After UN Spins Faux “Press" Encounter, Its Censoring Scribes Buy Jerseys, After Questions of Corruption on Sri Lanka PR Rent

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 30 -- When is a “press encounter” not a real press encounter? When the UN claims that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon held one, but the press corps which covers the UN is not informed and is not present. Why was this done?

  Those ostensibly speaking for the UN press corps, the old UN Correspondents Association, make no complaint, instead bragging about Ban kicking a (soft) ball with them. They have even, in the wake of trying to censor reporting on their president's financial relationship with Sri Lanka's Ambassador and (canceled?) television favors, spending money on their own jerseys, here.

   This is UN decay, and what the Free UN Coalition for Access is challenging.

  On Sunday, June 29 Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric sent out a transcript of what it called Ban's “Remarks at Press Encounter with H.E. Mr. Shimon Peres, President of Israel.” What was sent out did not say when it had occurred, nor where, other than “New York.”

  No notice was sent out by the UN's Media Liaison and Accreditation Unit, nor by Ban's Office of the Spokesperson. When Ban's current spokesman Dujarric was in charge of MALU, FUNCA formally asked him to begin providing notice of Ban events even if held outside of the UN headquarters.

  On June 30, Inner City Press for FUNCA asked, where did the "press encounter" take place and why were the press not told? From the UN's transcript:

Inner City Press: On this Sunday press encounter, I saw this from the readout of the press encounter, but I didn’t see any pre-announcement of it. Can you give a little, like, once it was sent out, was it known that he would speak? Who did he speak to? Other than UN News Centre?

Spokesman Dujarric: This was an invitation by President Peres to attend a working brunch, and the Israeli Mission made the arrangements. Thank you.

Inner City Press: UN News Centre was there, so how did they get there?

  That last was not answered. While Dujarric said it was the Israeli mission which made the arrangements, if true, that is abnormal, as the UN is supposed to announce to the media it accredits when Ban will be taking questions on UN relevant issues.

  Dujarric bragged when he gave notice of Ban meeting New York City Mayor De Blasio - but gave no notice of the "press availability" regarding Israel's Peres. FUNCA says this is UNacceptable.

  The old UN Correspondents Association on the other hand, whose head Pamela Falk was present on June 30 if only to take the first set-aside question to Hilde Johnson on South Sudan, made no complaint.

  Instead, they are bragging about a "journalists and diplomats" game of football or soccer this week, even that Ban Ki-moon will be present at the kick-off.  Softballs, indeed.

   

UN Says Ban Ki-moon's Faux “Press Encounter” With Peres Managed by Israel, Softball with Scribes

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 30 -- When is a “press encounter” not a press encounter? When the UN claims that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon held one, but the press corps which covers the UN is not informed and is not present. 

  But those ostensibly speaking for the UN press corps make no complaint, instead bragging about Ban kicking a (soft) ball with them. This is UN decay, and what the Free UN Coalition for Access is challenging.

  On Sunday, June 29 Ban's spokesperson's office sent out a transcript of what it called Ban's “Remarks at Press Encounter with H.E. Mr. Shimon Peres, President of Israel.” What was sent out did not say when it had occurred, nor where, other than “New York.”

  No notice was sent out by the UN's Media Liaison and Accreditation Unit, nor by Spokesman Stephane Dujarric. When Dujarric was in charge of MALU,  FUNCA formally asked him to begin providing notice of Ban events even if held outside of the UN headquarters.

  On June 30, Inner City Press for FUNCA asked, where did the "press encounter" take place and why were the press not told? Dujarric said it was the Israeli mission which made the arrangements -- if true, that is abnormal, as the UN is supposed to announce to the media it accredits when Ban will be taking questions on UN relevant issues. 

  Dujarric bragged when he gave notice of Ban meeting New York City Mayor De Blasio - but gave no notice of the "press availability" regarding Israel's Peres. FUNCA says this is UNacceptable.

  The old UN Correspondents Association on the other hand, whose head Pamela Falk was present on June 30 if only to take the first set-aside question to Hilde Johnson on South Sudan, made no complaint.

  Instead, they are bragging about a "journalists and diplomats" game of football or soccer this week, even that Ban Ki-moon will be present at the kick-off.  Softballs, indeed.

  If Netherlands' Ambassador goes, he might want to answer about donor countries refusing to follow the recommendation of the UN Senior Advisory Group on Peacekeeping Operations that peacekeepers be paid $1700 a month, offering only $1250. This question wasn't answered - but ones about the World Cup were. When Inner City Press asked Dujarric on June 30, he wouldn't express any position on peacekeeper reimbursement either. To this is the UN coming -- softballs.

  The UNCA Executive Committee didn't even give their own members a transcript of Ban's spoonfed lunch quotes to them this year, on which they wrote (largely fawning) stories. 

  One of UNCA's dues-paying members was told by outgoing French Ambassador Gerard Araud, "You are not a journalist, you are an agent" -- and UNCA is still dragging its feet. Hey, that's no way to kick a ball.

  Of Ban's Peres remarks the coverage, in a style echoing state media, was by the UN's own UN News Centre, which ran a photograph by UN Photo and “reported” that Ban was “speaking at the beginning of a meeting with President Shimon Peres of Israel at the UN Headquarters in New York.”

  But the photo appears to show Ban's own residence, blocks away from UN Headquarters. It was on the door of Ban's UN-provided residence that legal papers in the first case against hisUN bringing cholera to Haiti were taped -- but the UN refused to confirm that.

  Last Friday June 20 Dujarric and his deputy Farhan Haq refused to answer Inner City Press' written request for confirmation or denial of the service on Ban of yet more Haiti cholera papers.

  And from June 26 to June 27 Dujarric would not even confirm receipt of Inner City Press' questions about UN Peacekeeping's Herve Ladsous flying the UN-sanctioned leader of the FDLR militia in a UN helicopter without any approval from the UN Security Council. 

  The Free UN Coalition for Access is opposing selective answering, failure to answer, and here, failure to notify.

So when IS a “press encounter” not a press encounter, but a scam? How long can this go on, and how much lower can they go? Watch this site.

   

Link of Colombia's World Cup Team to Cocaine by UN Goodwill Ambassador Van Dam Raises Again Need for Reform

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 18 -- The UN system has said it is trying to clean up its Goodwill Ambassadors program, as Inner City Press exclusively reported in January, here.

  But now UNICEF's Dutch Goodwill Ambassador Nicolette van Dam, in the middle of the World Cup, has tweeted a photo-shopped mock-up of Colombia national team members James Rodriguez and Falcao Garcia snorting, like cocaine, the white spray now used to limit how close to stand to a free kick.

  "Colombian wall," was Nicolette van Dam's caption.  Click here to view.  Many Colombians naturally were less than pleased, as were some in the UN system (at least at UNICEF in Colombia). But what will be done?

  (Colombia's team is set to play Cote d'Ivoire on June 19.)

Previously, that Libya's Colonel Moammar Gaddafi's daughter Aicha Gaddafi was a UN "Goodwill Ambassador," when first reported by Inner City Press in February 2011, was an issue the UN did not want to address. 

  First Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson's office left the question unanswered after Inner City Pressasked at the February 20, 2011 noon briefing. Three days later, former UN Deputy Secretary General Mark Malloch Brown told Inner City Press he hoped it wasn't true -- but it was.

  Now UN sources have exclusively provided Inner City Press with a draft proposal that, if implemented, might avoid for the UN some such embarrassments and outrages in the future. The proposal, from UNDP, is that the UN system discourage naming as Goodwill Ambassadors "immediate family members of individuals holding or running for political office, as well as members of Royal Households."

   Ironically, UNDP even as it makes this proposal has as a Goodwill Ambassador Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway. But it would apply to many other current UN system Goodwill Ambassadors, such as the First Ladies of Cameroon and the Dominican Republic, and Royal family members of Jordan, the UAE, Morocco, Norway, Denmark, Monaco, Bhutan and Thailand.

  Here exclusively are two proposed paragraphs, then how they would apply to current UN practice, and a comment -- appreciated and included for fairness -- from the UN's Outreach Division chief, Maher Nasser, that updates are needed. 

  Some might call them too-rare reforms:

Messenger of Peace/Goodwill Ambassador draft guidelines & meeting minutes

Dear All, With our apologies, please find a revised version of the draft guidelines. We neglected to add language that UNDP had proposed.

FN3: "immediate family members" replaces "spouses"

The designation of immediate family members of individuals holding or running for political office, as well as members of Royal Households, is discouraged to avoid the appearance of vested interest.

PARA18: the following text has been added

5. Appointment letters should specify the beginning and end dates of the term of the appointment. If a decision is made to terminate or not renew a partnership with a Goodwill Ambassador or Messenger of Peace, an official letter shall be sent expressing appreciation for his/her services and clearly indicating the date on which the partnership comes to an end. Language should also be included specifying that as of that date, the individual should no longer use the title of Goodwill Ambassador or Messenger of Peace, and that his/her biographical data, websites and other promotional materials should be modified accordingly.

We understand that some of you have shared the previous version with your legal departments, and very much regret this inconvenience.

As always, we look forward to your feedback.

Please review the guidelines and convey your agency's approval of this version by 31 January.

Best regards,

Chief, NGO Relations, Advocacy & Special Events
NGO Relations
Creative Community Outreach Initiative
Messenger of Peace Programme

   Aicha Gaddafi was, clearly, an immediate family member of a person holding office. But currently, for example, the UN system has the following as Goodwill Ambassadors, many of them " members of Royal Households" --

Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein of Jordan, spouse of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Ruler of Dubai

FAO: Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak al Ketbi (United Arab Emirates)

Margarita Cedeño de Fernández (Dominican Republic) First Lady

UNAIDS: HRH Crown Princess Mette-Marit (Norway)

Her Serene Princess Stephanie (Monaco)

UNICEF: HM Queen Rania (Jordan)

UNESCO: Chantal Biya (Cameroon) First Lady of Cameroon

H.R.H. the Princess of Hanover (Principality of Monaco)

H.R.H. Princess Firyal of Jordan

Bahia Hariri (Lebanon) Parliamentarian

H. R. H. Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco

UNWOMEN: HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol (Thailand) Granddaughter of the Thai King

HRH Princess Basma bint Talal of Jordan

UNDP: Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway

UNFPA: Princess Basma Bint Talal of Jordan

Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck (Bhutan) Queen Mother of Bhutan

Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark

WFP: HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (Thailand)

Inner City Press sought comment from the UN's Outreach Division; its director Maher Nasser quickly replied: 

"On the Goodwill Ambassadors, the existing guidelines are several years old and in need of an update.  We have been working with the focal points in the UN System on Goodwill Ambassadors to update them for quite a while now. Until these are approved by all, this is still work in progress, so I cannot comment on the specific language until it is final.

"The revised draft aims to ensure consistency in the selection criteria of GWA across the UN system and that we are able to best harness the potential created by a celebrity's association with a UN organization and/or a certain cause."  We'll have more on this. Watch this site.

   

World Cup Fever at UN, From Delegates Lounge to Vienna, Bread and Circuses in DR Congo, UN Censorship Alliance

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 17 -- The World Cup in Brazil is close to taking over the UN system. On June 17 a UN Security Council stakeout was scheduled for 4:15 and then 4:30. But down the hall from the Delegates Lounge came cheers and clapping, Mexico and Brazil. Video here.

  Even Security Council president for June Vitaly Churkin headed to the Lounge and watched. (His Russia was slated to play South Korea later in the day: a 1-1 tie.)

  International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde, during a press conference about the US economy, gushed about how Les Bleus from France had done. A senior State Department Official briefing the press about the P5+1 nuclear talks with Iran in Vienna said World Cup fever was there too. Click here for Inner City Press story.

  But how does the UN use it? In Eastern Congo, the UN's MONUSCO mission tweeted out a photograph of big screen television it installed in the town square in Goma, leading some to ask if UN envoy Martin Kobler or his boss Herve Ladsous might be trying to run for office?

  It's one thing for the UN to install such a TV in a refugee camp, to make things better. But in the town square in Eastern Congo, or UN-Landia where Kobler has yet to check camps where imprisoned rights defender Mbonimpa says Burundi's ruling CNDD party is arming and training its youth gang? Click here for Inner City Press' coverage.

  Similarly, the UN's Censorship Alliance is saying it will use the big room the UN gives it -- now sitting unused even after the UN evicted the News Agency of Nigeria claiming a need for its space -- to show the later rounds of the Cup. Bread and circuses, censorship and propaganda. And then, the purity of cheering. Watch this site.

   

IMF's Lagarde Says US Federal Reserve Should Communicate More, FOIA, World Cup and Western Sahara Questions

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 16 -- When the International Monetary Fund's Christine Lagarde held a press conference on June 16 about the US economy, she said the Federal Reserve should communicate more frequently. 

  The underlying IMF assessment is that

"Enhancing the Fed’s communication toolkit would be a natural evolution that could help temper the likelihood of market volatility along the exit path. This could include scheduling press conferences by the Fed Chair after each FOMC meeting (to provide a more frequent, structured environment to explain the committee’s evolving thinking). It could also involve publishing a quarterly monetary policy report, that is endorsed by the FOMC and which conveys more detail about the majority view of the FOMC on the outlook, policies, and the nature of uncertainties around the baseline. Such a report may also convey dissenting views on the FOMC as well as broader information on how the FOMC thinks about policy reactions in plausible, non-baseline scenarios. Finally, the FOMC could provide greater clarity about how financial stability considerations figure into its monetary policy calculus."

  She might have added: the Fed can and should do better under the Freedom of Information Act, on which in full disclosure Inner City Press has litigated with the Fed. Then again, at least the Fed accepts that it is covered by FOIA - the United Nations doesn't (see below).

  While the IMF is more frequently taking Press questions online, we note for example that a repeatedly asked question about whether the IMF includes Western Sahara in Morocco's data has been stonewalled, including the days Lagarde was in Rabat.

  Lagarde was asked who she favors in the World Cup and said she was "delighted to see French team did as it did." Well, that's some transparency.

The UN also has a position on the US Federal Reserve, it emerged on May 21, at least a position favoring new Fed chair Janet Yellen over her predecessor Ben Bernanke.

  Inner City Press asked Pingfan Hong of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs about DESA's mid-year update of the UN World Economic Situation and Prospects, which called on the Fed to communicate more clearly as it tapers away from quantitative easing -- does the UN favor an audit of the Fed, and what of the impact on tapering QE on emerging markets? Video here.

  Pingfan Hong recounted that an IMFC meeting he attended, Yellen admitted to negative impacts on emerging markets, which he said Bernanke obfuscated by claiming positive impacts too. (Bernanke now is speaking at $250,000 dinners, so criticism from DESA may not concern him.)

  Inner City Press also asked Pingfan Hong about the WESP's call for the implementation of IMF quota reform -- was this really related to the IMF's ability to lend to Ukraine, and what are its economic impacts?

  Pingfan Hong replied that it is more of a “long term” issue, but that countries should follow through on what they commit to. What about democracy, though? And what about democratizing the Federal Reserve? We'll have more on that. Watch this site.

   

On Iran P5+1, US Insists Iraq Issue UNconnected - But BNP Paribas, Kyiv Embassy Attack?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 16 -- With Iran nuclear P5+1 talks starting in Vienna, the question arises how ISIL's advance in Iraq may impact them. 

  A US Senior Administration Official on June 16 told reporters it does not give Iran more leverage, while talks about Iraq may occur "on the margins," that is separate from the P5+1 process. 

  Asked of timing, the US official said "we are all focused on July 20... we can get this done."

  The official said that "World Cup fever has presented itself here in Vienna." Today Iran plays Nigeria, and the US plays Ghana (with Vice President Biden in attendance).

  Asked again about Iraq, the official said that the situation in Ukraine hadn't impacted the P5+1 talks. Inner City Press wonders if, with the blocking in the UN Security Council of Russia's proposed statement on the attack on its embassy in Kyiv, that might change.

  And as set forth before, how Francois Hollande's and Laurent Fabius' open lobbying for BNP Paribas and its violation of Iran sanctions might have an impact as well.

 Fabius has said that Iran wants hundreds of thousands of centrifuges and that France is drawing the line there, copying itself from 2013.

   But how strange: Francois Hollande and Fabius defend BNP Paribas' violation of Iran sanctions, while loudly playing hardball. Playing is the operative word.  

   With the July 20 deadline to conclude the Iran nuclear talks looking more uncertain, early on June 7 the US State Department announced that “Deputy Secretary of State William J. Burns and Under Secretary for Political Affairs Wendy R. Sherman will travel to Geneva for consultations with Iranian officials on June 9-10.”

  Beyond the two days' relation to the July 20 deadline, they also come as Iran sanctions violations by BNP Paribas are being actively defended by French president Francois Hollande and foreign minister Laurent Fabius.

  These June 9-10 US - Iran meetings was called a bilateral and other US attendees were named, including Brooke Anderson, previously at the US Mission to the UN, and Jake Sullivan, who was with Vice President Biden at Petro Poroshenko's inaugural in Kyiv on June 7.

  Then Iranian bilaterals with Russia and China, each separately, were announced. The question was raised June 7 by Inner City Press: what about France and the UK? What about the European Union?

  The EU quickly announced that its Helga Schmid will also play a role -- or “join” -- in Geneva. EU spokesperson Michael Mann said, “The US will hold a bilateral with the deputy chief Iranian negotiator in Geneva next week. EU Political Director Helga Schmid will join. Other bilaterals will follow in the next days.”

  So when is a bilateral meeting NOT a bilateral?

  Soon a US Senior Adminstration Official on background responded to questions: “As we've said - and as the EU just noted - these talks are intensifying. The P5+1 and the EU have been in total coordination throughout these talks, including regarding bilateral discussions. As such, EU Political Director Helga Schmid will join in Geneva as well.”

  So again: when is a bilateral no longer a bilateral? Will France itself try to participate, with Jacques Audibert's replacement Nicolas de Riviere a/k/a Flippy Nic? 

  How to compare France's hard-line position on Iran and sanctions violations now that Francois Hollande and Laurent Fabuis are actively defending sanctions violations, not only to Sudan but also Iran, by BNP Paribas? A new dynamic? Watch this site.

   

At World Cup in Brazil, 60% of UN Security Council But Only 16% of UN Member States Will Play: Of Malvinas and Migrants in France

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 1 -- In the upcoming World Cup in Brazil later this month, nine of the 15 members of the UN Security Council will participate. So 60% of the Security Council's members will be there, while only 16% of the UN's 193 member states will be.

  Of the five Permanent members of the Security Council, only China won't be there. Of the Group of 4, only India will be absent. Of countries on the Council's agenda, present in Brazil will be Iran and Cote d'Ivoire, Bosnia and Greece (arguably on due to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia “name” issue).

  In Group B, Security Council members Australia and Chile will face off, June 13 in Cuiaba. In Group H, Russia and South Korea will play there on June 17 (South Korea was president of the Security Council for May; Russia is president in June.)

  There are few ideological battles, at least in the first round. Iran is not in in Group G with the United States -- G is for Germany, and Portugal too -- and the UK and Argentina and the Malvinas / Falkland Islands dispute are in different groups.

  In Group E, France and Ecuador might at least disagree about regime change and the treatment of migrants, when they play June 25 in Rio. Watch this site.

Footnote: In New York, recently Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's golf buddy (along with the UK and South Korea) San Marino's ambassador set up another pick-up game, seemingly including Ukraine's long-time Permanent Representative Yuri Sergeyey, next to Ban's legacy striker Kim Won-soo. To some, there seems to have been even less diversity in this group that at the World Cup...

   

As Brazil Gets Olympics Baton, No Questions on Spending, Ban Ki-moon Cites South Korea, UK Lobbied by Saudi

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 29 -- When the UK handed over the Olympic baton to Brazil with the UN's Ban Ki-moon and his empty track suit presiding, Inner City Press expected that at least a few questions would be taken.

  They had, after all, asked journalists to RSVP and put it in the UN Media Alert, unlike the morning's General Assembly briefing on Syria.

  A range of Permanent Representatives showed up: Sylvie Lucas of Luxembourg and her counterparts Costa Rica's Eduardo Ulibarri-Bilbao, Bolivia's Sacha Sergio Llorentty Solíz, Gabon's Nelson Messone, New Zealand's Jim Mclay, Kazakhstan's Byrganym Aitimova (an Olympian, who alsospoke at China's Li Baodong's farewell) and Saudi Arabia's Abdallah Yahya A. Al-Mouallimi and Kenya's Macharia Kamau (more on these last two later.)

  A riser for camera-persons had been set up; there were speakers for sound and UNTV was there. Ban Ki-moon, fresh from issuing a statement about the attack on a building housing Turkish personnel in Mogadishu, arrived and the speeches began.

  The UK's Mark Lyall Grant joked about "Big Ban" in front of Big Ben; Ban used the opportunity to talk up the 2018 Winter Olympics in his native South Korea, which Yonhap says he will visit for six days in late August. Brazil's new Permanent Representative Luiz Alberto Figueiredo Machado talked about trying to live up to London's standard.

  This was the question that with all due respect should have been allowed and asked: what does the UN make of the protests of Brazil's spending on the World Cup and Olympics? 

  Since Ban cited sustainability, does building a stadium in the middle of the jungle meet that definition? As the Games, and World Cup before then, get closer the questions will continue to be asked.

(As will why FIFA gave the World Cup to Qatar, with talk now turning to holding it in the winter due to heat. Or does Ban Ki-moon think it's "sustainable" to try to air-condition an outdoor stadium?)

At the end of the event, Saudi Arabia's Permanent Representative Abdallah Yahya A. Al-Mouallimi who spoke earlier about Syria was seen chatting up Lyall Grant on something. Inner City Press asked Kenya's affable Permanent Representative Macharia Kamau what brought him to the event. We always do well, he joked, we need commitments to get good starting places. Watch this site.

Footnote: the new Free UN Coalition for Access, whichcomplained of the hurdles the UN put up to covering the morning's General Assembly meeting on Syria, is proposing the the UN and where applicable member states make clear in advance when events will not allow any questions. While theUN's response for now has been, "your presence is not mandatory," followed by threats, we're expecting more on this. Watch this site.