By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, June 5, more here -- Within the French diplomatic service, Jacques Audibert was to come to New York in July to belatedly replace Gerard Araud as Ambassador.
Then it was not to be: Audibert is leaving his Quay d'Orsay post, including on the Iran P5+1, to become Francois Hollande's “G7 and G8 sherpa.” This will leave Araud in place, at least for now.
And for the P5+1 post, who did France choose? None other than Nicolas de Riviere, or Flippy Nic, previously at the UN. h/t LRozen.
Nic was, like Herve Ladsous before him, a French Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN. Then in 2012 he served -- rudely, South Asian said -- on Ban Ki-moon's Senior Advisory Group on Peacekeeping Operations, with controversial Sri Lankan military figure Shavendra Silva.
Flippy Nic was France's Deputy before Martin Briens, who was deputy before Alexis Lamek. Holding over all this time is Gerard Araud.
Sycophants, those who have watched but said nothing asLadsous and then Araud as an echo started refusing particular journalists' questions, are sure to find or re-find a friend in Flippy Nic.
Flippy was actually significantly more decent that Araud, in his time at the UN. There are others at the French mission who seem different than Araud, but who go along, controlling the what are ostensibly the UN's microphones, wincing. And wince they should.
Flippy was actually significantly more decent that Araud, in his time at the UN. There are others at the French mission who seem different than Araud, but who go along, controlling the what are ostensibly the UN's microphones, wincing. And wince they should.
On April 15, Araud used the UN Press Briefing Room to tell a Lebanese correspondent with whom he disagrees, “You are not a journalist, you are an agent.” The old UN Correspondents Association, atuned to Araud's granting or withholding of access, has “dragged its feet” in providing any push-back, according to the correspondent.
Since December when he was asked for France to be transparent about how much it is charging the UN under a “Letter of Assist” for air field services in northern Mali, Araud has resisted Press questions. He threatened to sue about an article using an NYPD document on which his mission had been asked to comment in advance, but chose instead to try to intimidate against publication by saying it would be a “hostile act” and access would cease.
In April, Araud got combative in essentially denying what other Security Council members confirm has been French policy on Western Sahara; then he declared a publicized ($20) question and answer session to be entirely off the record.
So what will Araud remaining at the UN mean? There's more here. Watch this site.
Footnote: For the upcoming G7 (not G8) in Paris, Hollande is slated to dine with US President Barack Obama on June 5 -- and, as pointed out, to also dine with Putin. US Ben Rhodes hastened to say there will be no “trilateral” dinner, maybe Hollande dines more than once. We'll see.
