By Matthew Russell Lee, News analysis
UNITED NATIONS, June 19 -- As Libyan rebels deny negotiating with Gaddafi, on June 18 UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's office issued a statement that “the beginnings of a negotiation process are now underway under the auspices of [Ban's] Special Envoy to Libya, Mr. Abdul-Elah Al-Khatib.”
Khatib, who notably did not attend or engage with the African Union ministerial delegation to the UN in New York last week, has been allowed by Ban to continue as a paid Jordanian senator. Inner City Press has repeatedly asked Ban's spokesperson how this double-service for the UN and Jordan complies with the letter and spirit of UN rules.
While Ban's lead spokesperson Martin Nesirky took to saying that Khatib's contract with the UN was still being formalized, a US diplomat on background assured Inner City Press weeks ago that it would all soon be normalized.
But nothing has been said by Ban's office. The Obama administration has nevertheless reflexively quickly supported Ban's campaign, announced June 6, for a second five year term as Secretary General.
As Inner City Press reported, Khatib after Ban hurriedly hired him refused to give up or suspend his political work and business in Jordan. Inner City Press asked Khatib on camera about protests and democracy in Jordan itself, and Khatib minimized the protests. Since then, with the King's convoy stoned by protesters, media that reported it were cracked down on.
Ban's office has dodged even specifying which exemptions or special powers they may be invoking to be declaring as a UN Under Secretary General and staff member a sitting politician.
Similarly, when asked throughout last week what safeguards will be imposed on the lobbying of Ban by his son in law Siddarth Chatterjee now that he's confirmed as hired as “Chief Diplomatic Officer” of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Nesirky has simply said there are rules and we'll comply with them.
What rules? How can the UN preach rule of law when it would even describe it own processes with regard to lobbying of the UN by members of the Secretary General's immediate family and double service for the UN fraught with conflicts of interest? Watch this site.