At UN, At Second Syria Photo Event, Syrian National Coalition Says 85% of ISIS Kills Are Military

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, March 9 -- Two months after the Syrian government sponsored a photo exhibition in the UN that the opposition Syrian National Coalition unsuccessfully asked the UN to cancel, on March 10 a counter-exhibition of photos depicting torture in Syrian prisons had its opening.

  US Deputy Permanent Representative Michele Sison, previously US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, moderated the proceedings, noting that US Ambassador at Large for War Crimes Charles Rapp had come up from Washington. 

 One wondered what the two of them, and other of the sponsors, thought of the UN giving an at least six month deferral to Sri Lanka for war crimes in 2009.

  Turkey's Ambassador called the Syrian National Coalition the real representatives of the Syrian people; theSNC's Najib Ghadbian said that Assad forces killed some 32,000 in 2014, 75% civilians, while ISIS or Da'esh in 2014 in Syria killed some 3000, 85% of whom were military, he said.

  Did US Ambassador Sison wince at the statement? It seemed that way. By the time the microphone portion of the event was over, no one had disagreed. Rapp took up a position for the camera of Saudi television; others wondered at the distinction between co-hosts and co-sponsors. 

  Inner City Press learned that the organizers wanted the exhibit in a "better" location further down the hall but were given the same spot the Syrian government got. The idea of a Warning was theirs.

  On the evening before the opening, Inner City Press visited the site to find a Warning: The Following Images Are Disturbing.

  Another sign said "The content of this exhibition is solely the responsibility of the sponsoring and supporting member states, any queries should be directed to them."

  An invitation to the Press said that "The Permanent Missions of France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States and the co-sponsors the Permanent Missions of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Kuwait, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates cordially invite you to attend the opening of the exhibit “Caesar Photos: Inside Syrian Authorities’ Prisons” on Tuesday, 10 March 2015, 6-7pm, at the South Wall of the United Nations Conference Building."

 A separate invitation came from the Syrian National Coalition, which had tried to get the previous exhibition canceled: 

Co-Hosts: Permanent Missions of France, the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States

Co-Sponsored by: Co-Hosts and the Permanent Missions of the Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Italy, the State of Kuwait, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, United Arab Emirates

In Coordination with: Coalition for a Democratic Syria (CDS) and Syrian National Coalition

“Caesar Photos: Inside Syrian Authorities’ Prisons" exhibit displays photos of detainees from the prisons run by Syrian authorities that were taken by a defector from the Syrian army who is known by the pseudonym Caesar. 

  Back on January 7, a day when officials around the world and at the UN after the attack on Charlie Hebdo in Paris spoke about the right to freedom of expression and to display unpopular views, the UN received a protest to a photo exhibit about Syria set to begin the next day, January 8.

 The Syrian National Coalition -- the moderate opposition, in Washingtonese -- wrote to UN Management official Yukio Takasu:

"It has come to my attention that on 8 – 16 January 2015 the United Nations Secretariat Building will host an exhibit for the Syrian Arab Republic Mission featuring the photographs of Syrian regime propagandist Hagop Vanesian, in an event entitled 'My Homeland.' The UN cannot in good conscience host an exhibit that callously promotes a regime that is responsible for immense death and unprecedented destruction. By doing so, the UN condones the atrocities committed by Syrian forces, and serves as a mouthpiece for Assad’s heinous war crimes."

  As set forth below, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in a contradictory way, in a private event in the clubhouse of a group that has itself engaged in censorship, spoke on January 7 about the need for freedom of expression. 

  (Whether he's raised this in his native South Korea, where a newspaper editor faces criminal charges for insulting the president, is not known; the issue was not included in Ban's long read-out of his New Years call to South Korean president Park.)

  Perhaps Ban's Secretariat won't act on the SNC complaint, which we're linking to here, because it came one day before the exhibition. Will its response be about "freedom of expression"?

  There are certainly distinctions to be made between Charlie Hebdo, the Syrian government and this photographer, and we're open to hearing all. But what does freedom of expression mean?

   

Complaining of Francois Hollande Like So Many in France, Syrian Coalition's Munther Makhous on Diplomatic Mission in Paris -- MNLA Next?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 22 -- The Syria Coalition's representative in France Munther Makhous has today complained about Francois Hollande, as so many in France do:

"The French president pledged that he would give the Paris office of the Syrian Coalition all the legal powers necessary to operate as an official Syrian Embassy in the future, but designated no official target date for it to be done. Hollande also told us that he hoped that all the legal and political powers enjoyed by an embassy would be granted to the Syrian Coalition which has already been recognized as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people. However, the granting of legal powers to the Syrian Coalition needs to be approved by the UN Security Council."

   This last is unclear -- France certainly didn't get a Security Council vote to host an event in the UN last September at which it declared Ahmad Jarba the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people. 

  But some wonder, if France is handing out "diplomatic mission" status,why not to the MNLA? Click here for that.

   Back on May 14 when the Syrian Coalition's Special Representative to the UN, Dr. Najib Ghadbian, held a press conference in New York, Inner City Press asked him of the significance of the Obama administration designating the Coalition as a “foreign mission,” and of responses to the Coalition's requests for weapons. Video here.

  Ghadbian called US “foreign mission” status symbolic and political as well as legal. He said the Coalition would like to take over Syrian embassies and consulates, and to get Syria's seat at the League of Arab States which it had in one Summit but not since.

  On weapons Ghadbian called the Coalition's meetings in Washington with members of both houses of Congress, from both parties, productive, and said they'd like a pilot program like the TOW missiles. Video here. This may cause some response.

  Inner City Press also asked about the pending France-US draft Security Council resolution to refer some parts of the conflicts in Syria to the International Criminal Court. Ghadbian acknowledged that some -- he mentioned African countries -- don't like the ICC but said, these are the international institutions. 

  He predicted that Russia, but perhaps not China, will veto any ICC referral. Human Rights Watch did not appear, as advertised, at the press conference; Ghadbian apologized, and thanked his staff. He said he will be back soon to talk about starvation. Watch this site.

   

Syrian Opposition Set Pre-Conditions for Geneva Two Talks in Pay-to-Play Briefing of UN Censorship Alliance, Transcript Here by FUNCA

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 26 -- When the lobbying delegation of Syrian oppositionists were signed up for a presentation inside the UN building, perhaps they though it was a UN press conference. It was not: it was publicized only to money-paying members of the UN Correspondents' Association.

Even so Najib Ghadbian, called by UN the "Special Representative of the Syrian Coalition to the United Nations," did not know the name of UNCA, calling it the "Press Association." It is not -- it's now known as the UN's Censorship Alliance.

Before the Syrian opposition lobbyists' remarks, some set out below, Inner City Press for the new Free UN Coalition for Access went to the noon briefing where it was the only media to ask any questions. Video here, from Minute 7:02 and before and after. It asked:

Inner City Press: currently, there is a meeting in the North Lawn Building of the Syrian coalition with members of the Security Council. I’ve seen, although it wasn’t sent to me, a notice of a press conference in the UN building by the Syrian Coalition in room 310 of the United Nations, and I wanted you to describe what this press conference is. Is it a UN press conference? Is it only open to individuals who have paid money in order to attend it? And I saw one of the speakers described as the Special Representative of the Syrian Coalition to the United Nations, and I wanted to know, is there such a thing? Is there official representation to the United Nations by the Syrian opposition and on what basis does the UN give a large room to the UN Correspondents Association for meetings of this type, which they only promote to members that pay them money?

Deputy Spokesperson Del Buey: Well, I’ll have to check on that, Matthew. I don’t have the information with me, but we’ll check on that and get back to you.

Inner City Press: Okay, I’d really like an answer soon, before the meeting takes place would be ideal.

Deputy Spokesperson Del Buey: Well, we’re going to try.

  Neither before the meeting nor as of this writing at 6:45 pm was any answer given by the UN -- but it's going to have to be. 

  In the interim Inner City Press put together a short video from outside the session, here.

Because FUNCA and Inner City Press are about journalism, they obtained what happened inside the pay to play briefing publicized only to those paying dues to the UN Censorship Alliance. Here's Inner City Press and FUNCA, even with this:

Najib Ghadbian: Thank you so much for the Press Association for hosting us. It was a great opportunity for the Syrian delegation to speak to the Security Council (SC) today, and to bring to them the suffering of the Syrian people. That was the first concern. We ask the international community represented by the SC to take up its responsibility toward the Syrian people, and specifically we ask three specific points. The first of which, to find mechanism to force the Syrian regime to accept the Geneva communique, and to make that commitment clear.

A regime that continue to kill civilians, destroy cities, use heavy weaponry, including weapons of mass destruction, does not seem to be in fact committed to not only the spirit but the letter of the Geneva communique. The second demand was in fact ask the SC to help us find access for humanitarian assistance. Most of the work of the UN agencies is done through the Syrian regime, and we are concerned that there should be more ways, cross-border maybe, assistance to reach those in the liberated areas. We stressed this question so much to highlight the humanitarian catastrophe in Syria. Even by the UN figure we have almost 7 million Syrians who are either refugees or displaced in Syria, in addition to those of course the fallen heroes, those who have lost their lives, over 100,000 according to the UN SG yesterday.

And the third point was, we ask the SC to refer the regime to the ICC. That was a specific demand, in fact, we put before the SC.

The last point, as far as Geneva is concerned, we were very clear that we have supported all international and regional initiatives to find a political solution for the Syrian crisis, and for the specific point of Geneva. We said we are in fact committed to negotiating a negotiated settlement that would implement Geneva I, that would create a transitional government with full executive authorities. That includes the security and military areas, which in our understanding does not leave room for Assad in the future of Syria.

The last point was in fact, mentioned in the - can I see that - again to appeal to the international community to do something about those areas under siege. As we speak, the regime continues to bombard and attack civilians in places like Homs, like the suburbs of Damascus, (inaudible) everywhere.

And again, one last point is made related to Russia, which is a member of this council. We ask them to stop providing the political and the military support for this criminal regime to continue its crimes against the Syrian people. That's a summary of the statement, thank you.

Q: The Russian ambassador indicated that what you were actually proposing before a Geneva conference were in effect preconditions and that one of the problems in getting the conference off the ground were divisions within the opposition. A third point is that I believe your predecessor said that the coalition would not go to Geneva until the military imbalance had been rectified. Could you address this whole issue of preconditions?

Ahmad al-Jarba: For sure that from our understanding to Geneva that it's going to be the transitional government with full power, executive transitional government with full power. This is not precondition for Geneva or any new conditions. It was Geneva I. It is what we understood from Geneva I and what all the countries understood also. And we don't think that any full power government will not control the intelligence and army's forces. That's what we told the member of the national council now and that's how we see Geneva, and now we have some communication with other friends in the international community to explain to them how we think Geneva is. And about the opposition and who will represent the opposition in Geneva in this case, we think that the condition after the new extend was that there was a new 15 members that represent the Free Syrian Army and the new 14 members inside the coalition that represent the revolutionary forces on the ground, and there is 25 members from the democratic forces. We think now that the coalition is representing all the Syrian revolution and all the forces inside - the political and armed forces. But the way maybe how in Moscow they think maybe any diversity will be separated and the people they should be all united like in Russia.

Q: The Russians and the Iranians, Hezbollah, even from Iraq the regime is getting arms. One of the reasons you're here is to ask for arms for the Free Syrian Army and give guarantees that they won't fall into the hands of extremists. What assurances did you give? What promises did you get about arming the Free Syrian Army?

The question was: arming the opposition and guarantees that it would not fall into the wrong hands.

Mr. al-Jarba spoke about the coalition's effort to in fact lobby for support and mentioned a definite visit that the President and his delegation undertook to friendly countries to in fact provide the xx army with the needed support in the military arena. As far as guarantees; this is one of the issues that the FSA army, specifically the SMC, the Supreme Military Command, has been working very hard to ensure it would not happen. Mr. al-Jarba stated clearly that some of those extremists, in fact all of those extremists, do not recognize the SMC. So how can the SMC provide any kind of support to those entities that consider sometimes the SMC not only as a rival but also as an enemy? The SMC is the most concerned, in fact, that these weapons will not go into the wrong hands.

From a serious point of view, both the SMC and the Coalition are concerned about the rise of radicalism and extremism and they consider that it's a serious threat, they take it very seriously, and they don't want to make the situation any worse.

Q: How can you agree to go to peace talks without changing the balance of power on the ground? I understand the difference between the political and the armed wings, but how important is it for the balance of power to go into the hands of the rebels. And, can you explain whether there is anyone inside the Assad government who you would be willing to go into a transitional government with?

(Person A)

The problem is today that the regime is targeting only the areas under the control of the FSA. The xx regime of all the areas under control of xx and xx and extremist groups because we think that he's only fighting us. There is some kind of agreement, we don't know how, between the regime and the extremist groups on the ground. They are fighting us, and the regime is fighting us also, in the xx area. That makes the extremist group stronger and stronger everyday because they have their own money sources and their own weapon sources. We have nothing. We have only the international community help and the Arabic country help. If they don't help us well by the proper weapons that we need to help us organize ourselves better and to make ourselves stronger, the situation in Syria will be stronger and very dangerous in all the areas.

Najib Ghadbian: I think the designation of who is acceptable from the other side is very clear: those who have not committed crimes against humanity against the Syrian people.

Q: Is there anyone left?

(UNclear: person A)

Actually, there is a driver.

Najib Ghadbian: We would actually like to talk to the Human Rights Council on this. Even the Russians, I think, if they could identify those members. But you're right. The longer this conflict goes on, the more difficult it's going to be to find those. But, in the end I think there are some mid-level officers who are not as implicated in this as the top layers, let's call it the criminal layers, even by the international community, the human rights council.

Q: View of the situation on the battlefield? There is a perception the tide has turned and Assad is slowly winning.

Ahmad al-Jarba: This situation has only been for three months until now. After Assad involved the revolutionary guards and Hezbollah and some extremist gangs from Iraq and came with weapons and fully armed. In the past, we were only as revolutionists in the FSA on the ground facing the regime. Now the game has changed after these elements joined the story.

There is a new strategy now in the FSA command and we think that within one month you will see a lot of changes on the ground.

Q: Back to the meeting yesterday with the American delegation: what did you say to SoS Kerry, and did anything he say offer any encouragement?

Burhan Ghalioun: We think that our realign with Washington and the American administration is old and unique because they support the Syrian people and the Syrian revolution. Sec Kerry was very clear that America will stand behind the Syrian people and the Syrian revolution and they will not allow the regime to win in this fight with the Syrian people

But in the same time, it was clear that the American administration was supporting the Geneva conference. We made it very clear to the secretary that we accept Geneva. The Syrian Opposition and the Syrian Coalition on the ground have accepted all the resolutions in the international community including Geneva 2.

But, to get what the Syrian people want, not to go to Geneva to make a settlement with this regime. We told the Americans clearly that we don't want any chairs, or ministry or anything. We don't want anything. We want our people to vote to live democracy dream and to win this freedom battle. We told him,after the announcement of Geneva 2 the regime began to use maximum power, the maximum power, in all deliberated areas by all the weapons.

The open sources and the founts from Russia and and getting the militia from Iraq and Iran and the Revolutionary Guard inside Syria, all of this made very clear that the regime doesn't care about any political solution.

He wants to come to Geneva after he wins the battle with the Syrian people, just to say he won the battle.

So that's what we told Secretary Kerry, that if he want really Geneva to have a meaning, you should push on the Russian, on Bashar Al Assad the regime at least to stop using ballistics missiles and chemical weapons against his own people just at least to make Geneva have a meaning.

So stopping using the chemical weapon and ballistics weapon and all the heavy-- does not mean to stop the war because you know that Bashar Al Assad, he will not a cease fire, he want to continue his fighting, but at least to make the people inside Syria to feel a little bit comfort that there is something happening on the ground.

And lifting the siege from the cities under the siege since 2 years now and stopping all the aids and all the foods from the people…

Allowing the aids and the humanity aids to go inside all the cities under the siege and the liberated area and all the areas in Syria who needs these aids

And we will need a clear statement from the regime that he said that the opposition and the revolutionary forces on the ground and the revolutionists (?) they are not terrorists, and we are in the end of this delegation, end of this conference of Geneva and end of this process there will be transitional government without Bashar Al Assad.

Q: When you met with Kerry, you were asking for more arms. Don't you think more arms in the theater will kill more civilians? If you're calling for ICC to look into regime, what about also reported massacres committed by opposition?

Ahmad al-Jarba: For the first part of the question, when we asking about weapons, when we asking about giving weapons for the Free Syrian Army, we need these weapons to defend our people, to defend the liberated area, because the regime is using air jets, SCUD ballistics missiles, the tanks, so the weapons that we're asking about is the anti-air jets and anti-tanks to defend our people and to defend our cities, defend the civilians.

Najib Ghadbian: As far as the ICC, of course when we called for referring the regime to the ICC, we are accepting any investigation of those who committed crimes against humanity from any source, and I think that's the difference between us and the other side. We condemn any violations of international humanitarian laws, and we are going to be committed to that in order to be credible. That I think is the key difference between us, again, and the other side.

Q: Do you feel you're any closer after these meetings to Geneva 2? What are the obstacles?

Burhan Ghalioun: We believe that this meeting gave a momentum to Geneva again.

And we are very happy to hear that our allies are in fact committed -- that they are committed for in fact supporting us.

We see the obstacles is the regime's commitment, in fact, to Geneva 1, so if they're willing to implement Geneva 1 literally, there is a prospect for a negotiation.

Q: Russia says government is ready to go to Geneva and the problem lies with opposition. Are you ready? What was the response of Sec Kerry to your request for weapons quickly?

Ahmad al-Jarba: The first question about Russia when they said the regime is ready to go to Geneva, so the regime made a lot of statements that he's saying there is no transitional government with full executive authority and even we have some information that even the Russians, they are involved in this to keep the military and intelligence outside of any negotiations and as I mentioned it was from the body of the Geneva 1 with the government with full authority when they cleared these points and they make this commitment we are ready to go to Geneva.

So we think that the American administration actually the way that they look to the Syrian revolution it's better to the Syrian crisis. Maybe they are moving slowly but they still good and as you all know that General Dempsey and so the congress member that they had that they had a new position from the arm-- arm the Free Syrian Army. And we think it's very important point and we talk about all these cases with Secretary Kerry. And we agreed that there's another meetings will be in future to talk about all the cases again.

Q: When we spoke with Amb Churkin he looked like he asked more questions than you asked him or the SC. Did you feel like the Russians were listening to you during the meeting? Also, as you know, by shipping arms and fighter into Syria, both Iran and Iraq are breaching UNSC resolutions. Did you bring this to the table?

Najib Ghadbian: We asked one thing of the Russians: to stop giving weapons to the Syrian regime that continued to be used against Syrian people, we were very clear about that. They have so many questions because they are confused, they continue to be confused, and that's their issue, in fact. That's the issue with the whole Security Council. They're trying to add more ambiguity to already clear Geneva 1, which is all about democratic transition. Once they and the regime are ready to accept that, I think there is a serious prospect about peaceful and political solution.

   

On Syria, France Claims Jarba Recognized by "Vast Majority" of States at UN, Russia Disagrees, UNCA Scam

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 26 -- After UN Security Council members met informally with four Syrian opposition figures, France's Permanent Representative Gerard Araud emerged and declared that the vast majority of member states in the UN General Assembly view these four as the only legitimate representatives of the Syrian people.

  Inner City Press asked Araud what this was based on, since the proponents of the last UNGA resolution repeatedly said it was not a referendum on who to recognize at the UN.

  Araud replied, calling himself "scientific" and saying that "any any mathematical system 107 votes (of 193 member states) proved what he had said.

  Moments later, Inner City Press asked Russian Permanent Representative Vitaly Churkin about Araud's claim about the vast majority of states recognize this groups as the only legitimate representative of the Syrian people.

  Churkin said, he's such a great mathematician, then said that discussion was out of place, it was not the purpose the meeting to recognize anyone.

  After hearing the claim at the North Lawn stakeout, publicized and open to all UN accredited journalists, that the Syrian opposition has not set any pre-conditions for going to the Geneva Two talks, the oppositionists went to a pseudo UN briefing which was only publicized to those who pay money to the UN Correspondents Association, whose email to its dues paying members said:

UNCA will hold a press briefing with the delegation of the National Coalition of the Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces tomorrow, Friday, July 26th in the UNCA Meeting room S-310 soon after the informal UN Security Council Meeting.

The delegation will include:

Ahmad al-Jarba, President of the Syrian Coalition

Michel Kilo and Burhan Ghalioun, Syrian Coalition members and members of the Syrian Coalition Political Committee

Dr. Najib Ghadbian, Special Representative of the Syrian Coalition to the United Nations

  It is a choice, and a bias, to list Najib Ghadbian as the "Special Representative of the Syrian Coalition to the United Nations." 

  Several member states brought this up to Inner City Press (and one, to the new Free UN Coalition for Access); on behalf of both at Friday's noon briefing Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's deputy spokesperson Eduardo Del Buey if such a position exists, and why the UN gives a big space to UNCA to hold briefing such as this publicized only to those who pay money.

  Del Buey promised to look into it and provide an answer. Inner City Press asked that some answer be given before the dubious session by UNCA, led by Pamela Falk of CBS News. But none came. 

  Inner City Press filmed the outside of the meeting, and afterward one of the oppositionist being interviewed at length blocking the door to Inner City Press' shared office, with the Free UN Coalition for Access sign based on which the UN Department of Public Information on June 24 threatened to suspend or withdraw the accreditation of Inner City Press - based on an anti-free speech (and single party) rule it adopted with UNCA, its UN Censorship Alliance, as a formal party.

  Why would the UN give its -- the member states' -- space to a group that invites only some types of speakers, and does not publicize it to all UN accredited journalists? 

  And what does this birds of a feather connection say about al-Jarba et al? Why not just do it in the Saudi mission? Or have Saudi Arabia sponsor a real press conference, in the UN briefing room, publicized and comfortable to all UN accredited journalists? 

Inner City Press has shown that UNCA's first vice presidentLouis Charbonneau leaked to the UN's top accreditation official an ostensibly internal UNCA document three minutes after saying he would not. Story here, document here, audio here.

  Even after this was documented, UNCA took no action. This is a dubious organization.

  Charbonneau and current UNCA president Pamela Falk of CBS News made a variety of statements after, as an alternative to UNCA which tries to get the investigative press thrown out of the UN, the Free UN Coalition for Access was formed.  On the record audio here, and here (Falk); here andhere (Charbonneau).

  In full disclosure, Inner City Press first crossed swords with UNCA when its then president organized such a pseudo UN event for the government of Sri Lanka to deny war crimes charges. Click here.

  To prop UNCA up (while threatening to suspend or withdraw Inner City Press' accreditation unless it takes downeven a FUNCA sign from the door to it shared office), theUN gives UNCA an office, Press passes for their non-journalist interns (who take "focus booth" space denied to actual working journalists), and a big meeting room for events like the one with al Jarba.

Watch this site.

Syria / Saudi Opposition Chief Al Jarba To Hold Pseudo Briefing With UN Censorship Alliance, UNCA

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 25 -- There is a hunger among some at the UN that Ahmad al-Jarba, President of the Syrian Coalition turn out to be authentic, credible, open. 

  This was reflected by how quickly Thursday the ostensibly big issue of the Congo and Great Lakes was dropped to chase around al-Jarba and his entourage. (Inner City Pressvideo, featuring US Secretary of State John Kerry, here.)

  But when al-Jarba was announced as the leader of the Syrian Coalition, few had heard of him and those who had declared him as the candidate of Saudi Arabia, which was simultaneously nosing out Qatar in Egypt.

  After al-Jarba et al met with John Kerry on Thursday, it was Kerry who spoke briefing to the media. (Inner City Press asked him about the Congolese minister saying all rebellions in the Great Lakes bear a similar genetic signature; Kerry said he hadn't heard it. But video here, from Minute 1:06:20).

  Al-Jarba et al strode north on First Avenue past the Trump World Tower and into the German mission, after which leaks and a press release issued.

  But when al-Jarba deigned to take question from the media, it was not at a UN press conference or one elsewhere open and publicized to all UN accredited journalists. Rather it was with an increasingly questionable subset, the United Nations Correspondents Association, which sent notice only to its dues paying members.

  Inner City Press has shown that UNCA's first vice president Louis Charbonneau leaked to the UN's top accreditation official an ostensibly internal UNCA document three minutes after saying he would not. Story here,document here, audio here.

  Even after this was documented, UNCA took no action. This is a dubious organization.

  Charbonneau and current UNCA president Pamela Falk of CBS News made a variety of statements after, as an alternative to UNCA which tries to get the investigative press thrown out of the UN, the Free UN Coalition for Access was formed.  On the record audio here, and here (Falk); here andhere (Charbonneau).

  In full disclosure, Inner City Press first crossed swords with UNCA when its then president organized such a pseudo UN event for the government of Sri Lanka to deny war crimes charges. Click here.

  To prop UNCA up (while threatening to suspend or withdraw Inner City Press' accreditation unless it takes down even a FUNCA sign from the door to it shared office), the UN gives UNCA an office, Press passes for their non-journalist interns (who take "focus booth" space denied to actual working journalists), and a big meeting room for events like the one with al Jarba.

  From an UNCA source, not from UNCA, not posted on the door to its UN given, locked meeting room, Inner City Press has obtained the notice sent out only to those who paid money:

UNCA will hold a press briefing with the delegation of the National Coalition of the Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces tomorrow, Friday, July 26th in the UNCA Meeting room S-310 soon after the informal UN Security Council Meeting.

The delegation will include:

Ahmad al-Jarba, President of the Syrian Coalition

Michel Kilo and Burhan Ghalioun, Syrian Coalition members and members of the Syrian Coalition Political Committee

Dr. Najib Ghadbian, Special Representative of the Syrian Coalition to the United Nations

We will send an update on a time in the morning.

  Why would the UN give its -- the member states' -- space to a group that invites only some types of speakers, and does not publicize it to all UN accredited journalists? And what does this birds of a feather connection say about al-Jarba et al? 

  Why not just do it in the Saudi mission? Or have Saudi Arabia sponsor a real press conference, in the UN briefing room, publicized and comfortable to all UN accredited journalists? Why indeed. Watch this site.

   

On Syria, Russian Draft Called Inadequate or Enriched, SNC Money Claims

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 17, updated -- On the eve of the scheduled vote on Syria resolution(s), Security Council deputies met for nearly two hours about the Russian draft. Afterward Russian Deputy Alexander Pankin called his draft "enriched."

  UK Deputy Philip Parham, on the other hand, called the Russian draft "inadequate." Another Council source told Inner City Press that in the meeting on the Russian draft, Chapter Seven was pushed as an amendment, as something lacking from the draft.

  Pankin was asked if his enrichments included Chapter Seven or Article 41. He scoffed and said, why would we put one of our red lines in. My minister has been very clear.

  And so a showdown is set up, for July 18 at 3 pm. Parham said actually voting at that time will depend on what happens in the "next twelve to twenty four hours."

  There was pressure from across First Avenue as well. On the 28th floor of the Millennium Plaza Hotel, representatives of the Syrian National Council held a press conference, featuring Najib Ghadbian, Bassma Kodmani and Khalid Saleh of the SNC Executive Office

They said that if the Security Council doesn't include Chapter Seven, they will go in another direction, to regional organizations.

   They said that the Syrian National Council has received $15 million, and has spend 94% of it on aid inside Syria.

   That would leave $900,000 for all the SNC's expenses. One wondered, how much is this hotel meeting room, and rooms for five representatives, flights, and other meetings? But this question was not taken. Yet. 

  One wag mused maybe these are the ones enriched, using Pankin's word for his draft. 

Footnote: The Kosovo meeting which preceded the consultation on Russia's Syria draft led, it seemed, to nothing. Afterward a participant told Inner City Press that briefer Herve Ladsous said he didn't know who killed the two Serbs in Kosovo, and on fighters from Syria visiting Kosovo Ladsous had only press reports. 

  That's why they call Ladsous "Mister Press" -- or not.Ladsous on Tuesday refused, on camera, to answer Press questions on Lebanon and UN Peacekeeping killing in Congo. Watch this site.

Update of 6:34 pm - as Colombia's Nestor Osorio, president of the Security Council for July, left for the evening, he stopped and told the Press that if there's "no movement" by noon or 1 pm on July 18, there will be a vote at 3. If there is a veto - he called it a "niet" -- there might be a rollover to allow UNSMIS to pull out, as the SNC also said earlier. Showdown...