by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
UN GATE, July 3 – The United Kingdom still has one of the five permanent seats on the UN Security Council, for whatever reason, and every fifteen months it has the Presidency of the Council.
This year July is its turn and on June 30, Inner City Press which covers the UN closely wrote to the UK Mission to the UN requesting access to Ambassador Barbara Woodward's July 3 press conference about the UK's "Program of Work" for the UNSC's month.
Three days later, no response at all.
This despite the UK's many claims to support freedom of the press, due process and an openness of the UN, and of itself, to critical coverage. Can you say, hypocrisy?
Here is what Inner City Press sent to the UK mission, to its spokesperson Mungo Woodifield, Jaclyn Licht, Isabella Olex and directly to Barbara Woodward:
"This is a timely request that you allow Inner City Press to enter and cover, and/or provide the WebEx pass code(s) to access your UNSC Presidency press briefing by Ambassador Woodward on June 3, 2023. I have questions to ask on what you will do this month about the conflicts in Sudan, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Yemen and Libya - and on ongoing cases of sexual abuse and exploitation by UN peacekeepers on many of which Inner City Press first reported - Inner City Press is asking to be provided with access to your UK mission's stakeouts and press conferences this month as UNSC President.
Given your stated focus on the rule of law, you should ensure due process (and access) for Press covering the UN.
I have applied to enter and cover UNGA 2023 - and ask that you ensure the application is approved, as it is for 100s or 1000s of others, mostly state media, many of non-free countries. My application letter is here, for your Mission's reference.
Please note that Inner City Press and I participate in the WebEx briefings of, for example, the IMF on March 31, 2022 and Oct 19, 2022 and since, with new IMF spokesperson March 23, 2023: International Monetary Fund transcript Q&A on Tunisia: "Ms. Kozack: "I now have a question from Matthew Lee. Matthew, good morning over to you. Inner City Press: I wanted to ask about Tunisia. Yesterday in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Secretary Blinken commented," Please immediately confirm receipt, and provide the passcode or state why not."
Three days, no response at all. We will be reporting on any, and all, including the July 3 press conference at 1 pm. Watch this site.
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