UN Peacekeeping Cuts Defended by Ladsous, G77 Counters, SAG Said $1762

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 30 -- Two years after fair pay for developing world soldiers who serve the UN was discussed in Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's Senior Advisory Group on Peacekeeping Operations, arriving at a figure of $1762 a month, a very low ball offer was made on June 27: $1250.

  Defending this dissing of peacekeepers was none other than UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous, the fourth Frenchman in a row atop DPKO. He spun about cutting costs in Darfur, where he's accused of covering-up, and in Haiti where he previously supported the ouster of Aristide.

  This is the probably with ceding UN Peacekeeping to France, a "partner" which wants to underpay peacekeepers: the official who is supposed to advocate for peacekeepers actually sells them out.

 
  But much to the group of the Group of 77, there is a fight back afoot. Inner City Press is told by sources that based on a proposal by Brazil and Cuba, strongly supported by Nigeria and South Africa, the low-ball numbers are not being accepted. We are following this.

 On June 30, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric about it:

Spokesman Stephane Dujarric: Matthew?

Inner City Press: Sure, I want to ask about troop reimbursement and also this Sunday press encounter.  the Secretary-General had a Senior Advisory Group on Peacekeeping Operations, which suggest… which proposed that peacekeepers get $1,700 a month.  There was a survey done.  And now, it seems like it’s come down to a deadline, in which rather than $1,700, the donor countries are offering $1,250.  And I wanted to know, since it was the Secretary-General’s own Senior Advisory Group on Peacekeeping, did he think that Group is credible?  Did he think the $1,700 number is a reasonable one?  And does he think that $1,250 is sufficient for peacekeepers?

Spokesman Dujarric:  I think, you know, those numbers… the work of the Senior Advisory Group came up with what it came up with.  These discussions now are deep in the heart of the Fifth Committee, being discussed amongst Member States, and I think that’s where I will leave it for the time being.

  Ah, leadership. On the evening on June 30 UN Peacekeeping's Herve Ladsous, who refuses to answer Press questions, dissembled behind closed doors to the Fifth Committee, as several representatives told Inner City Press.

  Ladsous pontificated about his visit to Haiti - and said he would further cut back the mission in Darfur, where his UN Peacekeeping is already accused of covering up killings.  "He's gotta go," one representative said, and others agreed. But this is the UN.

    

UN Peacekeeping's Herve Ladsous Spins of Cutting Darfur Mission, Where He Is Accused of More Cover-Ups: Showdown

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 30 -- Two years after fair pay for developing world soldiers who serve the UN was discussed in Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's Senior Advisory Group on Peacekeeping Operations, a low ball offer was made on June 27.

  Several Group of 77 Permanent Representatives told Inner City Press on June 27 that "the money countries" or "the partners" had again balked at the recommendation of a long overdue raise to $1,700 a month and came back with a slightly increased counter-offer: $1,250.

 On June 30, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric about it:

Spokesman Stephane Dujarric: Matthew?

Inner City Press: Sure, I want to ask about troop reimbursement and also this Sunday press encounter.  the Secretary-General had a Senior Advisory Group on Peacekeeping Operations, which suggest… which proposed that peacekeepers get $1,700 a month.  There was a survey done.  And now, it seems like it’s come down to a deadline, in which rather than $1,700, the donor countries are offering $1,250.  And I wanted to know, since it was the Secretary-General’s own Senior Advisory Group on Peacekeeping, did he think that Group is credible?  Did he think the $1,700 number is a reasonable one?  And does he think that $1,250 is sufficient for peacekeepers?

Spokesman Dujarric:  I think, you know, those numbers… the work of the Senior Advisory Group came up with what it came up with.  These discussions now are deep in the heart of the Fifth Committee, being discussed amongst Member States, and I think that’s where I will leave it for the time being.

  Ah, leadership. On the evening on June 30 UN Peacekeeping's Herve Ladsous, who refuses to answer Press questions, dissembled behind closed doors to the Fifth Committee, as several representatives told Inner City Press.

  Ladsous pontificated about his visit to Haiti - and said he would further cut back the mission in Darfur, where his UN Peacekeeping is already accused of covering up killings.  "He's gotta go," one representative said, and others agreed. But this is the UN.

  An African Deputy Permanent Representative asked Inner City Press, "How can Obama come up with $500 million for Syria rebels, but can't pay UN peacekeepers properly? Does he want peace, or more war?"

 Earlier, the inclusion of Sri Lankan general Shavendra Silva, whose Division 58 is depicted engaged in war crimes in Ban's own report, made the SAG otherwise newsworthy.

  While the UN and its UN Censorship Alliance (UNCA)hindered Inner City Press' ability to cover the SAG meetings, on May 22, 2012 after a two hour stakeout in front of the Teachers Building on Third Avenue Inner City Press was able to report that

"one Asian Group representative urged Inner City Press to 'stop' Silva and not let him come in. On the other hand... Ban has refused to speak out about having an alleged war criminal as an adviser. More recently, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman what if anything was ever done on the petition to Ban about disappeared Sri Lankan journalist Prageeth. The question has yet to be answered, as has another Inner City Press question about the UN system's own finding that the Sri Lankan Army used cluster bombs in the 2009 conflict which killed 40,000 civilians."

  The next day, after conducting more interviews, Inner City Press reported that "one South Asian representative in attendance told Inner City Press that 'France is the worst, in trying to cut the pay. 

  We told them, fine, then don't keep creating new missions. Two of my country's peacekeepers died in Ivory Coast, carrying out French foreign policy.'"

  Yet another attendee concurred, saying the most insulting speaker in the Silva-less (for now) SAG now is "that new French guy with the long hair." But who was that?

  Inner City Press found out: Nicolas de Riviere, who like current Ban DPKO Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous was a former Deputy Permanent Representative of France to the UN, serving under Permanent Representative Gerard Araud(who now is belatedly out at the UN, to be replaced by Francois Delattre on July 15.)

  "Flippy Nic" or "Helmet" as some called him because of the hair, turned out to be cheap with peacekeepers, and insulting to boot. 

 Now in 2014, he has come to represent France at the P5+1 negotiations with Iran, next week in Vienna.

  And so the question arose, who did Nicolas de Riviere replace, in order to be "new"? While the SAG was shrouded in mystery, without having its own spokesperson (while Ban's spokespeople and DPKO's Herve Ladsous' then spokesperson Kieran Dwyer are unwilling to answer questions about it), one of the few members initially listed was Jean Marie Guehenno, who in an unbroken line of Frenchman had headed DPKO before Alain Le Roy, who was replaced not by Jerome Bonnafont but instead, as second choice, Ladsous.

  So at the UN noon briefing of May 30, 2012 Inner City Press asked Ban's Deputy spokesman:

Inner City Press: Mr. Guehenno, I know that before he took this post as one of the two deputies of Kofi Annan on Syria, he was on the senior advisory group on peacekeeping operations, and it’s part of the press release, it’s a little unclear the full membership, but I wanted to know, is he still on the senior advisory group on peacekeeping operations with this controversy about the Sri Lankan general? Was Mr. Guéhenno representing France or the Secretary-General and the United Nations?

Deputy Spokesperson Eduardo Del Buey: Well, we will have to find out about that, Matthew, I don’t have that information with me. Okay, thank you very much.

  On the evening on May 30, 2012, having heard nothing back, by phone, e-mail or in person, Inner City Press included in a story about Azerbaijan's end of Security Council presidency reception:

"Recently Inner City Press quoted a "South Asian representative" about how cheap France is being in the Senior Advisory Group on Peacekeeping Operations. There was much guessing who had dare say que l'empereur does not have clothes. Inner City Press has asked Ban Ki-moon's Office of the Spokesman a question about this and will be writing soon."

  The Press story of France's statements in the SAG was discussed by some Ambassadors on the Security Council's West Africa trip, several with mirth but by its opposition by the French, whose Gerard Araud led the leg to former colony Cote d'Ivoire, without any presence by Araud's former deputy Flippy Nic.

   Still having heard nothing back, Inner City Press on June 5 asked Ban's main spokesman:

Inner City Press: I am not sure if I’d asked you or Eduardo, but I definitely want an answer to this, and I think you may have the answer. On that Senior Advisory Group on Peacekeeping Operations on which the Sri Lanka General, Shavendra Silva, serves, Mr. [Jean-Marie] Guéhenno was on it, I know he is no longer on it, that he has become the Deputy to Kofi Annan, but it was unclear to me, I thought he was the Secretary-General’s appointment to the board, and then I was told that he was France’s appointment. And so I asked about a week ago just very simply, who appointed him to the board, and I am still waiting, I would like to know, do you know?

Spokesperson Nesirky: Uh, well, you don’t need to wait much longer, and you didn’t need to wait so long either.

Inner City Press: Okay, great.

Spokesperson: Because it was added to the transcript that very same day that Mr. Jean-Marie Guéhenno was representing France.

Inner City Press: Why didn’t you send me an e-mail?

Spokesperson: You have it.

   And lo and behold, rather than contact Inner City Press with an answer, jammed into an online transcript was this: "[The Deputy Spokesperson later added that Mr. Guéhenno represented France.]"

So Guehenno was replaced by de Riviere, who has insulted developing world peacekeepers in a meeting that Ban's UN and Ladsous' DPKO try to hinder coverage of, to cover up the inclusion in the SAG of an alleged war criminal.

  And at the UN in 2014, transcripts gets even more doctored that before, click here.

In fact, Inner City Press put this question directly to Ladsous, on camera, but he refused to answer that or another question on cholera in Haiti, telling Inner City Press, "Well, Mister, I will start answering your questions when you stop insulting me and making malicious and insulting insinuations." The video, at Minute 28:10, is online on UN website, here.

Also on stage with Ladsous was Department of Field Support Assistant Secretary General and Officer in Charge Tony Banbury, who approached as Inner City Press was leaving the UN on June 5. "I hope I'll have another chance to ask you that question," Inner City Press told Banbury. Watch this site.

Footnote: In May 2012 Inner City Press reports on Sri Lanka, Silva and Ban Ki-moon's SAG had been getting Inner City Press into a lot of trouble, at the UN and in Sri Lankan government aligned media. And the UNCA board tried to get Inner City Press thrown out of the UN. But this reporting will continue.

As Hollande-Defended BNP Paribas Settles for $8.9 Billion, Its Guilty Sudan Knowledge Shown

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 30 -- On Iran earlier this month French foreign minister Fabius has said that Iran wants hundreds of thousands of centrifuges and that France is drawing the line there, copying itself from 2013.

   But how strange: Francois Hollande and Fabius defended BNP Paribas' violation of not only Sudan but also Iran sanctions, while loudly playing hardball. Playing is the operative word.  

  On June 30 as BNP settled for $8.8 billion but no jail time, the "Statement of Facts" released shows BNP's guilty knowledge: 

a “senior BNPP Paris compliance officer reminded other high-level BNPP compliance and legal employees that certain Sudanese banks with which BNPP dealt 'play a pivotal part in the support of the Sudanese government... A BNPP Paris executive with responsibilities for compliance across all BNPP branches warned in a memorandum that: 'In a context where the International Community puts pressure to bring an end to the dramatic situation in Darfur, no one would understand why BNP Paribas persists [in Sudan] which could be interpreted as supporting the leaders in place."

   So given Hollande's and Fabius' defenses of BNP, how should their pontification, on Sudan and other UN files, be interpreted?

   With the July 20 deadline to conclude the Iran nuclear talks looking more uncertain, how to compare France's hard-line position on Iran and sanctions violations now that Francois Hollande and Laurent Fabuis are actively defending sanctions violations, not only to Sudan but also Iran, by BNP Paribas? A new dynamic? Watch this site.

   

On UN Flying FDLR Leader in DRC, Martin Kobler & Stephane Dujarric Like Herve Ladsous Refuse to Answer

By Matthew Russell Lee, Follow up on Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, June 30 -- Four days ago, Inner City Press reported Rwanda complained to the UN Security Council that UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous and his MONUSCO mission flew FDLR leader Gaston Iyamuremye / Rumuli Michel on UN aircraft even as Ladsous' travel waiver request was denied.

  And so on June 27 Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric a simple factual question: did MONUSCO fly Rumuli around inside the DRC before any Security Council decision on Ladsous' request?

  This is a yes or no question, about the use of UN resources and money. But Dujarric did not answer it on June 27, and MONUSCO chief Martin Kobler did not answer it on June 28 or June 29.

  So on June 30 Inner City Press asked Dujarric again. He said, as he increasingly does, if he gets something on that, he'll pass it along. But that is UNacceptable. Did he even ASK Ladsous' UN Peacekeeping?

  Dujarric sat next to Ladsous on May 29 while Ladsous said,"You know I do not respond to you, Mister" - and said nothing. Video here. When asked later if this was acceptable in Ban's UN, he did not say no. There is more for we'll leave it here for now.

  It is undoubtedly newsworthy that the UN, or really France, chose to put at the helm of UN Peacekeeping in the Great Lakes a person who in 1994, in the Security Council, argued for the escape of genocidiares from Rwanda into Eastern Congo. Inner City Press story here; sample 1994 memo by Ladsous here.

  Ladsous' history has caused needless problems; when asked about it, rather than answering Ladsous has adopted a policy of refusing that and any related question.  Video compilation here.

  Now in the Congo Martin Kobler, who works for Ladsous, has not answered the simple question of flying Rumuli inside the DRC; instead MONUSCO tweets photos of Kobler singing in a choir in Kinshasa. Ladsous has turned the UN into a joke -- and it keeps getting worse.

  That the French government is in denial about its role in 1994 in the Rwanda genocide is one thing. But why aren't they told they have to appoint a chief of DPKO - a position they claim to own - without this pernicious baggage?

   A bare minimum: shouldn't this official at least have to answer questions?

   

Leaving South Sudan, Hilde Johnson Dodges on Cluster Bombs & Peter Gadet, Free Press Questions Remain

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 30 -- Hilde Johnson is leaving as UN envoy to South Sudan. On June 30 when Johnson gave her last UN press briefing on June 30, Inner City Press asked her who used cluster bombs in this stage of the conflict, and about having in 2012 told Inner City Press that militia leader Peter Gadet leading “disarmament” was OK. Gadet is now under US sanctions.

  Johnson dodged on the cluster bombs, that UN Peacekeeping's UNMAS had made a report “to New York” -- still confidential -- and that she couldn't go beyond what UNMAS has said publicly: nothing.

  UN Peacekeeping under Herve Ladsous routinely refuses Press questions and refuses to provide the most basic answers, such as about flying sanctioned FDLR leader Rumuli in the DR Congo. It seems to have spread to Hilde Johnson, even as she leaves.

  On Gadet, Johnson recounted that he was a militia leader brought in by Salva Kiir's “Big Tent” strategy, which she said was “unavoidable” and brought peace. Well, it didn't bring peace: was it unavoidable? Doesn't the UN usually pretend to speak for accountability? Or not any more, under Ladsous?

Inner City Press had hand raised to ask another question, about press freedom. But Ban Ki-moon's spokesman gave some media but not other a second round. For this reason, setting aside the first question to UNCA, in this case Pamela Falk, is UNacceptable. When all questions can't be asked, no one should automatically get the first question. Will it even be reported on? Watch this site.

   

UN Says Ban Ki-moon's Faux “Press Encounter” With Peres Managed by Israel, Softball with Scribes

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 30 -- When is a “press encounter” not a press encounter? When the UN claims that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon held one, but the press corps which covers the UN is not informed and is not present. 

  But those ostensibly speaking for the UN press corps make no complaint, instead bragging about Ban kicking a (soft) ball with them. This is UN decay, and what the Free UN Coalition for Access is challenging.

  On Sunday, June 29 Ban's spokesperson's office sent out a transcript of what it called Ban's “Remarks at Press Encounter with H.E. Mr. Shimon Peres, President of Israel.” What was sent out did not say when it had occurred, nor where, other than “New York.”

  No notice was sent out by the UN's Media Liaison and Accreditation Unit, nor by Spokesman Stephane Dujarric. When Dujarric was in charge of MALU,  FUNCA formally asked him to begin providing notice of Ban events even if held outside of the UN headquarters.

  On June 30, Inner City Press for FUNCA asked, where did the "press encounter" take place and why were the press not told? Dujarric said it was the Israeli mission which made the arrangements -- if true, that is abnormal, as the UN is supposed to announce to the media it accredits when Ban will be taking questions on UN relevant issues. 

  Dujarric bragged when he gave notice of Ban meeting New York City Mayor De Blasio - but gave no notice of the "press availability" regarding Israel's Peres. FUNCA says this is UNacceptable.

  The old UN Correspondents Association on the other hand, whose head Pamela Falk was present on June 30 if only to take the first set-aside question to Hilde Johnson on South Sudan, made no complaint.

  Instead, they are bragging about a "journalists and diplomats" game of football or soccer this week, even that Ban Ki-moon will be present at the kick-off.  Softballs, indeed.

  If Netherlands' Ambassador goes, he might want to answer about donor countries refusing to follow the recommendation of the UN Senior Advisory Group on Peacekeeping Operations that peacekeepers be paid $1700 a month, offering only $1250. This question wasn't answered - but ones about the World Cup were. When Inner City Press asked Dujarric on June 30, he wouldn't express any position on peacekeeper reimbursement either. To this is the UN coming -- softballs.

  The UNCA Executive Committee didn't even give their own members a transcript of Ban's spoonfed lunch quotes to them this year, on which they wrote (largely fawning) stories. 

  One of UNCA's dues-paying members was told by outgoing French Ambassador Gerard Araud, "You are not a journalist, you are an agent" -- and UNCA is still dragging its feet. Hey, that's no way to kick a ball.

  Of Ban's Peres remarks the coverage, in a style echoing state media, was by the UN's own UN News Centre, which ran a photograph by UN Photo and “reported” that Ban was “speaking at the beginning of a meeting with President Shimon Peres of Israel at the UN Headquarters in New York.”

  But the photo appears to show Ban's own residence, blocks away from UN Headquarters. It was on the door of Ban's UN-provided residence that legal papers in the first case against hisUN bringing cholera to Haiti were taped -- but the UN refused to confirm that.

  Last Friday June 20 Dujarric and his deputy Farhan Haq refused to answer Inner City Press' written request for confirmation or denial of the service on Ban of yet more Haiti cholera papers.

  And from June 26 to June 27 Dujarric would not even confirm receipt of Inner City Press' questions about UN Peacekeeping's Herve Ladsous flying the UN-sanctioned leader of the FDLR militia in a UN helicopter without any approval from the UN Security Council. 

  The Free UN Coalition for Access is opposing selective answering, failure to answer, and here, failure to notify.

So when IS a “press encounter” not a press encounter, but a scam? How long can this go on, and how much lower can they go? Watch this site.

   

After UN Backs Down on Human Rights Monitoring Mechanism in Western Sahara, Morocco Offers Analogies, and Pastries

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 30 -- With the UN having backed down on having in Western Sahara any human rights monitoring mechanism, Morocco's Mission to the UN on June 30 scheduled a seminar on “Regional Commissions of National Human Rights Council in Autonomous Regions.”

Inner City Press, which covered UN Peacekeeping under Herve Ladsous dropping the word “mechanism” from its most recent report, and the denials of outgoing French Ambassador Gerard Araud that he'd ever opposed rights monitoring -- belied by his own 2013 Q&A stakeout, here -- RSVPed for Morocco's event and appeared there before it began.

  It was at the “Convene by Sentry” facility at 730 Third Avenue on the 18th floor. There was smoked salmon and pastries, although due to Ramadan many of the Moroccan diplomats and journalist(s) there did not have any.

  Chairing the event, in French, was Marc Finaud of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, introducing presenters on Quebec, Italy, Mexico, the Philippines / Mindanao and Tanzania / Zanzibar. The idea clearly was, there is no need for human rights monitoring, Morocco's National Human Rights Commission can do it.

  From the Commission, Driss El Yazami was the first speaker, bragging about the visits of Ambassadors and Navi Pillay and saying that “even before a political solution” -- assumed to be autonomy and not independence -- the Commission has set up listening centers for women.

  Some questions: would this have been acceptable in South Sudan? In Kosovo? But the Q&A was not scheduled to take place until 12 pm, the same time at the UN's noon briefing. Watch this site.

   

A Week After Jarba's Syria Coalition Trashed Obama, Touts ISIS Fight in Deir al-Zor

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 29, more here -- Just a week ago Ahmad Jarba's Syrian Coalition criticized US President Obama. Coalition spokesman Louay Safi said he "regrets" Obama telling CBS  "he dismissed the idea that supplying US arms to moderate Syrian rebels would have toppled President Assad, calling it a 'fantasy.'"

  Safi said that "Obama's remarks are meant to cover up the inability of his administration to prevent the deterioration of the political and humanitarian situation in the Levant, and also to evade the growing criticism to his policies regarding the Syrian crisis."

  Now a week later, after the Obama administration on June 26 announced it is asking Congress for $500 million for the vetted opposition -- read, Jarba's Syrian Coalition and the Free Syrian Army, still said by the UN to recruit and use child soldiers -- the Coalition has put out a read-out of what Jarba told Kerry:

"In a June 27 meeting with Secretary of State John Kerry,  Syrian Opposition Coalition President Ahmad al-Jarba reiterated the Syrian Opposition’s commitment to establishing a strategic partnership with the United States in the fight against terrorism and the Assad regime’s enablers of extremism... The Free Syrian Army has established an operations center in the province of Deir al-Zor to combat ISIS terrorist forces... President Jarba said that Free Syrian Army leadership is prepared to cooperate with the United States and allies to defeat ISIS. In May, President Jarba presented President Obama and Pentagon officials a proposal to enhance FSA capacity as a means to prevent ISIS from further expanding in Syria and Iraq."

  Whether Saudi-backed Jarba has been effective in Syria is highly questionable. Now he's being touted as a solution in Iraq?

Back on June 22 Jarba's Safi said: "Had the Obama administration heeded the advice of the former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and his special envoy to Syria we would not have had the current situation in Syria or in the region as a whole.” 

  Is Robert Ford running for office?

  On the Iraq - Syria border, the day after UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon speechified on June 20 at the Asia Society that "Syria’s neighbors should enforce a firm prohibition on the use of their land borders and airspace for arms flows and smuggling into Syria," ISIS took over a major crossing at Qaim, 200 miles west of Baghdad.

  At the UN's noon briefing on June 20, after Ban's speech, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric:

Inner City Press: I didn’t see it in his speech, but it seems like at least a large part of the Iraqi border may be controlled by ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham) or ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant).  So, in terms of realism, does this mean now absent Government control, it’s just an open flow of weapons? Is there an acknowledgement by the UN that nothing can be done in terms of weapons?

Spokesman Dujarric:  Well, I think, you know, Member States, groups that have an influence all have a responsibility to stop the flow of arms.

 Surely ISIS is listening to Ban. The Syrian Coalition of Ahmad Jarba, meanwhile, praised the speech and called for "serious" weapons. Inner City Press asked Dujarric:

Inner City Press: the Syrian Coalition of Ahmed al-Jarba has put out a statement praising the speech and saying that:  “There should be serious weapons and training for moderate opposition forces.”  And I wanted to know, just to be clear, the Secretary-General is not in favour of that, thinks this is a bad call?

Spokesman:  I think the Secretary-General could not have been clearer when he’s speaking about an arms embargo and speaking for the halt of flow of arms into Syria.

 But how clear *is* Ban Ki-moon, when he meets with Jarba?

  Now it turns out that near the Asia Society Team Ban got served with legal papers about having brought cholera to Haiti. Dujarric's deputy Farhan Haq told some media -- refusing to answer the Press -- that Ban himself didn't get the papers. We'll have more on this -- and on the UN's pre-spinning of Ban's speech, reviewed here.

   How can Ban's UN be taken seriously on Syria or anything else while dodging service of legal papers for cholera in Haiti, and refusing to answer about it?

On the humanitarian front, Ban “appealed for an end to the sieges” and for “immediate unfettered humanitarian access across internal front lines and across borders.”

  Later on June 20, Dujarric's and Haq's office murkily released a UN report which tracks Ban's speech, which theUN's go-to wire service then said it had "obtained."

  A draft resolution on cross-border aid is still being negotiated in the Security Council. But on June 19, Australian ambassador Gary Quinlan told the Press there would be no vote last week. When there is, will that be news? Watch this site.