On Ukraine, UN Whispered Praise of Election to Its Own UN News Center, Switched Message to its Russian Language Service

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 29 -- Back on May 27, the first UN work day after the voting in Ukraine, Inner City Press went to the UN's noon briefing and asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson Stephane Dujarric:

Inner City Press: I wanted to know if the UN has any position on the jets bombing and strafing around Donetsk in Ukraine and the ultimatum to surrender or be killed that’s been issued by Government, as well as the death of an Italian and Russian journalist over the weekend.

Spokesman Dujarric: The Secretary-General is alarmed by the continuing violence that we’ve seen in the east over the weekend where clashes in Donetsk, as you said, left dozens dead. The Secretary-General urged that the restoration of State control over Government facilities be achieved through exclusively peaceful means, including an inclusive political dialogue. And obviously, we very much regret the deaths of the journalists who were killed covering the story.

Inner City Press: Does that mean that “surrender or die”... by the Government or the Government waiting for the new President, that this is something that the UN doesn’t support?

Spokesman Dujarric: I think what I’ve just said is that the Secretary-General urged that restoration of State control over Government facilities be achieved through exclusively peaceful means, including an inclusive political dialogue.

  During the May 27 briefing, Dujarric made no comment on the election in Ukraine, and no comment or “off the cuff” statement from Ban Ki-moon went up on the UN's website.

  But the UN News Center reported:

27 May 2014 – While welcoming the “generally peaceful” nature of Ukraine’s weekend presidential elections, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today expressed concern that eligible voters in some parts of the county’s crisis torn eastern region were not allowed to participate in the national poll.

“The Secretary-General welcomes the fact that polling in most of Ukraine took place in a generally peaceful and orderly manner and largely in line with international standards and fundamental freedoms, according to a number of national and international monitors,” according to a statement read out be a UN spokesperson.

At the same time however, Mr. Ban is concerned that eligible voters were denied the right to vote in parts of eastern Ukraine, said the statement, echoing media reports suggesting polling irregularities and disruptions in the east, which has seen a wave of anti-Government sentiment over the past two months.

“The SG is alarmed by continuing violence in the east, where clashes in Donetsk left dozens dead yesterday,” the statement went on to say, adding that the UN chief urged that restoration of State control over Government facilities be achieved through exclusively peaceful means, including an inclusive political dialogue.

This line, “generally peaceful,” was picked up by the Saudi Press Agency; the UN News Center (English) article was quickly put up on the website of the UN in Ukraine.

  But where was the line said, or “read out b[y] a UN spokesperson”? 

  Inner City Press looked on the UN Spokesperson's website: no there. So at the May 29 noon briefing, as spokesman Dujarric tried to end the briefing after only two questions, Inner City Press asked.

  Dujarric replied that the statement was read out to “some of your colleagues” in the hallway. Moments later he e-mailed this to Inner City Press, as “shared language” --

The Secretary-General welcomes the fact that polling in Ukraine took place in a generally peaceful and orderly manner and largely in line with international standards and fundamental freedoms, according a number of national and international monitors.

The Secretary-General is concerned, however, that eligible voters were denied the right to vote in parts of eastern Ukraine.

The Secretary-General is alarmed by continuing violence in the east, where clashes in Donetsk left dozens dead yesterday. He urged that restoration of state control over government facilities be achieved through exclusively peaceful means, including an inclusive political dialogue.

  Inner City Press asked, If this was a prepared statement, why was it not read out in the briefing room and put on the SG's or Spokeperson's web site?

  Dujarric replied, “It was an if asked.”

  But why would the UN make its statement on the Ukraine election an If-Asked?

  It appears that when no one asked in the briefing room, somehow Dujarric got asked by... UN News Center? So, a cynic might conclude, the UN can arrange to be asked by its own media.

  Note that the UN News Center Russia page reversed the If-Asked “shared language” to start with the last part, more palatable to Russia:

27/05/2014 - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is alarmed by reports of continued violence in the east of Ukraine, particularly in Donetsk, where dozens of people were killed. This was announced by his press secretary Stephen Dyuzharrik. "Secretary-General strongly resembles that restoration of state control agencies should be only through peaceful means, including an inclusive political dialogue" - a spokesman said at a press briefing on Tuesday. Secretary General welcomed the fact that "the vote in many parts of Ukraine took place in a peaceful manner, in accordance with international standards and ensuring fundamental freedoms, as reported by a number of national and international observers." Meanwhile, the head of the UN is concerned that in some parts of eastern Ukraine. legitimate voters were denied their right to vote. Dyuzharrik Stephen noted that the United Nations deeply regrets the deaths of journalists covering the events in Ukraine. He expressed hope that the issue of protection of journalists will be reflected in the next report of the UN mission to monitor the situation of human rights in the country. According to media reports, in eastern Ukraine were killed Italian journalist Andrea Rokkelli and his Russian translator Andrei Mironov.

This is a scam, that the Free UN Coalition for Access is opposing. Watch this site.

   

On Rapes & Drones, Herve Ladsous' Refusal to Answer Implicates UN Spokesman & Scribes

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 29 -- Can a UN Under Secretary General on camera refuse to answer questions about providing military support to Army units charged with rape, and about procuring drones without required approvals, by saying “I do not respond to you”?

On May 29 in the UN Press Briefing Room, Herve Ladsous the head of UN Peacekeeping did just that, telling Inner City Press on questions of rape and drones, “You know I do not respond to you, Mister.” Preliminary video here.

  Ladsous did it flanked by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Stephane Dujarric. He did it with no complaint or reaction from the similar head of the old UN Correspondents Association Pam Falk, who though arriving 15 minutes late was called on by Dujarric to lob a softball question before Inner City Press.

  Agence France Presse was called on -- AFP invoked the UNCA machinery against an article Inner City Press published showing that Ladsous was not Ban's first choice for the job. UNCA's board demanded outright censorship of an article about its president's conflict of interest, renting an apartment to a UN Ambassador (there's more real estate shenanigans to come, June 7). 

  Inner City Press quit UNCA and co-founded the Free UN Coalition for Access, which opposes Ladsous' picking which media to answer, and UNCA insiders for accepting this.

  Afterward on May 29 Inner City Press asked Dujarric how this was acceptable. The question about Ladsous not applying Ban's supposed Human Rights Due Diligence Policy after only two Congolese soldiers were convicted of 130 rapes in Minova in November 2012, Inner City Press has asked Dujarric for weeks. He has still provided no answer, nor on Ladsous' drone procurement.

  Dujarric pointed to a separate answer by USG Ameerah Haq, not on the rapes or drones but logistics in South Sudan. This was appreciated and may be separately reported. But Ladsous is bringing all of UN Peacekeeping down, not only other officials but the troops working in the field. We'll have more on this.

   

Ukraine Makes Manhattan Business Pitch, From Chocolate King to Cloudsourcing, Of Democracy & Dollars

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 29 -- A pitch was made to Americans by Central Park on May 29, under the high ceilings of the Ukrainian Institute on 79 Street in Manhattan, to outsource IT or information technology tasks to Ukraine.

You will only pay for the time the outsources workers actually work, one promoter said, they must log out before they can use Twitter or Facebook. You can support Ukrainian independence and democracy. And, she added in a more hushed tone, you can profit.

Who are the companies already outsourcing to Ukraine? A pamphlet handed out listed Citibank, Boeing, PepsyCo (mis-spelled) and Reuters. One wag wondered if that gave the wire service a conflict of interest in their reporting. They alreadytry to censor other media, Inner City Press reported here.

  The pamphlet included a quote from Barack Obama, about “assistance to the government of Ukraine so it can stabilize its economy and meet the basic needs of the Ukrainian people” -- and another from Congressman Eliot Engel, but not one from Christine Lagarde of the International Monetary Fund. A graph shown put 6% of Ukraine's IT business in Donetsk, scene of recent fighting.

  A non-Ukrainian executive, Anthony Conte of EPAM, was brought up as the last speaker. He talked hopefully about the election of Poroshenko the Chocolate King -- just as the UN offered praise, although in the hallways to its own News Center, here -- and about those EPAM has employed in Ukraine since 2005. They are also in Belarus.

  When the speeches were over, red caviar and pancakes were served and the networking began. The pamphlet said “Support Democracy, Increase Your Profits” but the order was perhaps different. Watch this site.

   

South Korea's Presidency of UN Security Council in May Has Only 3 Stakeouts, Silence on South Sudan, Mali, Even Syria

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 29 -- While in the UN Security Council there are reviews, behind closed doors, of South Korea's month as Council president, this public review from the press is much simpler: there were only three question and answer stakeout.

  These occurred only on May 9 about Nigeria (and answering Inner City Press on why North Korea was not allowed to speak at an earlier meeting), May 19 on Guinea Bissau (and telling Inner City Press no answer on South Sudan since didn't chair the meeting) and finally May 28 on Mali, here. That's it.

  This contrasts to ten Q&As by Nigeria as president in April, and 14 by Luxembourg in March. South Korea's low matches one of the three Q&A months of outgoing French Ambassador Gerard Araud.

  At the beginning of these months, the Free UN Coalition for Access asks that Council presidents come out to speak to the press at least after closed door consultations. But South Korea did not do so, even on May 29 when humanitarian access into Syria was the topic. 

  Nor did South Korea give summaries after closed door presentations by UN Peacekeeping under Herve Ladsous, even knowing that Ladsous does not do stakeouts, even on a topic liek South Sudan, like his predecessors Alain Le Roy and Jean-Marie Guehenno. The trend is downward.

  When the month began, the South Korean mission's briefing about UNSC Resolution 1540 and the month was initially presented as controlled by the old UN Correspondents Association, which said to RSVP to its president Pamela Falk to go to the South Korean mission and hear Ambassador Oh Joon.

  After an inquiry by FUNCA this was wisely reversed, and reported. Inner City Press previewed the month with an open mind, here. But then there was little press access during the month, and even some states wishing to speak in the Council were not allowed. This was South Korea's second and for now last Council presidency.

 By constrast -- only last month -- when Nigeria's Ambassador to the UN Joy Ogwu came to the Security Council stakeout late on April 30 after a month as Council president, she paraphrased Shakespeare. All the world is a stage, or the Council is at the center of the play.

  She certainly did her best during the month, in terms of accessibility: she did nine question and answer stakeouts. Including one by foreign minister Aminu Wali on April 28, Nigeria did ten, on topics ranging from Western Sahara, toSyria and the Central African Republic, Darfur, South Sudanand genocide.

  On Western Sahara, to take that example, Ogwu to her credit came out and said that she had pushed the African Union position, that there should be a human rights monitoring mechanism in the MINURSO mission.

  But the MINURSO resolution is written by a "Group of Friends on Western Sahara" that does not include any African Union members, and no mechanism was included.

  On April 30 Inner City Press asked Ogwu about something France's Ambassador Gerard Araud, who once held a mere three question and answer stakeouts in a month as president,had said: that "The UN has never been a place for 'real' negotiation.  It legitimizes or implements agreements reached elsewhere."

   Ogwu said she disagreed, saying that the elected members of the Security Council have sought and obtained a global mandate. It is good, then, that it is Araud set to leave the Council, in July, and not Nigeria.

  In the run-up to Nigeria's end of presidency reception, multiple sources describe angry communications from the old UN Correspondents Association led by Pamela Falk of CBS demanding to know why they weren't at least initially invited. When it was mentioned that Inner City Press was actually at the stakeout during the month, from within the UNCA Executive Committee came an e-mail described as absurd, from a person whose first name begins with "M," on which we may have more. 

 The new Free UN Coalition for Access is not just about free food, and 4:30 pm cocktail receptions as UNCA held on April 30 as Iraq's Ambassador spoke at the stakeout - along with Nigeria's Joy Ogwu. Good month.

  And good end of presidency reception, complete with a short and heartfelt speech by Joy Ogwu, again citing Shakespeare. Talk turned to Burundi - off the record - and to the departure of the Under Secretary General for Public Information (DPI), widely known but on which FUNCA out of respect has sought comment.

  Meanwhile on the fourth floor bulletin board which DPI agreed to after FUNCA advocacy, the FUNCA flier aboutAraud telling a correspondent "you are not a journalist, you are an agent" had been torn down. This is the UN.

  Back on April 2 when Ogwu assumed the UN Security Council presidency Inner City Press asked her about Ukraine being a footnote in the month's Program of Work, and about the predicted fast approval of a new mandate for the MINURSO mission in Western Sahara. Video here, from Minute 21:21

  In the Program of Work the "consultations" on Western Sahara are set for April 17 and adoption of the resolution on April 23. Inner City Press asked if this means it is in the hands of the "Group of Friends," which does not include any African member.

Ogwu replied, "we expect to be fully involved." Given that the African Union position on Western Sahara, will that mean that a human rights monitoring mechanism for MINURSO, as exists in other peacekeeping missions, will be seriously considered? 

  Will the US, which proposed such a mechanism last year, push forward again? Secretary of State John Kerry is visiting both Morocco and Algeria early in April. We'll see.

  On Ukraine, Inner City Press asked if the expect report of UN human rights deputy Ivan Simonovic will trigger a meeting or consultation of the Security Council. Ogwu replied, with due regard for strategic planning, that bridge will be crossed when reached.

  As the second question -- why there is a claim of tradition of UNCA, often the UN's Censorship Alliance trying to get others thrown out of the UN and blocking access to documents on the Internet, automatically getting the first question is and will be addressed elsewhere -- the new Free UN Coalition for Access encouraged Ambassador Ogwu to hold question and answer stakeouts, even brief ones, after closed door consultations, as Luxembourg did (14) in March.

  Ogwu noted the invitation. With agenda items on the Middle East, Central African Republic, Darfur, South Sudan and it seems North Korea, in Arria formula style, such stakeout should be useful. Watch this site.

   

After Impunity for 130 Minova Rapes by DRC Army, UN Peacekeeping's Herve Ladsous Tells Inner City Press, "I Do Not Respond to You, Mister"

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 29, 2014 -- When UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous held a press conference on May 29, Inner City Press asked him why he has yet to apply the UN's stated Human Rights Due Diligence Policy after only two Congolese soldiers were convicted for more than 130 rapes in Minova in November 2012.

  Ladsous said, "You know I do not respond to you, Mister."

  Inner City Press ten minutes later asked Stephane Dujarric the spokesman for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, presumably Ladsous' boss, how this is an acceptable answer from Ladsous. This was not explained, nor was the UN's failure to follow through on its Human Rights Due Diligence Policy on the 41st and 391st Battalions of the Congolese Army, implicated in the rapes.

  Ladsous' refusals to answer or explain, now right in front of Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson, raises serious questions about this supposed Human Rights Due Diligence Policy. We'll have more on this.

Background: For months, UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous dodged and refused questions about rapes by the Congolese Army FARDC in Minova. Video compilation here.

   Then after other UN officials emphasized that some Congolese soldiers were belatedly being prosecuted, on May 5 the verdicts declared not guilty three dozen of the 39 charged, convicting of rape only two of the soldiers, for more than 130 rapes.

  On May 8 Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq who will decide on implementing Ban's stated human rights due diligence policy of suspending support to units engaged in abuse, and which are not held accountable and are given impunity. Video here from 20:33.

  Haq replied, "I wouldn't say pretty much impunity - there was a trial - that in itself is a step. We are disappointed, we have to evaluate what happened.

  Inner City Press asked, who makes the decision? Mister Ladsous?  

   Haq said, we were pressing for a trial, it's not my place to comment on the workings of the judicial system of the DRC. Accountability meant getting the trials.
  
   But only two convictions for 130 rapes? 

  The day before on May 6 at the UN Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's associate spokesperson Vannina Maestracci would would now happen, under the UN's and Ladsous' claimed "Human Rights Due Diligence" Policy. Video here.

    Maestracci insisted, "We said we were disappointed." But is that enough? Is that the due diligence policy? Maestracci said others will be "analyzing" the two convictions.  Inner City Press asked, who will be analyzing, and who would decide on suspending support to the 41st and 391st Battalions?

    "You got my answer," Maestracci said. 

   On May 5 Inner City Press asked deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq if the UN views this low level of conviction "accountability" for the rapes for purposes of continuing Ladsous' support of the 41st and 391st Battalions of the Congolese Army, or views the verdict as an outrage. Video on Inner City Press YouTube channel here and embedded below, followed by weakMONUSCO statement.

  Haq at noon on May 5 had no comment on the verdict, saying that "the mission," MONUSCO under Martin Kobler, will "prepare our response."  But Ban and Ladsous have made much of their supposed Human Rights Due Diligence Policy, under which they said UN support would be suspended for abuses, or for a lack of accountability for abuses.  This, is an abuse. 

    And this may be worse: MONUSCO's weak statement taking note of two convictions for rape after 130 rapes. Human rights due diligence? Hardly.

   Back on April 9, Ladsous appeared for a press conference with High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay. Ladsous presented the Minova cases -- no convictions -- as a success for the UN's Human Rights Due Diligence Policy.

  Inner City Press asked Navi Pillay if she thought sixteen months and counting was too long, given that Ladsous' MONUSCO is still working with the implicated FARDC units, the 41st and 391st Battalion.

  Then Inner City Press specifically asked Ladsous about charges of gang rape against peacekeepers in his Mali mission MINUSMA. Have those charged been cleared?

   Pillay said she hadn't presented Minova as a success, and that she is concerned about the delay. Then Ladsous sat silent. The Department of Public Information moderator said, "Mr. Lee, I said this was about the DRC." Video here and embedded below.

  So rapes ascribed to UN Peacekeepers in Mali go UNanswered? There is a pattern:

   On April 7 it was a simple question to Ladsous, which he refused: when will UN Peacekeeping go after or neutralize the Hutu FDLR militia? It was asked by Inner City Press on April 7, the 20th anniversary of the beginning of the genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda in which the FDLR were perpetrators.

But UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous replied, "To you, Mister, you know I never answer your questions, and you know very well why." Video here, and embedded below.

Why, then? Ladsous was France's Deputy Permanent Representative at the UN in 1994 during the Rwanda genocide, and he argued for French policies including the escape of the genocidaires into Eastern Congo. Seesample memo, here.

It is one thing for France to so deny this history that it decided its Justice Minister would not attend the genocide commemoration in Kigali. But for a French UN official to openly refuse to answer a question about his responsibility, to neutralize the Hutu FDLR militia in Eastern Congo?

This happened at the International Peace Institute on First Avenue across from the UN Headquarters. On the panel with Ladsous as he said this were IPI's Francesco Mancini, Italy's Permanent Representative Sebastiano Cardi, Pakistan's Deputy Permanent Representative Khan and Ameerah Haq, Under-Secretary-General for the UN Department of Field Support. The audience, witnesses, were a range of diplomats and UN officials.

  Ladsous, ever since Inner City Press asked him about his history, has resisted questions inside the UN, see video compilation here, UK coverage in the New Statesman here.

But previously Ladsous did answer an Inner City Press question at IPI, and UN officials made much of it to Inner City Press, as if to say, Ladsous is reasonable, he is not engaged in censorship.

But he is. Another example: while UN Peacekeeping spends a lot of money promoting itself on social media, Inner City Press has asked why for example its MINURSO mission in Western Sahara, in which Morocco and France oppose a human rights monitoring mandate, has no social media presence.

The answer given at IPI -- not by Ladsous, who refuses Inner City Press questions -- is that for some missions, countries do no give permission for certain equipment or, apparently, Twitter accounts. But who could it be, banning MINURSO in Western Sahara from social media?

  Ladsous tries to spoonfeed information to friendly scribes; in his favorfirst the UN Correspondents Association (requested by Agence France Presse) then the current spokesperson of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon have made threats to discourage coverage. There's more on this - but this is today's video, here; this is today's UN. Watch this site.

   

UN's Ladsous Solicits Drones for Mali, Tells Inner City Press, "You Know I Do Not Respond to You, Mister" - UNaccountable

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 29 -- When UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous held a press conference on May 29, Inner City Press asked him to explain why his UN Peacekeeping is soliciting drones to be based on northern Mali without having any approval for this.

  Ladsous said, "You know I do not respond to you, Mister."

  Inner City Press ten minutes later asked Stephane Dujarric the spokesman for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, presumably Ladsous' boss, how this is an acceptable answer from Ladsous. This was not explained, nor was Ladsous' drones for Mali solicitation.

Background: Ladsous pushed through his proposal to use drones or “unmanned unarmed aerial vehicles” in Eastern Congo, he said that it was a pilot and that any further use would require another approval.

  One of the places Ladsous said he wanted to use drones was former French colony Cote d'Ivoire.  Now in an advance copy of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's report on Ivory Coast, to be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/2014/342, Ban says a Ivorian "government minister advised that the deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles in Cote d'Ivoire may no longer be necessary."

  But don't tell Ladsous -- on May 5, Inner City Press asked UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq about Ladsous pitching drones in the Central African Republic -- and now Inner City Press reports that Mali has arisen as well, and "any [UN] peacekeeping mission." 

From the UN's May 5 transcript:

Inner City Press: while Under-Secretary-General Ladsous was in Bangui, he gave a press conference and he discussed the use of unmanned/unarmed aerial vehicles or drones in the CAR ( Central African Republic). So, I wanted to know, is it the UN’s position that the current MINUSCA (United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic) resolution would permit use of drones or is this something that they would have to come back to the Security Council or some other organ of the United Nations to get approval for?

Deputy Spokesman Haq: I believe that the current resolution does not mention unmanned aerial vehicle, so any further deployment of that would require the Security Council consideration as far as I’m aware.

  But the UN at Ladsous' direction has been soliciting expressions of interest, until today, for drones or UAVs initially for use in northern Mali, where Ladsous' native France has an UNdisclosed letter of assist under which other UN member states will be paying it for airfield services. 

  (Outgoing French Ambassador Gerard Araud in December, his last Council presidency, refused to substantively answer Inner City Press' questions about the letter of assist, and now doesn't answer Press questions at all.)

The question is, if as stated on May 5 any UN use of drones or UAV outside of the Congo requires another approval, why is Ladsous soliciting drones for Mali? 

  In fact, the solicitation which we put online here says "While the initial deployment of UAS is expected to be based in a particular UN Mission future deployment could be in any peacekeeping mission" --

UN/PD is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the provision of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) with multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in support of peace-keeping operations in Mali with the basing of one system at Timbuktu and Gao.

The UAS provider will be an independent contractor who remains in control of the system and aircraft and shall be responsible for operation and maintenance of the aircraft. The flight operating crew and all maintenance personnel shall at all times remain the servant or agent of the contractor. All staff and equipment necessary for the operation of the aircraft are expected to be self-sufficient for all technical and subsistence requirements, although in some locations, accommodation and meals may be provided within UN compound for security of personnel or lack of alternative. The staff of the independent contractor will operate closely with UN aviation and military personnel and interact with the host nation as and when required. The contractor must provide staff to track, control, monitor the UAS and provide analysis of data received, working closely with Mission contacts. While the initial deployment of UAS is expected to be based in a particular UN Mission future deployment could be in any peacekeeping mission.

It is expected that contracts will be for a period of 3 years, extendable at the option of the UN to 4 and 5 years, and will generally apply to a single mission area. UAV capability should provide long endurance and be able to fly long range to a point of interest, loiter on patrol and return to base.

   On May 14, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric:

Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you about drones or UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles). I know that they’ve been used in the eastern Congo, I was told here, I think on 5 May, that approvals will be needed for them to be used in Central African Republic, as Mr. [Hervé] Ladsous was talking about or elsewhere. But now, I’ve found this solicitation that basically… that the procurement division solicited drones for the deployment in northern Mali and any other UN peacekeeping mission, is what it says. So, I wanted to know, why, if approvals are needed, have they been sought or obtained and if now, why is the procurement division procuring drones for Mali?

Spokesman Dujarric: That’s a good question. I will find out.

But a full day later at the May 15 noon briefing, Dujarric abruptly ended the session as Inner City Press asked, no answer on drones? No. How long can this last? Watch this site.