By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive
UNITED NATIONS, May 16 -- After Kenya wrote a second time to the UN Security Council about the International Criminal Court cases against President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto, another lengthy Council closed-door consultation took place on Thursday, May 16.
Inner City Press has learned from sources inside the meeting that this time, Kenya's request to address the Council in an "informal interactive" dialogue is being granted. For now, it's scheduling will happen next Thursday, May 23.
The initial hurdle was whether Kenya's ambassador could meet and make his case only to a working group. Rwanda, whose Ambassador Eugene Richard Gasana led or initiative the push on this, said it would be insulting to refer a member state to a working group. A number of Council members supported this position, and now Kenya will be heard by the full Council.
Inner City Press' detailed reporting on the processing of Kenya's request and letters has led to some expressed discomfort in the Council; other reporting on the request relied on a single delegation or side making conclusory dismissals after the meeting was over: an unnamed "senior council diplomat, who spoke on the condition of anonymity" that the granting of even a deferral of prosecution for a year would be "unlikely."
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ICC hardliners France and Luxembourg, Inner City Press is informed, have tried to pre-empt the debate by saying that Kenya's request should be rejected. But now Kenya's Permanent Representative Kamau Macharia will be heard by the full Council.
