Spokesperson: Well, as you know, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and the mission have a very specific role, which is to provide this certification. And as I say, that statement by Mr. Choi has just been read out by him in Abidjan. I am expecting to be able to pass that on to the media here. You will have seen the media reports I am sure, yourself. I am expecting to be able to pass that on to you. And that does give I think quite a lot of detail that would help you.
