Spending on Vanity Press History of UNAIDS Called a "Detail" By Peter Piot Before Mexico City HIV-AIDS Confab

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN: News Analysis
www.innercitypress.com/un1aidsbook072908.html

UNITED NATIONS, July 29 -- In advance of the International AIDS Conference started August 3 in Mexico City, UNAIDS director Peter Piot was asked about his use of agency money to publish what some call a vanity press book, "UNAIDS: The First Ten Years." Piot responded defensively that "this is the classic way of doing things" and that it cost only "half a million dollars." Inner City Press asked about reports that it cost, in fact, $1 million, and asked Piot to respond to criticism by his former senior advisor, who criticized Piot's publishing frenzy and use of funds. "Definitely not true," Piot said, looking over at this spokeswoman. Video here, from Minute 21:16.

But concerns have arisen, too, about his "Art for Aids" coffee table book, which reportedly cost nearly $400,000. "It is standard to record," Piot said, sitting next to Kemal Dervis, the Administrator of UNDP, an agency which begrudging admitted spending more than Piot's half-million dollar figure for its own official history, UNDP: A Better Way?

UNAIDS' Peter Piot, publishing costs and criticism not shown

Dervis on July 25 told Inner City Press that he will not answer questions in the UN hallway, as other UN system officials do, and that he will no hold a UNDP press conference until after the "high summer season" is over.

Inner City Press asked Piot if he expects his spending on "UNAIDS: The First Ten Years" to be raised in next month's conference in Mexico City. "I can't imagine," he said, "it's a real detail." So, half a million dollars is a detail? Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1aidsbook072908.html