Gerard Araud Was To Leave UN July 15, France Said, But He's Still Here, Where's Delattre?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 16, more here -- The departure of Gerard Araud from the UN as French Ambassador was belatedly confirmed in June, more than two months after it was reported by Inner City Press. 

  Here is the French government announcement, saying Araud would leave July 15 to be replaced by Francois Delattre, formerly French Ambassador in Washington. 

 But on the morning of July 16, Inner City Press witnessed -- and photographed, here -- Araud entering the Security Council. So is this formal French announcement not true?

  The question is asked in part because the switch from Araud, one hopes, will bring press freedom improvements at the UN.

 Araud and Delattre have been linked before, on the question on who in the French foreign service met about Western Sahara with actor Javier Bardem, after which Bardem said Morocco had been called France's mistress. First Delattre was named, then Araud - who said he would ask Laurent Fabius for permission to sue. It hasn't happened.

  Within the French diplomatic service, it was Jacques Audibert who was to come to New York in July to belatedly replace Gerard Araud as Ambassador. 

  Then it was not to be: Audibert left his Quay d'Orsay post, including on the Iran P5+1, to become Francois Hollande's “G7 and G8 sherpa.” This seemed to leave Araud in place - until today.

  On April 15, Araud used the UN Press Briefing Room to tell a Lebanese correspondent with whom he disagrees, “You are not a journalist, you are an agent.” The old UN Correspondents Association, atuned to Araud's granting or withholding of access, has “dragged its feet” in providing any push-back, according to the correspondent.

  Since December when he was asked for France to be transparent about how much it is charging the UN under a “Letter of Assist” for air field services in northern Mali, Araud has resisted Press questions. He threatened to sue about an article using an NYPD document on which his mission had been asked to comment in advance, but chose instead to try to intimidate against publication by saying it would be a “hostile act” and access would cease.

  In April, Araud got combative in essentially denying what other Security Council members confirm has been French policy on Western Sahara; then he declared a publicized ($20) question and answer session to be entirely off the record.

  There's more here. Watch this site.

   

Araud Leaving UN as French Ambassador Is Belatedly Confirmed, Delattre to Come, Free Press Benefits?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 11, more here -- The departure of Gerard Araud from the UN as French Ambassador has been confirmed today, long after it was reported by Inner City Press. His replacement? Francois Delattre, currently French Ambassador in Washington. Araud, typically, won't say where he is going.

 The two have been linked before, on the question on who in the French foreign service met about Western Sahara with actor Javier Bardem, after which Bardem said Morocco had been called France's mistress. First Delattre was named, then Araud - who said he would ask Laurent Fabius for permission to sue. It hasn't happened.

  Within the French diplomatic service, it was Jacques Audibert who was to come to New York in July to belatedly replace Gerard Araud as Ambassador. 

  Then it was not to be: Audibert left his Quay d'Orsay post, including on the Iran P5+1, to become Francois Hollande's “G7 and G8 sherpa.” This seemed to leave Araud in place - until today.

  On April 15, Araud used the UN Press Briefing Room to tell a Lebanese correspondent with whom he disagrees, “You are not a journalist, you are an agent.” The old UN Correspondents Association, atuned to Araud's granting or withholding of access, has “dragged its feet” in providing any push-back, according to the correspondent.

  Since December when he was asked for France to be transparent about how much it is charging the UN under a “Letter of Assist” for air field services in northern Mali, Araud has resisted Press questions. He threatened to sue about an article using an NYPD document on which his mission had been asked to comment in advance, but chose instead to try to intimidate against publication by saying it would be a “hostile act” and access would cease.

  In April, Araud got combative in essentially denying what other Security Council members confirm has been French policy on Western Sahara; then he declared a publicized ($20) question and answer session to be entirely off the record.

  There's more here. Watch this site.

   

French President Hollande Lobbies for BNP as Six US Senators Question France's Mistral Warship Sales to Russia

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 6 -- France at the UN and elsewhere speechifies about violations of sanctions by others, but now President Francois Hollande and Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius are defending BNP Paribas' violation of Sudan and Iran sanctions. 

  Meanwhile, on June 5 a bipartisan group of six US Senators wrote to Hollande to protest France's continued sale of Mistral warships to Russia even as France speechifies about Crimea and Eastern Ukraine.  These speeches, some say, need captions.

  The protest to Hollande came from Senators Dick Durbin of Illinois, the majority whip; Chris Murphy of Connecticut; Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire; Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota; Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Republican Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.

   Meanwhile Hollande and foreign minister Laurent Fabius are lobbying to get BNP Paribas off the hook for violating sanctions on Sudan and Iran. They denounce sanctions violations by others, but defend their own.

   Last month French Ambassador Gerard Araud declared a question and answer session at a Manhattan law firm to beoff record, though that was never said in the solicitation to come for the cost of $20.

Inner City Press went to the event, intending to ask Araud to reconcile his florid speeches on Ukraine in the Security Council with France's continued sale of Mistral warships to Russia, a question Araud previously refused to answer at the Council stakeout.

   But in the same week Araud was quoted by name in La Croix and elsewhere as saying to reporters that the Mistral sale continues, is not impacted by sanctions "'les Mistral ne sont pas concernés par les sanctions,' a assuré Gérard Araud, représentant permanent de la France auprès de l’Onu." Click here for La Croix.

   It is mysterious, Araud unilaterally pulling a bait and switchat the $20 law firm event and calling it off the record, then being quoted on the record bragging of Mistral sales.

  This is not like Spanish actor Javier Bardem quoting Araud as calling Morocco France's "mistress" on the Western Sahara issue, then Araud denying it and talking about filing a lawsuit (which he hasn't filed yet) - this is a direct quote, in at least two publications.

  Inner City Press previously got an answer from US State Department deputy spokesperson Marie Harf on the US' view of France's Mistral sales to Russia. From the State Department's March 14, 2014 transcript:

Inner City Press: on Ukraine, one question that’s come up is, in terms of sanctions is France has this big deal where it’s selling Mistral warships to Russia, and it’s said that it’s going forward. What does the United States think of that sale of military hardware?

MS. HARF: Well, decisions about these kind of sales are obviously a matter for each sovereign state to take into account including a host of factors – obviously, international law, regional stability. We would hope that any country would exercise judgment and restraint when it comes to transferring military equipment that could exacerbate tensions in any conflict region. In general, I think that certainly applies here.

   As Araud nears the end of his time at the UN, there are many questions he should be asked but has been avoiding. 

  For example, if his speeches about Russia in Ukraine are France's position, why is the French sale of Mistral warships to Russia still going forward? Inner City Press asked this at the UN Security Council stakeout but Araud declined to answer.

And as simply another example while Araud claims to have taken no position to oppose a human rights monitoring mechanism in Western Sahara, this is called into question by an answer he gave Inner City Press in 2013, when he still answered Press questions, about bilateral dialogue with Morocco being the best way. 

  Many beyond Inner City Press find Araud's position unclear, or as some put it, hypocritical.

  So when publicly on Twitter there appeared an opportunity to ask questions to Araud, albeit for $20, Inner City Press signed up, to "welcome Ambassador Gérard Araud, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations, to discuss French priorities at the United Nations. Araud will address efforts to allow UN Security Council action regarding the crisis in Syria, as well as French and UN initiatives to allow stabilization in the Central African Republic and in Mali."

   Nowhere did it say it was on background or off the record. The money was accepted, confirmation sent. 

  And on May 1, after a UN briefing about the Central African Republic, Inner City Press rushed up to the venue, in a second floor law firm conference room in the Citigroup building.

  Inside the audience was affluent, business people in suits. There were oatmeal raisin cookies and at a conference table, Araud was answering questions. Then he said, repeatedly, "This is off the record."

  Is it legitimate? Why would one publicize an appearance and Q&A by Araud, for money, with no mention of its being off the record -- and then make it off the record? Why was Araud's spokesperson Frederic Jung there for this "off the record" Q&A with business people?

  In Washington last Friday, John Kerry spoke at the Trilateral Commission under announced in advance off the record rules, but a tape was obtained and the rest is history. Here, the event was never said in advance to be off the record, and money was accepted.

  While Inner City Press and the Free UN Coalition for Access, which has asked UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric to convey to Araud and his once presumptive successor Jacques Audibert the UN's stated position that correspondents should be treated with respect -- this after Araud on the record and on camera told a reporter, not this one, that "You are not a journalist, you are an agent" -- fully supported the reporting on Kerry's Trilateral talk, in this report there are no quotes. But there are questions. 

  Now with Audibert bound elsewhere, the Araud watch continues, in the name of press freedom and another thing French diplomats speechify about: protection of journalists. Watch this site.

   

As Gerard Araud's Once-Slated Replacement at UN Audibert Leaves P5+1 on Iran, Flippy Nic Rides Again: Nicolas de Riviere

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 5, more here -- Within the French diplomatic service, Jacques Audibert was to come to New York in July to belatedly replace Gerard Araud as Ambassador. 

  Then it was not to be: Audibert is leaving his Quay d'Orsay post, including on the Iran P5+1, to become Francois Hollande's “G7 and G8 sherpa.” This will leave Araud in place, at least for now.

  And for the P5+1 post, who did France choose? None other than Nicolas de Riviere, or Flippy Nic, previously at the UN. h/t LRozen. 

  Nic was, like Herve Ladsous before him, a French Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN. Then in 2012 he served -- rudely, South Asian said -- on Ban Ki-moon's Senior Advisory Group on Peacekeeping Operations, with controversial Sri Lankan military figure Shavendra Silva.

   Flippy Nic was France's Deputy before Martin Briens, who was deputy before Alexis Lamek. Holding over all this time is Gerard Araud.

   Sycophants, those who have watched but said nothing asLadsous and then Araud as an echo started refusing particular journalists' questions, are sure to find or re-find a friend in Flippy Nic.

  Flippy was actually significantly more decent that Araud, in his time at the UN. There are others at the French mission who seem different than Araud, but who go along, controlling the what are ostensibly the UN's microphones, wincing. And wince they should.

  On April 15, Araud used the UN Press Briefing Room to tell a Lebanese correspondent with whom he disagrees, “You are not a journalist, you are an agent.” The old UN Correspondents Association, atuned to Araud's granting or withholding of access, has “dragged its feet” in providing any push-back, according to the correspondent.

  Since December when he was asked for France to be transparent about how much it is charging the UN under a “Letter of Assist” for air field services in northern Mali, Araud has resisted Press questions. He threatened to sue about an article using an NYPD document on which his mission had been asked to comment in advance, but chose instead to try to intimidate against publication by saying it would be a “hostile act” and access would cease.

  In April, Araud got combative in essentially denying what other Security Council members confirm has been French policy on Western Sahara; then he declared a publicized ($20) question and answer session to be entirely off the record.

So what will Araud remaining at the UN mean? There's more here. Watch this site.

Footnote: For the upcoming G7 (not G8) in Paris, Hollande is slated to dine with US President Barack Obama on June 5 -- and, as pointed out, to also dine with Putin. US Ben Rhodes hastened to say there will be no “trilateral” dinner, maybe Hollande dines more than once. We'll see.

   

At UN, Gerard Araud's Slated Replacement as French Ambassador Audibert Takes G7 Sherpa Job, Free Press Suffers

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 30, more here -- Within the French diplomatic service, Jacques Audibert was to come to New York in July to belatedly replace Gerard Araud as Ambassador. 

  Now it is not to be: Audibert is leaving his Quay d'Orsay post, including on the Iran P5+1, to become Francois Hollande's “G7 and G8 sherpa.” This will leave Araud in place, at least for now.

  On April 15, Araud used the UN Press Briefing Room to tell a Lebanese correspondent with whom he disagrees, “You are not a journalist, you are an agent.” The old UN Correspondents Association, atuned to Araud's granting or withholding of access, has “dragged its feet” in providing any push-back, according to the correspondent.

  Since December when he was asked for France to be transparent about how much it is charging the UN under a “Letter of Assist” for air field services in northern Mali, Araud has resisted Press questions. He threatened to sue about an article using an NYPD document on which his mission had been asked to comment in advance, but chose instead to try to intimidate against publication by saying it would be a “hostile act” and access would cease.

  In April, Araud got combative in essentially denying what other Security Council members confirm has been French policy on Western Sahara; then he declared a publicized ($20) question and answer session to be entirely off the record.

So what will Araud remaining at the UN mean? There's more here. Watch this site.

Footnote: For the upcoming G7 (not G8) in Paris, Hollande is slated to dine with US President Barack Obama on June 5 -- and, as pointed out, to also dine with Putin. US Ben Rhodes hastened to say there will be no “trilateral” dinner, maybe Hollande dines more than once. We'll see.

   

At UN, Ukraine and Egypt Attacks on Journalists Echoed by Outgoing French PR Araud, FUNCA Flier Down

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 20 -- Both the Egyptian persecutors of the journalists from Al Jazeera and other media and those Kyiv authorities who have more recently detained and abused reporters from LifeNews use the same logic. 

  Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council deputy Victoria Sumar said the detained journalists, Oleg Sidyakin and Marat Saichenko, are being investigated on the charges of "aiding the terrorist groups."

   This has an echo in the UN, which unlike the OSCE has yet to contact anyone in Kyiv seeking the release of the journalists. Video of Inner City Press May 20 question, UN answer, here.

  French Ambassador Gerard Araud, in the UN's Press Briefing Room on April 15, told a reporter who asked a critical question, "You are not a journalist, you are an agent." Video here.

  The next day, April 16, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric about it. Dujurric replied in part that UN accredited correspondents should be treated with respect. Video here.

   Inner City Press, on behalf of the Free UN Coalition for Access, noted that French foreign minister Laurent Fabius did the same thing last September, cutting off a question about Algeria by saying, let me call on a real journalist. An irony in Araud's "agent" talk is that on April 16 he called on France 24, his own government's media.

   The old United Nations Correspondents Association, become the UN's Censorship Alliance, has dragged its feet on requests to address Araud's attack on a correspondents right in the briefing room. A Free UN Coalition for Accessflier raising the issue had been torn down on May 19 from the free speech bulletin board FUNCA advocated for and won, even as UNCA maintains a glassed-in, but content-less, bulletin board one floor below. 

    On April 16 Dujarric would not say if he would convey his stated UN position of respect for correspondents to the French Mission. Araud is slated to leave in July. Until then, he is more and more brazen -- on May 20 he refused to take any Press questions about Mali, even as he got sassy on the topic on Twitter. 

  But what about Araud's slated successor Jacques Audibert? Has Araud so programmed his spokesman Frederic Jung, who tries to micro-manage those operating what is supposed to be the UN's boom microphone, that this travesty might continue? We'll have more on this - and on whether and how Dujarric's statement that UN accredited correspondents should be treated with respect applies to UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous, see this and April 7 video, here,compilation here.

    During Araud's April 15 press conference, he began to receive many questions, here, about blocking human rights monitoring in Western Sahara. 

  It is a policy Araud is particularly associated with, since Javier Barden quoted him calling Morocco France's "mistress." Araud spoke of suing, but hasn't.

   But when during the April 15 press conference, in which Inner City Press and the Free UN Coalition for Access were not called on, Araud was asked about France having killed people in Algeria, Araud on camera told the questioner, You are not a journalist, you are an agent. Video here.

  The French run press conference gave the first question to Al Arabiya, for UNCA (now known as the UN's Censorship Alliance). An UNCA board member also wanly asked on April 16 - but this same individual not only did nothing whenHerve Ladsous, as head of UN Peacekeeping, said he wouldn't answer any of the Press' questions -- he supported UNCA board efforts to get Inner City Press to remove from the Internet its reporting about Sri Lanka, and also about Ladsous. So, no.

  On April 15,  Syria "Caesar" report panelist David Crane was asked who funded it and answered on camera merely that he was paid. (The photographs, Inner City Press noted and notes, are extremely troubling - all the more reason that taking Qatar's funding and denouncing the only critical question were unwise.)

  Afterward, Inner City Press asked Crane to confirm the payment was from Qatar. He confirmed it. Inner City Press asked, did you seek any other, less compromised funding? The answer was no. In fact, Crane said he gave his recommendations to the Syrian National Council. Afterward Inner City Press asked him if he meant the Turkey based group headed by Ahmed Al Jarba, and Crane said yes, than added, "The resistance" writ large.

     When Qatar sponsored an event at the UN in New York on March 21 featuring the Syrian Coalition headed by Ahmad al Jarba, a group calling its the Syrian Grassroots Movement held protests seeking to oust Jarba.

   By March 22, the group stated that some 40,000 people in 58 cities inside Syria had participated in demonstrations to get Jarba out of his post, saying "it is time to put an end to political corruption."

  Back in September 2013, France sponsored an event in the UN and called Jarba the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people. French Ambassador Gerard Araud was the first questioning at Qatar's March 21 Syrian Coalition event. What is France's position now? Who chooses the leaders?

  Likewise, back in July 2013 and earlier this month, the Jarba-led Syrian Coalition held faux "UN" events in the clubhouse Ban Ki-moon's Secretariat gives to the largely Gulf and Western UN Correspondents Association. How does that now appear, in light of the anti-Jarba protests?

   Qatar's March 21 event was not listed in the UN Journal nor in the UN Media Alert. It was not on the UN's publicly available webcast.

  Select media outlets were there, when Inner City Press came in at the end to ask a question: Al Jazeera on the podium in Qatar's event, Al Arabiya like a Saudi diplomat -- not the Permanent Representative -- in the audience along with Al Hayat, even Al Hurra, on whose Broadcasting Board of Governors US Secretary of State John Kerry serves.

   The new Free UN Coalition for Access is against faux UN events, in the clubhouse the Secretariat gives to what's become its UN Censorship Alliance or elsewhere.

   On March 21 Inner City Press put these questions, also on behalf of the Free UN Coalition for Access, to the UN's top two spokespeople:

"there is an event in Conference Room 4 right now, sponsored by Qatar, which is no listed in today's UN Journal, nor is it on UN Webcast http://webtv.un.org/ but it appears to be being filmed. Please explain the legal status of this meeting, if there are any sponsored beyond Qatar, how it was publicized and if any request to have it webcast was made. Thanks, on deadline."

  But no answer was provided. Inner City Press ran to the event and from the back of a three quarters empty Conference Room 4 asked why the event was so stealth: not in the UN Journal, not webcast.

  The Permanent Representative of Qatar answered, saying it was a "special event" to which Qatar had invited (some) member states and groups, and (some) media. There is a UN Media Alert, but this event was not put in it.

  Perhaps it was publicized by the Gulf & Western United Nations Correspondents Association, which has twice hosted faux "UN" events by the Syrian National Coalition or Syrian Coalition. (In both cases, the Free UN Coalition for Access suggested that the SNC hold its events in the UN briefing room, accessible to all journalists.)

  Since French Ambassador Gerard Araud, the first questioner flanked by representatives of Saudi Arabia and of Turkey which earlier in the day banned Twitter, has spoken about "fakes" and others about accountability, Inner City Press asked if the groups Al Nusra and ISIS, and those who fund them such as private individuals in Qatar alluded to at the US State Department briefing earlier in the day, could or would be held accountable.

  The SNC representative emphasized what he called links between the Assad regime and ISIS, saying it was too easy to blame the Gulf countries.

Here's from the March 21 US State Department briefing transcript:

Question: you have concerns about the withdrawal of the ambassadors. Do you also have concerns about the reasons that these countries said that they withdrew their ambassadors from Qatar? In other words, do you – if you have concerns about the withdrawal of the ambassadors, do you also have concerns about Qatar’s behavior, which – alleged behavior, let’s say – which led to these countries withdrawing their ambassadors?

MS. PSAKI: Well, I know one of the issues that has been mentioned is the issue of private donations to extremists – and that’s something that some have mentioned – operating in Syria and elsewhere. It remains an important priority in our high-level discussions, and one that we also certainly raise with all states in the region, including Qatar, including the Government of Kuwait, wherever we have concerns.

After Inner City Press asked about the sponsorship of the event, a one-page "Joint Statement by the Co-Organizers" was passed out, listing among the co-organizers France, the UK, US, Belgium, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Inner City Press tweeted it. 

   Even 24 hours later, the UN's top two spokespeople had not answered the simple questions put to them, above. Watch this site.

   

New UN Report on Child Soldiers Tap-Dances on Colombia, India, Pakistan, Philippines & Thailand

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French President Hollande Says Mistral Warship Sales to Russia Continue, Araud Dodges at UN, Will Fabius in DC?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 10 -- While France moving forward with selling Mistral warships to Russia is one of the issues on which outgoing French Ambassador to the UNGerard Araud has refused to answer questions, President Francois Hollande on May 10 reaffirmed the same.

   Speaking in Germany, Hollande said "The contract was signed in 2011, it is being carried out and will be completed by next October." What then of Araud's "James Bond" and other speeches in the UN Security Council? And will the issue be raised during foreign minister Laurent Fabuis' upcoming visit to Washington?

  Araud's slated replacement at the UN Jacques Audibert met last week with the US State Department's William Burns but there was no read-out. For Fabuis, if rarely for Araud, there will be.

  Back on May 1, Araud declared a question and answer session at a Manhattan law firm to be off record, though that was never said in the solicitation to come for the cost of $20.

Inner City Press went to the event, intending to ask Araud to reconcile his florid speeches on Ukraine in the Security Council with France's continued sale of Mistral warships to Russia, a question Araud previously refused to answer at the Council stakeout.

   But in the same week Araud was quoted by name in La Croix and elsewhere as saying to reporters that the Mistral sale continues, is not impacted by sanctions "'les Mistral ne sont pas concernés par les sanctions,' a assuré Gérard Araud, représentant permanent de la France auprès de l’Onu." Click here for La Croix.

   It is mysterious, Araud unilaterally pulling a bait and switchat the $20 law firm event and calling it off the record, then being quoted on the record bragging of Mistral sales.

  This is not like Spanish actor Javier Bardem quoting Araud as calling Morocco France's "mistress" on the Western Sahara issue, then Araud denying it and talking about filing a lawsuit (which he hasn't filed yet) - this is a direct quote, in at least two publications.

  Inner City Press previously got an answer from US State Department deputy spokesperson Marie Harf on the US' view of France's Mistral sales to Russia. From the State Department's March 14, 2014 transcript:

Inner City Press: on Ukraine, one question that’s come up is, in terms of sanctions is France has this big deal where it’s selling Mistral warships to Russia, and it’s said that it’s going forward. What does the United States think of that sale of military hardware?

MS. HARF: Well, decisions about these kind of sales are obviously a matter for each sovereign state to take into account including a host of factors – obviously, international law, regional stability. We would hope that any country would exercise judgment and restraint when it comes to transferring military equipment that could exacerbate tensions in any conflict region. In general, I think that certainly applies here.

   As Araud nears the end of his time at the UN, there are many questions he should be asked but has been avoiding. 

  For example, if his speeches about Russia in Ukraine are France's position, why is the French sale of Mistral warships to Russia still going forward? Inner City Press asked this at the UN Security Council stakeout but Araud declined to answer.

And as simply another example while Araud claims to have taken no position to oppose a human rights monitoring mechanism in Western Sahara, this is called into question by an answer he gave Inner City Press in 2013, when he still answered Press questions, about bilateral dialogue with Morocco being the best way. 

  Many beyond Inner City Press find Araud's position unclear, or as some put it, hypocritical.

  So when publicly on Twitter there appeared an opportunity to ask questions to Araud, albeit for $20, Inner City Press signed up, to "welcome Ambassador Gérard Araud, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations, to discuss French priorities at the United Nations. Araud will address efforts to allow UN Security Council action regarding the crisis in Syria, as well as French and UN initiatives to allow stabilization in the Central African Republic and in Mali."

   Nowhere did it say it was on background or off the record. The money was accepted, confirmation sent. 

  And on May 1, after a UN briefing about the Central African Republic, Inner City Press rushed up to the venue, in a second floor law firm conference room in the Citigroup building.

  Inside the audience was affluent, business people in suits. There were oatmeal raisin cookies and at a conference table, Araud was answering questions. Then he said, repeatedly, "This is off the record."

  Is it legitimate? Why would one publicize an appearance and Q&A by Araud, for money, with no mention of its being off the record -- and then make it off the record? Why was Araud's spokesperson Frederic Jung there for this "off the record" Q&A with business people?

  In Washington last Friday, John Kerry spoke at the Trilateral Commission under announced in advance off the record rules, but a tape was obtained and the rest is history. Here, the event was never said in advance to be off the record, and money was accepted.

  While Inner City Press and the Free UN Coalition for Access, which has asked UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric to convey to Araud and his presumptive successor Jacques Audibert the UN's stated position that correspondents should be treated with respect -- this after Araud on the record and on camera told a reporter, not this one, that "You are not a journalist, you are an agent" -- fully support the reporting on Kerry's Trilateral talk, in this report there are no quotes. But there are questions. Watch this site.