At UN, Turkish Cypriot Leader Denounces EU, Calls Downer and His Team Fatigued, Looks to January (& Video)

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 19 - video here -- Two months after denying that UN mediator Alexander Downer was “exhausted” by the negotiations between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, TRNC President Dervis Eroglu told Inner City Press on November 19 that “not only Downer but everyone involved are showing signs of fatigue, they are tired of continuing negotiating so long.”

Eroglu was in New York for meetings with Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias, Downer and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. He told the Press he wouldn't go into details of what had been said, but he denounced the European Union which, he said, had taken all pressure off the Greek Cypriots by according EU membership.

The EU “cannot be an honest broker,” he said, adding that the EU has “not keep its promise of 2004 of lifting the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots,” who now have little confidence in the EU.

Inner City Press asked if the TRNC, if there's no progress by the next meeting with Ban in January 2011, might declare independence as Kosovo did. Eroglu said this would be considered in January, not before while there are talks. Things should be decided one way or the other, both he and his spokesman Osman Ertug said.

The November 19 interview took place in the Office of the TRNC on the 9th floor of the Turkish Mission to the UN's building. A florescent light bulb flickered; there were maps of Northern Cyprus and New York City's five boroughs on the walls.

Other questions came to mind, everything between bank regulation in the TRNC and what passports Eroglu and Ertug were traveling on. (Turkish, appears to be the answer, despite the response in the interview that “the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is an independent country.”)

As previously reported by Inner City Press, the TRNC is given its own entry passes to the UN, under the name “Turkish Cypriot Community.” This is based on being part of a UN mediated negotiation process. But how much longer will that last? Watch this site.

At UN, Questions on Sudan, Sri Lanka & Haiti Left Unanswered Amid Free Lunch & Happy Talk, No Q&A

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 19 -- Rather than answer questions, the UN tries to fill the time of Q&A with Pollyanna information about which the press corps has no questions or apparently interest. Outside, a free lunch is served, as if to guarantee attendance. To this has the UN been reduced.

On November 19, the noon briefing was truncated with only a handful of questions allowed by acting Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq -- despite riots against the UN in Haiti, and funding reversals for the Southern Sudan referendum vaguely acknowledged in UN reports -- so that a press conference could be held about the UN's role in industrial development in Africa.

After two statements were read out, not a single question was asked by the journalists in attendance, in a briefing room with two chairs roped off due to bed buds.

Moments later a free lunch was served, apparently this was the inducement for attendance if not questions. But what questions could be asked?

In fact, the UN has been chased out of Chad, and increasingly out of the Congo and Nepal. There are riots against the UN in Haiti -- not unrelated to Nepal -- and hearings being scheduled for next year in the US House of Representatives.

Here are two sample questions long left unanswered though submitted in writing to the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary General, another time that they canceled their noon briefing:

1) On Darfur, some question why JMAC data is not on UNAMID's web site, some say it is routinely and selectively leaked. Please respond, and whether these figures include Tarabat market.

2) Please confirm or deny that staff of Mr. Deng's Prevention of Genocide office are asked to work on his books, quantify what amount of time and whether this complies with UN rules, and if the books should be attributed to the UN.

This last question has actually been asked three times without answer, as have questions about the Secretary General's links with Sri Lanka and its leadership, which Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky has said may never be answered.

The Secretary General himself did a rare stakeout on November 18, but only read a statement, taking not a single question, even on the anti-UN riots and claims in Haiti. Then he left headquarters again.

Simply going back the three UN working days so far this week, unanswered questions include reports of a deadly bombing in Darfur (asked Nov. 18), any follow up on the murder of UN staffer Louis Maxwell in Afghanistan (asked Nov. 16), bombing of South Sudan by Khartoum (asked Nov. 15) -- on which Haq said “we were trying to get some information, but we didn’t have a confirmation of that particular fighting. If we get any further details, including a confirmation, we’d have something.” And in the four days since, nothing.

In the face of this, the UN quietly lent out the General Assembly for the filming of a scene of Transformers 3, and tonight holds a concert about its Academic Impact. Into what is the UN being transformed? Watch this site.

At UN, Pakistan Expert Loses Asia Group Election for ACABQ, of Politics & Budget Shifts Unquestioned

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 19 -- When four Asian countries faced off for three seats on the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions on November 5 in the UN's Fifth Committee, some called the conclusion foregone on political and not budgetary or technical questions. Among China, India, Japan and Pakistan, the fourth one seemed preordained to lose.

China's power speaks for itself -- at the UN it sometimes doesn't even need to speak. Japan is the second largest contributor, and India a rising power as annointed by no less than Barack Obama.

Pakistan has drone strikes in its tribal areas, a former strongman beating the drum against its current leadership, the International Monetary Fund beating at the door.

Still, Pakistan's representative on ACABQ Imtiaz Hussain had long served in the Fifth (Budget) Committee, and done his homework during his time on ACABQ. By contrast, some of the other three individuals standing for the post had only recently joined the budget committee.

On the day of the Fifth Committee vote, sources say that the absence of Pakistan's highest ranked diplomats sealed the deal, at least making it easy for even some of Pakistan's allies to vote the other way.

The final result was closer than might have been expected. Namgya C. Khampa of India received 164 votes; Akira Sugiyama of Japan received 147 votes and Zhang Wanhai of China received 130 votes, edging out Pakistan's Hussain who got 114 votes. The result is set to be rubber stamped in the full General Assembly on November 19.

Some bemoan that elections for the UN's technical posts are politicized. Some note that ACABQ has, as simply one example, not taken action on evidence that one of the Special Political Missions it reviews, the Good Offices on Myanmar which was approved and funded by the General Assembly, has had its staff time shifted to other uses within the Department of Political Affairs' Asia division under Tamrat Samuel.

On an administrative and budgetary question such as this, which of the three elected Asian country representatives has an interest in acting? Watch this site.

Footnote: Japan's former Permanent Representative and UN budget expert Yukio Takasu, whom Inner City Press recently exclusively reported in English is in line for a UN job, is the subject of some commentary. The job would be Special Advisor on Human Security, a concept pushed by Japan but not fully vetted or approved by the General Assembly. Watch this site.

At UN Council, Nothing Is Said on Myanmar While Russia & Nigeria Oppose Guinea Meeting, Elements to the Press Are Issued

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 18, updated -- After a military dominated election in Myanmar, when the UN Security Council met about the country on November 18, some expected at least a statement to result, perhaps mixing diplomatic critique of the election with praise for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi.

But when the Council session ended at 1:30 on Thursday, there was no statement. The UK presidency of the Council did not emerge to say anything, even informally. Inner City Press is told that when China said there would be no statement, even if the Council waited all afternoon, the UK and US backed down “meekly,” as the source put it.

Inner City Press asked Chinese Permanent Representative Li Baodong as he left if there would be a statement. They are still discussing it, he replied. He said China has a long border with Myanmar and wants stability, through development. As Reuters reports, Than Shwe is already beating the drum for more investment after releasing ASSK.

Just after the election, a representative of the Kachin National Organization Gum San Nsang told Inner City Press of problems along the border with China, which he perhaps diplomaticlly called a “good neighbor.” When Inner City Press asked about this, standing with Japanese media, Li Baodong smiled and said, “China is a good neighbor to everyone.” Then he left to host of lunch of the Council's Permanent Five members.

Thursday afternoon, the Council has scheduled a closed door briefing about Guinea by UN envoy Said Djinnit. Inner City Press is told that not only Russia but also Nigeria opposed the idea of the Guinea meeting, Nigeria because “ECOWAS is doing something there,” one source put it.

Therefore despite the state of emergency in Guinea, the source said, France may not even be proposing a statement, only the briefing. And so far nothing on the coup attempt in Madagascar. “It was a weird session,” the source said. “Everything got blocked.” And so it goes at the UN.

Update of 4:30 pm -- to some's surprise, there were "Elements to the Press" read out by UK Deputy Permanent Representative Philip Parham, which we publish below as a public service. A source tells Inner City Press that during the consultations, Uganda referred back to the Council's November 16 stand off on Western Sahara and said it would have been good to have had the same enthusiasm and comity being shown on Guinea. After reading the element, Parham rushed from the microphone, taking not a single question. Maybe it's a UK thing?

Elements to the Press by Philip Parham, Deputy Permanent Representative to the UK Mission to the UN on the elections in Guinea – 18 November 2010

Good afternoon,

I’m just going to let you know about the discussion which the Security Council has just had about Guinea. The members of the Security Council were briefed by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Said Djinnit, on the situation in Guinea and the latest developments of the Presidential elections.

The members of the Security Council welcomed the holding of the run-off elections on the 7 November in Guinea and the high voter turnout. The members of the Security Council took note of the provisional results as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission on the 15 November. They urged all parties to follow the existing legal procedure, resolve their differences peacefully and respect the final decision of the Supreme Court.

The members of the Security Council deplored the violence that has occurred in Guinea in the aftermath of the announcement of the results. They urged all political leaders in Guinea to refrain from any acts that could incite violence and to appeal to their supporters to remain calm. They further stressed the responsibility of national security forces and government officials to maintain public order and to protect civilians.

The members of the Security Council paid tribute to the commitment of Special Representative Djinnit and ECOWAS and its mandated facilitator, President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso. They also welcomed the coherent approach of the United Nations, the African Union and ECOWAS on this issue and they further welcomed the determination of interim President, General Sekouba Konate, to pursue peaceful elections in Guinea and encouraged him to continue this process until its successful conclusion in an inclusive manner across political lines. Thank you.

On IMF Quota Changes, Spin War Emerges, IMF Role in Debt of Sudan Questioned

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 18 -- After the International Monetary Fund's board agreed on November 5 to move six percent of powers to developing countries, the IMF says that “most commentary was positive.”

But when Inner City Press asked UN Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Affairs Jomo Kwame Sundaram about it on November 16, he said that two thirds of the six percent comes from “other developing countries,” and that the quota system should be further reformed. Video here, from Minute 21:30.

At the IMF's biweekly briefing on November 18, Inner City Press asked IMF spokesperson Caroline Atkinson about this criticism. She said she wasn't aware of it (since “most commentary was positive”) and argued that 80% came from “advanced economies” and the rest from “a small number of oil producing” countries which she said are technically classified as developing.

Ms. Atkinson then said that of the 187 members, 110 countries saw their quotas increase, 102 of them emerging and dynamic countries -- another euphemism for developing?

These two very different views of the changes turn on how one defines developing. While the UN often mis-classifies these, to rely entirely on the IMF to assess the seriousness of IMF reforms also seems unwise.

Inner City Press also submitted two country specific question, the first of which on Sudan Ms. Atkinson read out and acknowledged, promising a later answer:

On Sudan, both Hillary Clinton and the UK's William Hague on Nov 16 said they are in talks about reducing the national debt as an incentive for the Southern Sudan secession referendum scheduled for January 9. Is the IMF involved in any such talks? Can the IMF play any role in reducing Sudan's debt? [We will publish the IMF's answer - watch this site.]

On Democratic Republic of Congo, what is the IMF's reaction to the shortfall in Paris Club debt reduction (“82.4 percent reduction of Congo's debt stock, short of the 90 percent target”) and to the pace of reforms in the DRC?

Watch this site.

Afghan Inaction on UN Death as UNICEF Hired Karzai Insiders, UN in Kabul

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 17 -- The UN system's comprised relations with powers in Hamid Karzai's Afghanistan are exhibited both by the UN's failure to push for accountability for the killing of UN staff member Louis Maxwell by Afghan national forces and UNICEF's hiring of Kabul insiders, to keep Karzai and his ministers happy, sources say.

For months Inner City Press has asked the UN about the death of Louis Maxwell at the hands of Afghan national forces. A UN board of inquiry, referring to friendly fire, should have led to an Afghan investigation and prosecution.

When Inner City Press asked top UN Security official Gregory Starr why nothing had been done, he talked about turmoil in the Karzai government, adding that with so many Afghans killed, it was hard to push about the death of a particular individual like Louis Maxwell. Rank and file UN Security staff expressed shock at this answer, and surmised that the UN didn't want to ruffle any feathers in the Karzai administration, wanting to remain in the country in parallel with the ongoing US led occupation.

Weeks ago, a variety of sources told and confirmed to Inner City Press that the UN's children's agency likewise was hiring “cronies” of Karzai and his ministers, in order to curry favor with the government and ministries.

Inner City Press asked UNICEF about some of these connections. For days, UNICEF did not provide answers to these Afghanistan questions, while exhibiting fast turn around about its operations in other countries. Inner City Press was admonished not to go forward with a story based on “unverified” names and connections. Then UNICEF ultimately confirmed the names and hirings, while providing a different explanation:

“our work in Afghanistan is undertaken under very difficult circumstances, and we are often obliged to adjust time frames for the achievement of objectives to reflect changing circumstances. There have been instances where UNICEF has felt that the work its consultants are undertaking in support of Government capacity-building has drifted away from our objectives and our mandate. In these cases considerable additional effort is put into ensuring that their activities are refocused.”

Here in fairness to UNICEF is the full Q&A with the agency's spokesman, followed by Inner City Press' November 16 inquiry about accountability for the murder of UN staff member Louis Maxwell:

Subject: Qs re Afghanistan Catherine Mbegune / Najibullah Mujudidi etc
To: "Matthew Russell Lee" [at] InnerCityPress.com
From: Christopher de Bono [at] unicef.org

Hi Matthew, Here are my answers.

1. Please confirm or deny that UNICEF provided Karzai associate Najibullah Mujudidi with a retainer or other payment, and unless deny, please comment on how this is appropriate, and what services were rendered;

Dr. Mojadidi, a former World Health Organization official, has worked as a UNICEF local consultant in Afghanistan. He was paid a standard consultants’ rate. The terms of reference for the consultancy involved providing policy and strategic advice on the implementation of social sector programmes, including overseeing the implementation of a polio initiative, and preparing briefs for UNICEF on donor and national development strategies. Normal assessments were done upon completion of the assignments, and these indicate that the terms of reference were met to the satisfaction of UNICEF. At the time of his consultancies with UNICEF, Dr. Mojadidi was not a member of the Government of Afghanistan or a government official.

2. Please confirm or deny that UNICEF's Catherine Mbegune signed a blank travel authorization for Najibullah Mujudidi and unless deny, please comment on how this is appropriate;

During Catherine Mbengue’s time as UNICEF representative in Afghanistan she signed two (2) only travel authorizations for Dr Mojididi to undertake travel on behalf of UNICEF. These travel authorizations contain the standard specific details about the reason for travel, dates and destination, and are in accordance with our regulations. We should note that a travel authorization, whether blank or completed, is not a voucher and could not be used for “unlimited travel”. It is an administrative procedure that facilitates a specific trip undertaken on UNICEF’s behalf.

3. Please describe UNICEF's Catherine Mbegune's practices with respect to sole source (or “no bid”) contracts and, separately, that one such sole source contract was to be to an affiliate of a university in the US where the Head of Health section (acting deputy Rep) Brandao Co got his scholarship and degree.

While competitive bidding is the norm for UNICEF contracts, we have no option in some circumstances but to enter into single source contracts, particularly when the specific expertise that we require, as a consequence of external circumstances, is only available from one provider or when security or emergency circumstances mean that the usual competitive review cannot be completed in time to provide the help that we need. Representatives in difficult environments, like Afghanistan was at that time, often have legitimate recourse to single source contracts and Ms. Mbengue was no exception.

During Ms. Mbengue’s tenure as Representative, UNICEF Afghanistan was considering commissioning a nutrition survey of certain areas of Afghanistan, because we were concerned about a lack of useful data and the impact of poor nutrition on the health and well-being of children. Discussions took place around the possibility of hiring of Johns Hopkins University to undertake this survey. Johns Hopkins University (with which UNICEF often works) had previously demonstrated its capacity to undertake surveys in the same area of Afghanistan, including by successfully completing the only recent credible survey on infant mortality in the area. The basis of the preliminary discussion was the capacity of this university to undertake such a proper study in a region prone to serious travel, communications and security problems. Ultimately UNICEF did not commission the nutrition survey and no agreement with Johns Hopkins was entered into. The fact that a UNICEF staff member had attended that university was not a consideration.

4. Please confirm or deny that UNICEF paid associates / advisers of Riz Izan for MRRD, Wadek for Education and the minister for health and unless deny, please comment on how this is appropriate, responding to the assertion that these were at least in part payments for “keeping the Ministers happy".

As part of its country programme UNICEF Afghanistan has provided consultants who give technical advice to the Ministries, including the Ministry of Education. This is consistent with global practice and part of our efforts to achieve our mandate to build capacity within the government and thereby improve the education of children in Afghanistan. The consultants are based at the Ministry, although the UNICEF office is in regular contact with them. In addition, the Ministry provides UNICEF with regular reports, including quarterly updates, on the activities the consultants undertake, which UNICEF uses as one source to determine whether the agreed results are being achieved.

Your readers may wish to note that our work in Afghanistan is undertaken under very difficult circumstances, and we are often obliged to adjust time frames for the achievement of objectives to reflect changing circumstances. There have been instances where UNICEF has felt that the work its consultants are undertaking in support of Government capacity-building has drifted away from our objectives and our mandate. In these cases considerable additional effort is put into ensuring that their activities are refocused so was can be confident they are in line with our programmatic objectives.

The characterization you provide in quotes (although not attributed to anybody) is inaccurate. In order to be sustainable, UNICEF’s initiatives to improve education and health in many countries often include support to improve government capacity. This is one example of such a project.

Chris de Bono

Here is the pertinent portion of the UN's transcript of its November 16 noon briefing, about any Afghan investigation into the murder of UN staff member Louis Maxwell:

Inner City Press: I want to ask about Afghanistan and the UN staff member Louis Maxwell that died there in the compound... what has the UN done to ensure that its recommendation to the Afghan Government that they investigate who killed Louis Maxwell and the circumstances of his death actually be done? Has there been any progress since Mr. [Gregory] Starr’s visit there? What can you say about that?

Acting Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haz: I don’t have anything further to report to you since Mr. Starr’s visit. As you know, that visit by Gregory Starr was part of our effort to ensure that there is follow-up, and we will continue to press the Afghan authorities. Ultimately, the onus for follow-up action is on them.

More than a day later, no information about any follow-up has been provided. Watch this site.

On W.Sahara, UN Blind As Probe Is Called For in Uganda Paragraphs, Mexico YouTube

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, November 16, updated -- As the Security Council started meeting about Western Sahara on Tuesday afternoon, all sides had and spread only limited information.

At 4:15 p.m., Uganda's Ambassador Ruhakana Rugunda told Inner City Press that his country has proposed a full Press Statement calling for an investigative team to be send to Western Sahara. "Very sketchy," he called the information the UN provided.

Inner City Press asked on November 12 and 16 if the UN has any first hand information about the murders in the Gdeim Izik camp in El-Ayoun. No, acting Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq replied both times.

On what basis then was the UN's number two peacekeeper Atul Khare rushing into the Council eight minutes late? What possible information could he provide?

Inner City Press has heard and reported that the UN Department of Political Affairs prepared its first statement about the violence while watching YouTube videos. And DPKO?

Due to the lack of information, several delegations said they intended to ask for an investigation team. If DPKO has no information, one said, that is not normal, something will have to be done.

Others, including one member state joining the Council in January, said this added force to the request to be made again in April for a human rights component to the MINURSO peacekeeping mission.

But that's four months away, and things may have changed by then. A member said that language for a proposed “elements to the press” was being floated by Uganda, but that France would strongly oppose it. The US, too, was said to not favor any outcome to the meeting.

Two representatives of the Polisario Front spoke to the Press during the morning, while the Council met about Sudan. They spoke of a mass grave with 34 corpses, of MINURSO peacekeepers confined to their bases, under Moroccan surveillance, using vehicles with Morocco plates.

Inner City Press at the day's noon briefing asked Haq if MINURSO had visited the seen. We have no first hand knowledge, Haq said once again. He said he didn't know about MINURSO's licence plates, nor presumably the bugging. (Bed bugs were also asked about, and Inner City Press' exclusive report of fleas in the UN was confirmed.)

One country on the Council with a particular interest is Mexico, in part because it has one of its nationals, Antonio Velazquez, hiding in the area, posting evidence to YouTube. Mexico took the lead in asking for the meeting, but doesn't want to be seen out front. If Uganda proposes something, they are prepared to support. And Austria? Watch this site.

Footnote: In other DPKO news, Inner City Press reported by Twitter on November 15 that former Japanese Ambassador Yukio Takasu is in line for a job as Peacekeeping Advisor at the UN. On November 16 Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Haq, video here.

Update of 4:02 pm -- with the Council in closed consultations, the buzz such as there is at the stakeout involves quotes from the emergencies director of Human Rights Watch Peter Bouckaert, ranging from “We have so far only been able to confirm the death of two civilians” to “The civilian hospital in El-Ayoun was guarded by police who beat up wounded Sahrawis who came, and even Moroccan taxi drivers who brought them to the hospital.”

Polisario says that because people were afraid to go to the hospital, the number is under counted. Proponents of the number, on the other hand, say it is hard to hide dozens of bodies. Is this round and round debate being echoed in the closed door consultations? We will try to find out.

At 4:15 p.m., Uganda's Ambassador Ruhakana Rugunda told Inner City Press that his country has proposed a full Press Statement calling for an investigative team to be send to Western Sahara. "Very sketchy," he called the information the UN provided.

Update of 4:43 pm - outside the Council chamber, a non Permanent member's Perm Rep tells InnerCityPress, of Uganda's draft Press Statement on Western Sahara, “I don't think it'll come out that way.”

Update of 4:55 pm - with closed door consultations continuing, at the stakeout a video asked about by the Moroccan side, and found: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ3z-V7T9Cc (beware: violent)

With the highlighting of “bladed weapons” and abuse, it's reminiscent of the video of the violence on the Gaza flotilla. Technology and war crimes, while the UN closes its eyes.

Update of 5:09 pm - the consultations are over, there WILL be "elements to the press," not the full press statement proposed by Uganda.

Update of 6:08 pm -- Mark Lyall Grant of the UK came to the stakeout and read out the “elements to the press” reproduced below. Then as Inner City Press asked about MINURSO's lack of first hand information, Lyall Grant said “no more questions” and walked away. But as has become a pattern this month, he took not a single question.

Next came Ruhakana Rugunda of Uganda, who said his country and the African Union are in favor of an investigation by the UN or an “independent force.” nner City Press asked who -- he didn't specify -- and about MINURSO's failure to go to the site. He said, “That should be answered by DPKO” - we'll be asking. The Polisario representative called MINURSO a “virtual mission... captured by Morocco.”

Morocco's Ambassador came next, speaking in Arabic. Inner City Press ran to the UN's North Lawn building for a stakeout about the G-20, at which French Ambassador Gerard Araud and his deputy were already standing, tending to their minister. Inner City Press asked about Chinese yuan, US Federal Reserve pouring out $600 billion and about IMF reform -- what that's another story. Watch this site.

These are the “Elements to the Press” read out by Mark Lyall Grant on November 16, after which he said “no more questions” --

The members of the Security Council have been briefed by the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Atul Khare, on the recent incidents in Western Sahara.

Council members deplored the violence in El Aaiun and Gdaim Izyk camp, and expressed their condolences over the deaths and injuries that resulted.

They reaffirmed their support for MINURSO and its mission.

The members of the Security Council also heard a briefing by the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy Ambassador Christopher Ross. They offered their full support for his ongoing efforts and urged the parties to demonstrate further political will towards a solution.

At UN, As Clinton Accuses Sudan of Harassing Witnesses, Karti Denies, Hague Meets

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 16 -- US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the UN Security Council's Sudan meeting Tuesday morning referred to Khartoum having arrested and harassed even people who met with the Council in Darfur in October. She said "activists are arrested, some merely for speaking to members of this Security Council."

Afterward Inner City Press asked UK Foreign Minister William Hague about the statement, and what has been done by the UK, which led the leg of the Council's trip that went to Darfur. Hague said he would be raising the issue to the Sudanese later in the day.

As the Council meeting moved behind closed doors, Sudan's Foreign Minister Ali Karti came out to take questions. His delegation urged two reporters to ask Karti about improved relations with the United States.

Inner City Press asked Karti directly about the people arrested after the Security Council traveled to the Abu Shouk camp for internally displaced people outside El Fasher in Darfur. Karti insisted that these were “gang members” apprehended by Sudan.

Minutes later, Karti and his entourage went into the Security Council chambers. Inner City Press asked if this would be the Karti - Hague meeting, and was told “yes.”

Ten minutes later, the Southern Sudan delegation went in. Can't tell the players without a scorecard.

Footnote: Inner City Press also asked Karti about the statements by Hillary Clinton and Hague that the US and UK are working on reducing Sudan's debt. These are just talks, Karti said, while calling them positive.

Sudan's Permanent Representative then read off of a paper, “someone asked about new good will with the US.” Karti lit up, said it seems that this might be. A reporter asked about the International Criminal Court. “The US is not a member,” Sudan's Permanent Representative answered, smiling.

At UN, Bedbugs Now In Press Briefing Room & Al Jazeera, Fleas in Basement

By Matthew Russell Lee,

UNITED NATIONS, November 16, updated: following report of fleas in UN basement by Inner City Press and questions, UN has confirmed the fleas. On bedbugs in the briefing room and Al Jazeera, the fumigation will not happen until November 20.

With the UN still refusing to disclose the results of the bedbug tests in did after the pests' presence was exposed, first by Inner City Press, on the evening of November 15 a bedbug sniffing dog inspected the press briefing room in the Dag Hammarskjold Library auditorium.

Inner City Press witnessed it, including meeting and petting the dog, a Jack Russell named Jack. He found bedbugs on chairs in the briefing room, which the UN now says “have been cordoned off.” Bedbugs were also discovered in the studios of Al Jazeera on the second floor, AFTER the studios of BBC and NHK had been fumigated. The press corps is in an uproar. But the fumigation planned as of 6:50 pm on November 16 is only of the briefing room and Al Jazeera (not the whole second floor), and not until Nov. 20.

Meanwhile other vermin have been found in the UN. In the publications area, for example, the talk has been of fleas. On November 15, Inner City Press asked New York City Mayor Bloomberg a question about the UN's refusal to comply with NYC laws, including on bedbugs and even food safety. This last was an inquiry begun on November 1, when Inner City Press asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky:

Inner City Press: in New York now, the Health Department has a system under which the representing letter grades for health. They inspect restaurants and any other food facility. And apparently they have… they do inspect… I wasn’t aware of this, but they inspect the UNICEF cafeteria and the DC-One cafeteria, and both have received grades that would be B or in one case C. What I am wondering is whether the facility here in UN Headquarters, does the UN consider this to be outside of that system of health inspections, and if so what can it say about the… given, across the street what the grades are? And also, not to say that the two are related, but what interface has there been with the city government on this bedbug issue and what update can you provide as to the tests that you said last week were being performed in various locations, some here, some out, including one that was supposedly going to be done and or may soon be done on the 2nd floor? So it’s the food issue, and then the bedbug issue.

Spokesperson Nesirky: Well, on the second, I don’t have an update, and let’s see if we can get one. I don’t have an update. But I do know, as you yourself have said, you’ve been in direct touch with the relevant people from Facilities Management Service. I am sure that if you wanted to, you could do the same again. But for the benefit of others, of course, and for you as well, we’ll see if there is an update. On the first part, health inspections, I would defer to my colleagues who liaise with the city authorities. I don’t know the answer to that.

Inner City Press: Should I follow up with them or can you [inaudible]?

Spokesperson Nesirky: As I said, I will see what we can find out.

[The Spokesperson later added that Aramark said that the cafeteria at United Nations Headquarters was not being inspected.]

This bracketed response, which was never directly provided to Inner City Press but only read out over a speaker system that is not audible in the areas Inner City Press covers in the day, gives rise to these questions, among others:

On what basis are the UN's cafeteria facility at UNICEF and the UN's cafeteria in the DC building inspected, but the UN cafeteria not inspected? Is it a legal basis?

Is the UN's main cafeteria not being inspected because the UN is forbidding the inspection?

Does the SG have an objection to NYC inspectors visiting the UN cafeteria? Doesn't the UN allow inspections from the Fire Department of the UN premises?

Watch this site.

At UN on Sudan, Scratchy Mbeki, UN Silent on Bombs, Hillary on Decoupling Darfur

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 16, updated below -- The UN Security Council ministerial meeting on Sudan was kicked off Tuesday morning by UK Foreign Minister William Hague reading out a Presidential Statement, largely boilerplate about the Southern Sudan referendum scheduled for January 9. On Darfur, it condemned “militia attacks on civilians,” then government aerial bombardments.

The day previous, Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's acting Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq about one such bombing:

Inner City Press: over the weekend, there was this incident in which the South Sudanese said that Khartoum or the Sudanese Air Force has bombed Southern Sudanese territory. What has been found about the casualties, injuries and what comments does the UN have on this bombing in South Sudan territory?

Acting Deputy Spokesperson Haq: We don’t. We were trying to get some information, but we didn’t have a confirmation of that particular fighting. If we get any further details, including a confirmation, we’d have something.

But for the rest of the day, and the following morning, no information was provided. As with attacks in Darfur, the UN tries to not see and not report. And to not be seen -- while envoys to Sudan Haile Menkerios and Ibrahim Gambari are to brief the Council on Tuesday, it will be by video and only in closed consultations, not allowing any questions from the Press.

Among the questions Gambari is ducking is his negotiation with Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Karti, in attendance Tuesday, to turn over five supporters of Fur rebel Abdel Wahid Nur to the government of Omar al Bashir, indicted already for war crimes and genocide.

Gambari has tried to get a written commitment against the death penalty -- many doubt its credibility -- while saying nothing about evidence that Sudan engages in torture. To many, it is a new low for the UN.

The Council itself has shown a failure to follow through. After they visited the Abu Shouk camp in Darfur on October 8, people who had planned and attended the meetings were harassed and arrested by the Sudanese authorities. So far nothing has been done.

The UN's humanitarian chief Valerie Amos, visiting a month later, at first spoke of “fear,” then modified that to blame the internally displaced people for not meeting with her.

While the European Union held a session on Sudan on November 14, attended by some 60 people, many EU member states have yet to follow through on this commitments to the “Basket Fund” for the Southern Sudan referendum.

After Hague read out the Presidential Statement, Ban Ki-moon read a speech. On Darfur, he blamed the rebels for not joining the supposedly successful Doha negotiation process, moribund until December 19.

Hillary Clinton walked in, rebuffing a question about what she expected from the meeting. One might have asked, why did you decouple Darfur?

In the chamber, Thabo Mbeki spoke by scratchy video link which few could understand. Hague said there had been a power failure in Jo'burg, which Mbeki denied. He would be followed by Ali Karti, Pagan Amum of the SPLM then Hillary.

In order thereafter, Spindelegger of Austria -- which hosted a human rights reception on Monday night, no mention of Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, Sven Alkalaj of Bosnia, Odein Ajumogobia of Nigeria, Henry Okello Oryem of Uganda, Takeaski Matsumoto of Japan, Antonio de Aguiar Patroita of Brazil then mere Ambassadors. Watch this space.

Update of 10:37 am - Ali Karti says his government met its responsibilities to the referendum, denounces Darfur rebels as “saboteurs” who hide behind civilians. Outside the meeting, so far two people have fallen on the stairs, including the EU's representative Rosalind Marsden. An African diplomat tells Inner City Press the AU shound be running the show.

A sad and telling e-mail from the UN Department of Public Information:

Subject: Correction - the Security Council meeting is on the Sudan NOT on Darfur
From: Dpi Mdc [at] un.org
Date: Tue, Nov 16, 2010 at 10:18 AM

Media Documents Centre

Update of 11:03 am -- Hague, speaking for UK, says “What I have heard today from our four distinguished briefers convinces me that there can be peace and stability in Sudan.” But this was written BEFORE any of the four briefers spoke. It seems doubtful that Ali Karti of Sudan shared his statement with the UK before he delivered it. Hague as clairvoyant?

Update of 11:10 am - while Hillary Clinton says Darfur important, says journalists and activists arrested “some merely for speaking to members of this Council,” she does not explain why Obama administration now offers to take Sudan off terrorism sanctions list without regard to what they do in Darfur. Will she take a question on this?

In Haiti, UN Fires Into Crowds, Says Its Only Focus Is Future, Not How Cholera Arrived

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 15 -- With protesters in Haiti still blaming the UN for the deadly cholera outbreak, and UN peacekeepers reportedly opening fire on the crowds, at UN headquarters on Monday Inner City Press asked the UN's interim humanitarian coordinator for Haiti Nigel Fisher why the UN had not acted to fully investigate reports of UN peacekeepers' roles in bringing or spreading the disease. Video here, from Minute 22:21.

“My focus is on how to stop” the disease, Fisher replied. But even the UN's deputy special envoy Paul Farmer denounced this approach, call it more politics than science. Beyond being anti scientific, it appears in this case that the UN's attempts to brush off complaints and not fully investigate them has come back to haunt the UN, as suspicions have only grown.

Inner City Press asked when the last time cholera had been present in Haiti. “There has never before been cholera in Haiti,” Fisher answered.

Fisher characterized as “political manipulation” the claims by the Mayor of Mirebalais that the disease may have come from the UN Peacekeeping base there, staffed by peacekeepers from Nepal. But the Centers for Disease Control, even Fisher acknowledged Monday, said the strain is a strain which originated in South Asia.

Some in the UN system say that even looking into the role of the peacekeepers from Nepal is somehow racist. But political correctness can lead to riots in which UN peacekeepers are shooting into crowds of Haitians. Which is worse? Watch this site.

As Bloomberg Boosts Uruguay Smoking Fight, of UN & Tobacco, Food Safety Black Hole

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 15 -- In a small conference room in Uruguay's Mission to the UN, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Monday announced a grant from his foundation to help Uruguay defend a lawsuit by Philip Morris against the country's no smoking laws.

Since it was across 48th Street from UN headquarters, Inner City Press asked about tobacco and the UN, in New York and in the field. The UN Global Compact, for example, does not bar from its membership tobacco and cigarette companies, despite claiming to stand for corporate social responsibility.

Global Compact chief George Kell has twice told Inner City Press that since tobacco is legal, the companies will not be barred.

Meanwhile on a trip last month to the UN's peacekeeping mission in Sudan, smoking was prevalent, despite what Uruguayan Permanent Representative Jose Luis Cancela on Monday told Inner City Press about the anti smoking resolution his country sponsored in the General Assembly. The problem, he said, is enforcement -- which is also true on health matters ranging from food safety to bedbugs.

“It's not for me to tell anyone else how to behave,” Bloomberg said without irony, adding, “It's very difficult to enforce.” He said life expectancy in New York has gone up by nineteen months in the past eight years, and that users of beaches and parks and not his Mayor's Office pushed to ban smoking even in those outdoors locales.

In the front row sat his sister Marjorie Tiven, New York City's liaison with the UN. While she played a role in forcing the UN to take note of local fire codes, nothing has yet been done as to food safety code.

Back on November 1, Inner City Press asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky:

Inner City Press: in New York now, the Health Department has a system under which the representing letter grades for health. They inspect restaurants and any other food facility. And apparently they have… they do inspect… I wasn’t aware of this, but they inspect the UNICEF cafeteria and the DC-One cafeteria, and both have received grades that would be B or in one case C. What I am wondering is whether the facility here in UN Headquarters, does the UN consider this to be outside of that system of health inspections, and if so what can it say about the… given, across the street what the grades are? And also, not to say that the two are related, but what interface has there been with the city government on this bedbug issue and what update can you provide as to the tests that you said last week were being performed in various locations, some here, some out, including one that was supposedly going to be done and or may soon be done on the 2nd floor? So it’s the food issue, and then the bedbug issue.

Spokesperson Nesirky: Well, on the second, I don’t have an update, and let’s see if we can get one. I don’t have an update. But I do know, as you yourself have said, you’ve been in direct touch with the relevant people from Facilities Management Service. I am sure that if you wanted to, you could do the same again. But for the benefit of others, of course, and for you as well, we’ll see if there is an update. On the first part, health inspections, I would defer to my colleagues who liaise with the city authorities. I don’t know the answer to that.

Inner City Press: Should I follow up with them or can you [inaudible]?

Spokesperson Nesirky: As I said, I will see what we can find out.

[The Spokesperson later added that Aramark said that the cafeteria at United Nations Headquarters was not being inspected.]

Watch this site.

At EU, Delay of Sudan Referendum Predicted, Of Darfur & “Difficult” Kalma Turnover

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 15, updated -- With the scheduled Southern Sudan referendum a mere 55 days away, voter registration has only now begun. On the eve of a UN Security Council meeting on the topic, the European Union invited the Press to a discussion of its work in Sudan including Darfur, and then said it was under “Chatham House Rules,” with participants not to be identified by name.

The lead EU observer to another African election this year said 55 days was clearly not enough, that registration should begin many months before a vote. Answers admitted what several Security Council diplomats have been saying for some time, that the January 9 date is “not realistic” and that efforts are being made to convince the South not to hold its own referendum.

Inner City Press asked if the EU agrees with the new United States position, that a referendum in Abyei is not necessary as long as Khartoum and Juba agree on some other disposition. The answer was that no such agreement is in the offing, not even close, and that this is an issue that Omar al Bashir and Salva Kiir will discuss directly.

A human rights organization's representative asked if the EU would be avoiding any meeting with Bashir or another International Criminal Court indictee, Ahmed Haroon. Here the answer was cagier: the EU “Mission will be aware” of the issue.

It was recounted that UN envoy Haile Menkerios has estimated 5.5 million eligible voters, 4.5 million of them in the South. So the rest are in North Sudan and the eight countries in which diaspora polling will be held. But what about the earlier census of Southerns in the North? And the provision that if 60% of those registered do not vote, the referendum is invalid?

Earlier on November 15, Inner City Press asked the UN's Valerie Amos about a directive by UN Humanitarian Coordinator Georg Charpentier banning all non essential Darfur travel until February. Ms. Amos said this was so that UN staff did not leave Darfur, while other sources say it concerns limiting travel within Darfur. At the EU meeting, it was said there was no access to Jebel Marra in Darfur for seven months, and that things are getting worse. That's not been the UN's message.

Ms. Amos also played down her quote that she hoped there was not fear, that kept internally displaced people in the Al Salam IDP camp from meeting with her. She said that was only a hope, that the cancellation of the meeting had to do with IDPs not agreeing who would come, and say what.

For Tuesday's Security Council meeting, it was finally said that the Sudanese foreign ministry has been invited, but might not come. The Southern Sudanese representative, the Secretary General of the SPLM, is in New York, already meeting with Council members. Thabo Mbeki may appear by video, but perhaps only in the closed door consultations. And Menkerios? And Ibrahim Gambari? [see update below.]

Inner City Press asked for the EU position on Gambari's move to turn over five sheikhs from Kalma Camp to the al Bashir government. The answer was with minors now sentenced to death, the issue is “very difficult.” How could such a turn over be consistent with humanitarian or UN principles? Watch this site.

Update of 4:30 pm, Nov 15: Inner City Press is reliably advised that Thabo Mbeki will brief the open meeting by video, and that Messrs. Gambari and Menkerios will briefing the closed door consultations, also be video. But will Sudan's Ali Karti come?