UN Credentials for Cote d'Ivoire Diplomat Stalled by Russia, “No Instructions”

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, December 22 -- While UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday asked the General Assembly's committee on credentials to quickly vote to replace Laurent Gbagbo's Permanent Representative to the UN Djedje with a former Gbagbo diplomat now recommended by Ouattara, the committee was deadlocked Wednesday morning.

African sources on the Credentials Committee tell Inner City Press that Russia opposed the diplomatic switch pushed by Ban Ki-moon, just as Russia questioned for days a proposed Security Council Press Statement on the Ouattara - Gbagbo electoral contest.

In the Council, Russia argued that Ban Ki-moon's envoy Choi Young-jin had overstepped his authority by certifying Ouattara as the winner, rather than certifying the electoral process.

Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon's acting Deputy Spokesman Farhaq Haq, after the failed Wednesday morning meeting, to comment on it. Haq acknowledged the morning meeting, but said that the Credentials Committee will meet again in the afternoon.

While the Russian Mission to the UN has not spoken on the matter, Inner City Press is told that in Committee they repeatedly said they had “no instructions.”

A source on the Committee tells Inner City Press that while things are “always” by consensus, it is possible that a vote will be called, or “forced” in the afternoon meeting. Watch this site.

Update of 1:58 pm -- Russia raised in the Security Council that the question of Cote d'Ivoire's Perm Rep is a political question that belongs in the Council, Inner City Press is told. Also that there may be a December 23 Security Council meeting on Cote d'Ivoire.

As UN Seeks to Decertify Gbagbo Diplomat, Le Roy Reconfirms Mercenaries

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 21 -- After Cote d'Ivoire's UN Ambassador was targeted in a General Assembly speech by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, top UN Peacekeeper Alain Le Roy again told Inner City Press that Laurent Gbagbo is using mercenaries, and the ports of Abidjan have been blockaded.

Inner City Press asked Le Roy if the UN is asking other member states, like Nigeria or others in ECOWAS, to help break the blockade, as Ban implied. Le Roy said there is a Friday meeting of ECOWAS at which response will be decided.

Both Ban and Le Roy spoke about state media preaching hate and attacking on UN peacekeepers. Inner City Press asked if the UN would move to shut down the radio, as some in the UN say should have been done in Rwanda in 1994. Le Roy answered by contrasting a speech by Gbagbo ostensibly calling for peace with what the media is doing.

Inner City Press asked Le Roy to confirm that UN Peacekeepers have shot and killed at least one Ivorian. He said only that they had responded appropriately, but that there are more threats.

It was Le Roy's second confirmation to Inner City Press of Gbagbo's use of mercenaries. After the first one, still Ban's acting Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Tuesday at noon that it had NOT been confirmed. Video here.

But Le Roy confirmed it again four hours later. Why did Haq deny it?

In the hall of the UN's North Lawn building, Sudan's Permanent Representative greeted Ban and his chief of staff Vijay Nambiar, and then the Ambassador of Nigeria and ECOWAS, and Le Roy. At the stakeout, Inner City Press asked Le Roy about Sudan's destruction of IDP camps in Darfur. We are aware of that, Le Roy said. UNAMID is on the scene. We'll see.

Footnote: Inner City Press interviewed Cote d'Ivoire's Deputy Permanent Representative both before and after Ban's speech. Before, when Inner City Press asked if he would speak, he said “nous ne sommes pas mandate.” Afterward he said Ban's speech was only about the Permanent Reprentative Djedje, and that the new Ouattara Perm Rep Mr. Joseph Yousoufou Bamba previously represented Gbagbo: “He's a career civil servant.” Oh, diplomacy.

In Africa, Russia Says It's Back, Gbagbo Bristles At France's Blast from Past

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/africa1back072509.html

UNITED NATIONS, July 25 -- This week at the UN showed that in Africa, it is back to the future. The representative of Cote d'Ivoire Alcide Djedje, in front of the Security Council, told the Press about "unacceptable" comments by France. Video here.

Off camera, Ivorian sources told Inner City Press that French president Nicolas Sarkozy not only spoke of "cleaning up" Abdijan, but had complained to Ban Ki-moon during their meeting in New York that Laurent Gbagbo "is not worth of confidence." Which even the sources acknowledged may well be true -- but colonial power France is not the one to say it.

On July 24, Russia sent to the Security Council its president's representative to Sudan, Mikhail Margelov, who blusteringly briefed Russian journalists at a table beside the stakeout. Afterward, a long time correspondent explained to Inner City Press the headline Moscow wanted: in Africa, Russia is back. The theory is that during the USSR days, Russia had a lot of projects there, and upper crust Africans were educated in Russia. Now they aim to recapitalize on those connections, as natural resources run short. Back to the future, indeed....

Inside the Security Council on July 24, Sudan's Deputy Permanent Representative took a shot at France, for harboring in Paris Darfur rebels who, in his telling, refuse to join the peace process and favor only the armed struggle.

After the Council session, top UN peacekeeper Alain Le Roy rushed by the stakeout with an aide. Inside, he had spoke of armored personnel carriers stuck in Port Sudan. But when Inner City Press called out about the long stalled Nepali APCs, Le Roy's aide said the problem has been solved. We'll see -- watch this site.

Footnote: Two days after the UN refused in response to Inner City Press' question to confirm they were giving the Darfur force commander job to Rwandan Lt. General Patrick Nyanvumba, on Friday they announced it. Back on July 22:

Inner City Press: Can you confirm that the Rwandan Lieutenant General Patrick Nyamvumba has been appointed to replace Mr. Agwai in Darfur?

Deputy Spokesperson Marie Okabe: Well, if we have an appointment generally it’s announced, it’s sent to the Security Council. So if it’s not out yet, we don’t have an announcement yet.

Inner City Press: it’s reported in the Kenyan press quoting Rwandan officials…

Deputy Spokesperson Okabe: Well, the Secretary-General, when he appoints a Force Commander, writes about his intention to appoint someone like that to the Security Council. As far as I know, that letter has not gone yet.

The letter, it's reported, was dated July 16. The UN Spokesperson's Office seems to be the last to know. Including about questions, publicly raised, about Nyamvumba....

And see, www.innercitypress.com/africa1back072509.html