UNSC in Africa I: DRC-Bound, SC Delegation Which Includes Russia Meets European Group Just Back from Georgia, Diplomat Updates through Brussels Rain, Leopold's Ghost

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 4 -- On its way to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the UN Security Council delegation stopped Friday in rainy Brussels and met with the Council of the EU's Political and Security Committee.

  While that body met in June with the Africa Union's better known PSC, the Peace and Security Council, its work on Africa since then has not been much reported on.

  Most recently, starting September 29 apparently through October 2, the EUPSC visited Georgia, including Gori, and discussed continued non-recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Russia's Petr Iliichev is accompanying the UNSC delegation.

  The EU, like the United States and the African Union, has its own envoy on the Great Lakes, on which we will be reporting more. But given the relative distribution for now of UN Peacekeeping resources between the DRC and collapsing Central African Republic, it seems the EUPSCcould or should be more relevant on CAR. But did the UNSC discuss CAR with them? We've asked.

  After two months of inaction, just as the UNSC trip left French Permanent Representative Gerard Araud told Inner City Press he would be distributing a draft resolution on CAR.

  After the October 2 "program of work" meeting, Inner City Press asked October's Council president Agshin Mehdiyev about the CAR draft -- as well as about DRC sanctions and why France was allowed to hand-pick the UN correspondents to accompany the Council's Great Lakes trip. UN Video here, from Minute 14:15.)

  Mehdiyev confirmed that Araud had said he WOULD distribute a draft resolution; he said that DRC Sanctions, a UNSC committee which he chairs, would not be the focus of the Great Lakes trip. 

  This might surprise the Congolese activists and supporters who met Thursday night at the NYC Bar Association discussing conflict mineral - click here for Inner City Press story on that including USUN / Dodd Frank Act question, here for UK question.

  But Mehdiyev did not answer on why France was allowed to pick (and ban) particular media to cover the trip. (This was confirmed by UN Spokesperson Martin Nesirky, see Inner City Press YouTube channel video here.)

  Off camera, other Council members have told Inner City Press they had not been informed that France would monopolize (and we'll say, abuse) the media selection process, which has become more outrageous with Araud dropping out from the trip. (Araud has been replaced at the last minute by his recently installed Deputy, Alexis Lamek, who one would think will be answering and updating on this, listed as a "co-head of mission.")

  The US leads the Rwanda leg of the trip; the UK leads on Uganda. Even as P5 / P3 members, they played no role? If not, this is dysfunction. While we will have more on this, for now we will appreciate and cover what updates are sent, like this one. So far from the media hand-picked by France, there is nothing. NOTHING. Watch this site.

   

Syria Aid Access Statement May Not Reach Rebel Held al-Raqqa, UK Denies P5 Rule But France Has Picked Scribes for Its Genocide Joyride

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 2 -- A Syria humanitarian access Presidential Statement was adopted by the UN Security Council on Wednesday that establishes some positive precedents while having holes in implementation.

Inner City Press asked Ambassador Sylvie Lucas of Luxembourg, which along with Australia drafted the statement, if she thought that armed groups like ISIS, threatening aid workers in Jarabulus and in al Raqqa, will listen to the statement. Video here, from Minute 7:55.

  Lucas said that Valerie Amos, the UN's top humanitarian who was standing next to the stakeout, could answer on with whom the UN is in contact. Lucas also said that, contrary to reports, no one had "broken silence" on the draft statement. (Several Western-side media reported Russia had broken silence.)

Inner City Press asked Valerie Amos about the ISIS threats in Jarabulus, which were confirmed to the Free UN Coalition for Access @FUNCA_info by Amos' EU counterpart Kristalina Georgieva, and if the UN has any access to al Raqqa. Video here, from Minute 5:28.

  Amos said that UN humanitarians reach out as much as possible, where they have a presence.

  But does the UN yet have access, Inner City Press followed up, to al Raqqa?

  Amos conceded, we do not have a physical presence there.Video here from Minute 6:42. So what is this Presidential Statement's effect there?

Inner City Press asked UK Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant about this statement having been drafted by two non-Permanent members. Video here from Minute 3:50.

  Lyall Grant said this was a good thing, and that "contrary to popular opinion, the Permanent members" encourage the non Permanent members to take the lead.

  But this has NOT been true on the Security Council's Africa trip to the Great Lakes, starting tomorrow. For that, Inner City Press which went on such trips in 2008 and 2010 was rejected this time; UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky admitted on camera that the decision was made by (Permanent member) France, as the "mission in the lead on the whole trip." Inner City Press channel YouTube video here, from Minute 0:41.

So colonial powerhouse France was allowed to hand-pick the scribes for what is now called its Genocide Joyride:Reuters (whose bureau chief has spied for the UN) andVoice of America. But the work of Australia and Luxembourg as drafters must be praised -- as must Azerbaijan's, as amended.

  Inner City Press asked October's Council president Agshin Mehdiyev of Azerbaijan to confirm that the addition, from the September 28 draft to the October 2 adoption, of a line about the territorial integrity not only of Syria but all of "all other States affected by the Syrian conflict" was his country's doing, referring to Armenia not re-settling Armenians from Syria in Nagorno-Karabakh.

  Mehdiyev and his deputy said yes, it was, and that they got another change. And that... is a change. France's sleazy handpicking of scribes for its Genocide Joyride is a blast from the past, and the silence or acquiescence of other Council members bodes badly. We will have more on this.

Footnote: Inner City Press asked Lyall Grant why the provision for cross-border aid had not been applied, despite two years of requests, to Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan in Sudan. He replied that there are "blockages" and perhaps this Syria statement might change that. We'll see. Watch this site.