As Iran Sanctions Season Start in NY, German Speaks of Text, China of Diplomacy

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/iran1tensanc040810.html

UNITED NATIONS, April 8 -- U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice, emerging from a meeting Wednesday afternoon on Iran nuclear sanctions, smiled and said the process would continue "here and in capitals" for the "next days and weeks."

The Deputy Representative of Germany, which joins the UN Security Council's Permanent Five members in negotiating the Iran resolutions then presented to the Council's non-Permanent or Transient Ten, said that there is a text. This sent reporters into a frenzy: who would get it first?

The day previous, a Permanent Five ambassador told Inner City Press that "of course," if Iran showed flexibility on the Tehran Research Reactor and proposal to out-ship uranium for enrichment in Russia and then France, the sanctions process would stop in its tracks.

That is a "confident building measure," according to the ambassador, the volume no longer providing the assurance it would have. Iran now has more uranium: 800 kilos more, the ambassador said.

Who would be sanctioned, by a resolution that could pass? Elements of the Revolutionary Guard, it seems clear. The energy sector, probably not. Insurance firms? It depends.

Some have speculated that the P5 (or at least P3) and Germany will try to get a resolution passed in April, to avoid running into May when Lebanon with its mixed government will take over Presidency of the Security Council. Others have wondered about the impact, if any, of the upcoming UK elections. There is a lot in play.

The UN press corps set up shop outside the skyscraper housing the French and UK Missions. On his way in, China's Ambassador Li Baodong said he would speak when it was over. By then it was a mob scene, the press corps hungry for any scrap of news.

One TV reporter thrust his yellow microphone at Ambassador Rice, drawing a pause and then a smile. The German spoke just before getting into his waiting car. Li Baodong did not disappoint, calling the process two track with a "focus on diplomacy." One wondered: with Iran?

And see, www.innercitypress.com/iran1tensanc040810.html

At UN, Iran's Mottaki Says Protesters Are Dealt With, Nuclear Sites All Reported

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/iran1mottaki100109.html

UNITED NATIONS, October 1 -- In Iran "there are some people, a limited number of people, who look for trouble and want to create unreal," Iranian foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki told the Press on Thursday. "It is very clear how they should be dealt with." Video here, from Minute 31:55.

During a Q&A session at the UN in New York, nearly all of which dealt with nuclear issues, Inner City Press asked Mottaki about a story of post-election torture, rape and exile, which Inner City Press heard from Ebrahim Sharifi by cell phone on September 21. Sharifi states that he joined the non violent street protests then was picked up, blindfolded and held for a week.

Inner City Press asked Mottaki if he acknowledged the veracity of any such charges, if people can file complaints in Iran and what he thinks of the call for a UN General Assembly special envoy to Iran on human rights issues. Video here, from Minute 25:43, Mottaki's reponse here from Minute 27:08.

Mottaki's more then five minute answer became with calling the June elections "the most glorious presidential elections in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran." Mottaki claimed the skeptics, once they received an explanation, were convinced. This left a few trouble makers -- "it is very clear how they should be dealt with."

Mottaki said that Iran has vibrant NGOs, which rather than complain in Geneva to the Human Rights Council come to the UN in New York to participate in workshops about the rights on women.

On Iran's nuclear program, Mottaki said that other than Qom, there are no other sites not reported to the IAEA. The press conference ended with a report for a newspaper in Israel calling for the floor, without receiving it. He was told by the UN's spokesperson that the UN is an "inter-governmental body... we cannot do anything about what member states do." Apparently not.

Footnote: Mottaki, before traveling to DC, wiled away the evening of September 29 at Indonesia's Independence Day celebration in the UN Delegates' Dining Room. There were satays, rice and noodles. One attending, chewing, snarked that at such receptions, the quality of the food is in inverse proportion to the amount of democracy in the hosting nation.

Inner City Press has previously written about, and sampled, Iran's kebab diplomacy, click here for that. Thousands of years of culture...

And see, www.innercitypress.com/iran1mottaki100109.html

At UN, Near Final Draft Resolution on North Korea Leaked to Inner City Press, Financial and Bunkering Added

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press: Exclusive-Must Credit
www.innercitypress.com/unsc1may3dprk060509.html

UNITED NATIONS, June 5 -- Thirteen days after North Korea conducted an underground nuclear test, a near-final draft resolution emerged behind closed doors at the UN Security Council.

The six-page draft, a copy of which Inner City Press obtained and puts online here as a must-credit exclusive, has more than thirty operative paragraphs, compared to the mere 14 paragraphs of the three-page draft Inner City Press similarly obtained and published on May 28. (AP, Japanese and other media appropriately credited Inner City Press).

This time, Inner City Press is told by its sources that the draft was circulated to the capitals of the Permanent Five Plus Two -- these last are Japan and South Korea -- with the deadline for comments on June 5 at 10 a.m. New York Times.

Paragraph 19, for example, calls on "member states and international financial and credit institutions not to enter into new commitments... except for humanitarian and developmental purposes." Paragraph 17 prohibits "bunkering services, such as provision of fuel or supplies" to vessels. Paragraph 22 calls for reports within 45 days.

While the draft resolution seems unlikely to change North Korea's course, it has been the subject of intense journalistic interest for nearly two weeks now at the UN in New York, particularly by Japanese media, who have remained camped out in front of the Security Council during meetings on Somalia, Bosnia and Tribunals and on June 5, Sudan and Sri Lanka.

Non-permanent members of the Security Council complained to the Press that they were kept in the dark throughout the days of negotiation.

On the morning of June 5, Inner City Press obtained the draft resolution that, as a must-credit exclusive, it puts online here. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unsc1may3dprk060509.html

At UN, Central Asian Unity on Press Crackdown and Nuclear Free Zone, Dam Fissures

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN: News Analysis
www.innercitypress.com/un1cenasia033009.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 30 -- The five Central Asian nations' Ambassadors to the UN presented a united front on Monday, announcing a Nuclear-Free Zone and taking questions from the Press. This open session had some irony, since Reporters Without Border has decried trends of violence against journalists, most recently in the Kyrgrz Republic, where Syrgak Abdyldaev of "Reporter-Bishkek" was the victim of an organized stabbing earlier this month.

Inner City Press asked about his case, and about the murder of journalist Alisher Saipov in 2007 in Osh, a Kyrgyz city from which others fleeing Uzbekistan are deported or, in this case, killed.

Kyrgyz Ambassador Nurbek Jeenbaev told Inner City Press he would have no comment, the case is still under investigation and each case stands alone, there is no trend. Video here, from Minute 35:33.

Uzbek Ambassador Murad Askarov did not answer the question when Inner City Press asked it, but rather, later in the press conference, told Inner City Press “you have been asking a lot of questions,” and suggested headlines about the positive nuclear free zone or even an Uzbek transfer station connected to South Korea, “for investors.” Video here, from Minute 44:47.

Inner City Press also asked about a dispute about the countries about hydro-electric dams, and whether environmental impact studies should be required. Tajikistan says no, its Deputy energy minister Pulod Muhiddinov said: "Tajikistan will finish building the Rogun [hydroelectric dam and reservoir] no matter who opposes it." Reportedly, in January the Uzbeks halted the transit of Turkmen electricity to Tajikistan, via their national grid. Video here, from minute 39:19.

But as Monday's joint press conference, Kyrgyz Ambassador Nurbek Jeenbaev told Inner City Press that the countries' presidents met in Bishkek last year and “discussed the questions raised by you” and that everything is fine. If you say so...

On nuclear weapons themselves, Inner City Press asked for comment on North Korea's plans for early April -- Inner City Press is told by a Security Council source to expect launch this Saturday at midnight, and an emergency Council meeting Sunday at noon -- and Kazakh Ambassador Byrganym Aitimova said the comment is clear like Kazakhstan, reject nuclear weapons. Video here, from Minute 42:06. Every country is free, though, she said...

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1cenasia033009.html