Feltman Scoop Confirmed, Pascoe Recalled, From Indonesia to UN, Tells ICP "You Had It First"

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 21 -- Outside the UN Department of Political Affairs on Monday evening, Inner City Press once again asked outgoing DPA chief Lynn Pascoe about his replacement from the US State Department, Jeffrey Feltman. "You had it first," Pascoe said with a smile. 
 
  Previously he had declined any comment. On March 28, Inner City Press exclusively reported that "[t]he UN's top political job is slated to be filled with another American, current US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman."

  For the seven weeks since, a range of diplomats and UN officials have asked Inner City Press if it was sure: how could Ban Ki-moon so clearly (or cravenly) aligned UN policy in the Middle East with that the the US? But this Ban's UN. One source predicted that more "shoes will be thrown at Ban Ki-moon."

  Monday evening diplomats from a UN Budget committee meeting echoed that surprise, some adding that it was "disgusting" that the Reuters newswire "re-packaged Inner City Press' story" without giving any credit.


  Inner City Press wrote about it and sent an e-mail to that effect to one of the three journalists bylined on the Reuters story, which also listed two editors, without response hours later. This is corporate media, at least as it covers or does not cover the UN. (The irony is that other corporate media, protecting each other, may well credit Reuters.)

  In front of DPA and the Budget Committee, just as earlier in the day in front of the General Assembly and in the NGO Committee, no other media was present. And yet derivative stories are reported without credit.

  This will be addressed going forward. For now among reactions, it was recalled the Feltman met for the US with Ban's envoy to Iraq Ad Melkert. "Feltman IS the face of US Middle East policy," an attendee said. Now he will be, or become, the UN.

Of Pascoe we wish to say this: when he came in some pointed somewhat similarly to his State Department background. But he'd been ambassador in Indonesia, not an area so central to the UN's ostensible attempts to mediate like the Middle East.

Pascoe through time convinced many of his critics that he was "not just a tool of the US," as one of them recently put it. But Feltman comes with much more baggage. Watch this site.

At UN, 7 Weeks After ICP Reported Feltman to Take DPA, Reuters "Confirms" It Without Crediting

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 21, updated -- Seven weeks ago on March 28, Inner City Press exclusively reported that "[t]he UN's top political job, currently occupied by Lynn Pascoe of the United States, is slated to be filled with another American, Inner City Press is told by well placed sources, current US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman."

  Even at that time, Inner City Press quoted well placed diplomatic sources at the UN that "'this would strip from the UN its last scrap of credibility in the Middle East'... Ban might be 'so out of touch' -- or so powerless or craven -- that he would rubber stamp the nomination of a Permanent Five member of the Security Council as he had France's ill-fated and 11th hour nomination of Herve Ladsous as the UN's top peacekeeper" -- another exclusive Inner City Press scoop at the time.


  The day after Inner City Press' scoop at the UK's End of Security Council Presidency reception, two telling responses to the story were proffered and published: "'A perfect election year appointment,' one Ambassador told Inner City Press. A red flag for at least some in the Arab and Persian world, said another." Click here for Inner City Press March 29 story with those quotes.


  In the seven weeks since, Inner City Press has reiterated its sourcing, and reported further on doubts raised about the conflation of US and UN policy in the Middle East. Dozens of UN Permanent Representatives have checked in with Inner City Press with their views of Feltman.

  Now, today, wires report as if brand new that their "sources" tell them that Feltman is the man. First Reuters, which lists three separate reporters but apparently has no policy on giving credit, then CNBC, ANSA.it, The Hill... Where were they seven weeks ago? And where is the analysis? Watch this site.

Update of 5:48 pm -- UN sources highlight to Inner City Press that in his US role on the Middle East, Feltman would for example meet with Ban Ki-moon's envoy to Iraq Ad Melkert. Others repeat shock or "disgust" that Ban would so closely link UN Middle East policy with the US' Middle East official.

Top UN Political Job Slated for Jeffrey Feltman of US, Sources Complain

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, March 28 -- The UN's top political job, currently occupied by Lynn Pascoe of the United States, is slated to be filled with another American, Inner City Press is told by well placed sources, current US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman.

As weeks and even months have gone by since it was announced that Pascoe would leave under Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's "five year mobility" rule, other top post have been filled. Inner City Press first reported that Argentine Susana Malcorra would be shifted closer to Ban, from the Department of Field Support, and she has been named Ban's chief of staff.

Inner City Press first predicted that Egypt's Mubarak-era Ambassador Maged Abdelaziz would be named Ban's Special Adviser on Africa and he was.

When the head of the Department of Management Angela Kane of Germany hit the five year limit, Inner City Press reported on posts she and Germany were offered including UN Disarmament, which she took.

But the Department of Political Affairs post has been shrouded in mystery. Unlike other Under Secretary General posts, it has not been advertised in The Economist.

"It is entirely up to the Americans," a source close to Ban told Inner City Press, adding that Ban had wanted former US Ambassador to the UN Alejandro Wolff.

But those close to Wolff told Inner City Press he is not coming. Before that, as Inner City Press reported, there was push-back to this trial balloon, including in light of Wolff's strong advocacy for Israel for example during the Security Council's long session about the confrontation on the aid flotilla to Gaza.

Now, a well placed diplomat complained to Inner City Press Wednesday about Feltman. "This would strip from the UN its last scrap of credibility in the Middle East," he said, adding that "more shoes would be thrown at Ban Ki-moon."

He said, however, that Ban might be "so out of touch" -- or so powerless or craven -- that he would rubber stamp the nomination of a Permanent Five member of the Security Council as he had France's ill-fated and 11th hour nomination of Herve Ladsous as the UN's top peacekeeper. Watch this site.

At UN on Mali Coup, Recognition of Libya Fall Out, 2000 Tuareg Returnees

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, March 22 -- The coup in Mali has several member of the UN Security Council saying, in essence, "I told you so." For months these Council members have argued that the way Gaddafi was overturned in Libya flooded the Sahel region with weapons and Tuareg fighters.

Inner City Press asked UN Political Affairs chief Lynn Pascoe if this was fall out from the Libya conflict. He said that some 1500 to 2000 Tuaregs, some who served in Gaddafi's army, returned and reinvigorated the Touareg rebels' fight. The mutinying soldiers were frustrated at a lack of support, and overthrew the government.

Others focused on whether any foreigners were "trapped" in Bamako. The Security Council's press statement addressed this issue. South Africa's Baso Sangqu predicted to Inner City Press that Mali will be suspended from the African Union. He said that finally the delay of a pending press statement on the Sahel will be broken.

Inner City Press asked Council president Mark Lyall Grant about this statement; he said meetings on it will continue. He put the number of Touareg returnees to Mali at from 2000 to 3000, and did not dispute that this was related to the conflict in Libya.

But should NATO have planned better? Watch this site.

UN's Pascoe Admits Failure on #Kony2012, Joins Ocampo in Praise, Ban Silent

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, March 9 -- While UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and his spokespeople have had nothing to say about the #Kony2012 phenomenon, except to belatedly direct Inner City Press to a months-old report, on Friday Ban's outgoing Political Affairs chief Lynn Pascoe praised the video and initiative.

Inner City Press asked Pascoe to respond to critiques of the 29 minute film including that it misrepresents the conflict in Uganda and now Central Africa. Video here, from Minute 13.

But Pascoe said that the attention the video is getting will be helpful, after less than successful UN mediation with President Chissano, and ostensible coordination between UN Peacekeeping mission which as Inner City Press reports can barely do their current jobs in South Sudan and the Congo.

Pascoe said, "I watched it, I was impressed with the work that was done. I believe that one of our biggest problems with the LRA has been getting attention to it.... We've been working closely with the African Union, without great success. These are ferocious crimes that need to be finalized."

Also outgoing International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo has also praised the film -- not surprisingly, perhaps, since he is in it. What does his successor think? Watch this site.

Footnote: Pascoe's comments came at a press conference on UN guidelines for mediators on sexual violence. Inner City Press asked why the UN team to Syria includes no women, but includes Congo envoy retread Alan Doss. "He may go in," Pascoe said, while playing up women's essentially back-office role.

The third panelest Ould Abdullah did not answer, but off camera told Inner City Press of his recent work on the Sahel. The UN's sexual violence in conflict expert Margot Wallstrom spoke more directly, saying that the UN must do better. With this, we agree.

As Sierra Leone Envoy Says Ban Caving To Koroma, Pascoe Says Speaks For Itself

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 14 -- While Michael von der Schulenburg was still the UN envoy in Sierra Leone, Inner City Press reported that he hit a staff member, and that in a previous stint for the UN in Iran had dealt in antiquities and rugs, dubbing him "the carpet bagger."

But when Schulenburg was unceremoniously removed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon as his envoy, several Ban administration officials approached Inner City Press to say Ban had "hit a new low," as one of them put it.

According to these UN officials, who asked for anonymity due to fear of Ban administration retaliation, Schulenburg was removed not because of his previous "misdeeds" as one put it, but entirely because the government of Sierra Leone didn't like how he was dealing with the opposition in the run-up to elections.

Dealing with oppositions is, of course, part of the job a UN envoy is supposed to do, even if it has become less and less prevalent of late, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti and South Sudan.

Even amid this trend of "sucking up" to host countries as a "way to stay relevant" or at least stay in the country, as one put it, it was not thought that Ban would simply give in and pull out one of his envoys in this way.

On February 9, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky:

Inner City Press: In the Sierra Leonean press, they say that President [Ernest Bai] Koroma informed [he] was no longer willing to talk to Mr. Schulenburg and that’s why he was removed. And I think since some seem to have a concern that this involves not supporting an SRSG who was trying to speak both with the Government, but also to the opposition and in the face of Government threats to no longer deal with him, to just remove him, this is why I am asking again, what was the reason that he was removed? Is this a mischaracterization of the Secretary-General’s support, or in this case non-support, of an SRSG on the ground facing threats from the Government?

Spokesperson Nesirky: We don’t have anything beyond the statement that we have already issued on this, in which it is very clear that the Secretary-General supported and was supportive of the efforts of Mr. von der Schulenburg on the ground in Sierra Leone.

Inner City Press: Then why did he remove him so abruptly, and what do you say to this? Is it true that President Koroma said, “I won’t deal with Schulenburg any more”?

Spokesperson: As I say, we issued a statement and I don’t have anything beyond that, Matthew.

Then a letter from Schulenburg to the outgoing head of Ban's Department of Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe emerged, in which Schulenburg wrote

"There can be little doubt, that the decision by the President to force my early departure will be seen - rightly or wrongly - by virtually every Sierra Leonean as an effort to remove a potential obstacle to his re-election and as opening the door to manipulating the election outcome in his favor. I also feel that we should engage the President directly over his sudden flair of hostility towards me before giving in to his request for my departure... Many Sierra Leoneans (as indeed many among the international community) may see the U.N. as readily caving in to unreasonable and unjustified pressures without making even the slightest attempt to protect the position as the Secretary-General's representative in this country."

While some allege that Schulenburg himself leaked the letter, other tried to say it is not authentic. On February 14, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Nesirky

Inner City Press: the letter that’s now been leaked —Mr. Schulenburg’s letter to Lynn Pascoe asking the UN not to give in to what he called pressure by the Government of Sierra Leone to have him removed as SRSG — what’s the response to his letter? Because it makes it look to some and he said in his own letter that it will look like the UN is simply giving in to host country’s displeasure with either criticism or even-handed treatment by an SRSG. Is it in fact a letter that Schulenburg sent to Pascoe and what is the Secretary-General’s response to the idea of some that he sold out an SRSG?

Ban smiles at SRSG before the Fall, letter not shown, (c) UN Photo

Spokesperson: First of all, we put out a statement, as you will have seen, I don’t have anything to add to that, except to say that we don’t comment on leaked internal communications.

So Inner City Press sought out Pascoe himself, in the UN's North Lawn building. Pascoe sighed and said it "speaks for itself," indicating at least that the letter is authentic. Yes, this speaks for itself. This is Ban's UN. Watch this site.