On E. Ukraine Voting, US Slams "Kremlin-Based Social Media," Merkel Mentioned But Not French Mistral Warship Sale to Russia

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 10 -- On the eve of the planned referendums in Eastern Ukraine, two days after the IMF wouldn't say it was concerned about them, the US State Department issued this:

As the United States has said, the referenda being planned for May 11 in portions of eastern Ukraine by armed separatist groups are illegal under Ukrainian law and are an attempt to create further division and disorder. If these referenda go forward, they will violate international law and the territorial integrity of Ukraine. The United States will not recognize the results of these illegal referenda.

In addition, we are disappointed that the Russian government has not used its influence to forestall these referenda since President Putin’s suggestion on May 7 that they be postponed, when he also claimed that Russian forces were pulling back from the Ukrainian border.

Unfortunately, we still see no Russian military movement away from the border, and today Kremlin-backed social media and news stations encouraged residents of eastern Ukraine to vote tomorrow, one even offering instructions for polling stations in Moscow. Russian state media also continue to strongly back the referenda with no mention of Putin’s call for postponement.

The focus of the international community must now be on supporting the Ukrainian government’s consistent efforts to hold a presidential election on May 25. International observers note that preparations for these elections are proceeding apace and in accordance with international standards, which will allow all Ukrainian people a voice in the future of their country. According to recent independent polls, a substantial majority of Ukrainians intend to vote on May 25. Any efforts to disrupt this democratic process will be seen clearly for what they are, attempts to deny the rights of Ukraine’s citizens to express their political will freely.

As President Obama and Chancellor Merkel stated on May 2, the Russian leadership must know that if it continues to destabilize eastern Ukraine and disrupt this month’s presidential election, we will move quickly to impose greater costs on Russia.

The Russian government can still choose to implement its Geneva commitments, as well as follow through on President Putin’s statement of May 7. We call on them to do so.

  While citing Germany's Merkel, the State Department spokesperson's statement doesn't mention she met May 10 with France's Francois Hollande, who re-affirmed his country's sale of Mistral warships to Russia, click here for that.

  But is the International Monetary Fund, given its new program with Ukraine, concerned about the referendums still slated to go forward this Sunday, May 11?

  IMF spokesperson Gerry Rice at the Fund's embargoed May 8 press briefing resisted using the word “concern,” saying that he wouldn't speculate. Asked if the more than $3 billion already disbursed might be used for military purposes, or to re-pay Russia, Rice said it was for budget support, to stabilize public finances and for budget deficit.

But many have said the IMF position that if Kyiv further loses control of the East the program would have to be revised creates an incentive to use force. Not surprisingly, Rice did not agree with this. But the incentives remain that way.

Rice was asked to state what the IMF's interest rate for Ukraine is, but didn't, saying it is a matter of public record.

Inner City Press submitted five questions two of which, on Bosnia and Ghana, were answered at the briefing and will be separately reported. Watch this site.

   

SG Race I: In Crimea Impact On Race For Next UNSG, Bokova Said Down, Of Kubis, Clark & Turk, Merkel Lurking?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, April 1 -- Will the tensions around Crimea impact who will replace Ban Ki-moon as UN Secretary General? The regional group next in line is Eastern Europe, in which many countries have spoken and voted recently against Russia which along with the US, China, France and the UK has veto rights over the next Secretary General.

This makes selection of a candidate from, say, Lithuania, Latvia or Estonia unlikely. But what about Bulgaria, for example, UNESCO's Irina Bokova or the EU's Kristalina Georgieva? 

  Several diplomats have told Inner City Press Bokova's selection is less likely that it had seemed. They named two others - notably both men despite calls at the UN for a female SG - Danilo Turk and Jan Kubis, currently Ban's envoy in Afghanistan.

  Another theory has been proffered: that events in Crimea and Ukraine may bolster arguments by "Western" Europe that the Eastern European Group is an anachronism and that therefore ANY European could be chosen. Would Jan Eliasson be seeking, like Joe Biden, to move up? Or the lurking Staffan de Mistura?

  A long shot name was floated to Inner City Press on April 1: Angela Merkel, "pulling a Bill Clinton," as one put it. Or what Bill Clinton was said to want to have pulled, despite being from a Permanent Five country. 

  But, the logic went, even if Merkel wanted the job - a big "if" - it might be unlikely that the Permanent Five would want so strong a Secretary General.

  Further east, there's Helen Clark already campaigning, and Kevin Rudd always on the hunt. Inner City Press suggests watching how each of these speak about Crimea and Russia from now on. Watch this site.

Footnote: While it's the P5 who rule, the Free UN Coalition for Access suggest that accessibility to the media, and fairness in taking questions not only from one side of an issue, should be criteria too: for now, for Under Secretaries General, given current failures, but later for the next SG as well. Watch this site.

   

John Kerry Claims Qatar and Saudi Work for Moderation in Syria, Cites Poland Support for Bombing, Ban Ki-moon at G20

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 6 -- Selling US military action on Syria, Secretary of State John Kerry told MSNBC's Chris Hayes that Saudi Arabia and Qatar are involved in training armed groups in Syria to be more moderate. Kerry said:

"there’s a very careful vetting process that’s taking place where people have to come out of Syria and they spend a period of time. They are trained appropriately after being vetted, and then they go back in. And the Turks, the Jordanians, the Qataris, the Saudis, the Emiratis, a lot of people are involved in that process."

  This description of Saudi and Qatari involvement in Syria seems partial, to say the least. Kerry went on to name, as supporters of military action on Syria, this same grouping along with France and one other country: Poland.

Observers of how the US works in the United Nations now expect the US to strong arm micro-states to come out in support.

  Meanwhile at the G20 in St. Petersburg, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon met with and issued read-outs about Turkey's Ergogan, Germany's Merkel and France's Francois Hollande (and foreign minister Laurent Fabius).

  Two attendees were listed for France, as Ban brought along envoy Lakhdar Brahimi to the meeting with the French (but not Germany or Turkey). With Erdogan Ban discussed not only Syria but also Cyprus. But with France, there was no mention of Mali, or the Central African Republic, or the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

  In terms of the training that Kerry claimed for Syrian rebels, it's worth noting as Inner City Press did months ago that the DRC's 391st Battalion, implicated in 135 rapes in Minova in November 2012 and in corpse desecration more recently, was trained by the US. 

  Click here to view the US Mission to the UN's response to Inner City Press about the DRC 391st Battalion. We publish responses -- when we get them. While not answered or allowed at the UN on September 5, will US Ambassador Samantha Power address, in DC at the Center for American Progress later today, why not wait for the UN report? Watch this site.