UN Silent for 2 Days on 2-Child Policy for Rohingya, Nambiar on "Cordial" Kachin Talks, UN Women Odds

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 30 -- Imposing a two child policy on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar's Rakhine State seems like something of which the UN would be immediately suspect and critical.

But not this UN, apparently. Two days after Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's deputy spokesperson Eduardo Del Buey if Ban or his Myanmar "Good Offices" envoy Vijay Nambiar had any comment on the policy, still there is none. There is, however, a statement about Nambiar's presence at and view of the government's Kachin talks.

On May 28 Inner City Press asked:

Inner City Press: In Myanmar, there are these talks between the Government and the Kachin rebels, it is said that Vijay Nambiar was part of it. But it wasn’t clear what his role was. There are some reports that the UN [in] Yangon wouldn’t say it. What is his role, and also, does the UN have any comment on the announced two-child policy in Rakhine State for Rohingya Muslims?

Deputy Spokesperson: We’ve seen the reports of the announcement of two or two-child policy in Rakhine State.When we have something for you, we will get it to you. And Vijay Nambiar travelled to the country over the weekend, we will update you on what he is doing as soon as we get that information.

Two days later, nothing on the outrageous two-child policy. What is the UN coming to? But there's this, on or from Nambiar (who when in New York remains one of the few Department of Political Affairs affiliated people still based in the emptying North Lawn Building) --

Subject: Your question on Vijay Nambiar.
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com

The Secretary-General’s Special Adviser for Myanmar, Vijay Nambiar, is attending the peace talks that began yesterday. This is the first time that such talks have taken place inside the country between the Government negotiators and Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO). The request for the presence of the UN as an observer was made by the KIO and was agreed to by the Government. The Special Adviser reports that the talks started on a cordial note, with both sides stressing their commitment to achieving peace and reconciliation in Kachin.

  There's buzz around the UN wondering what the relation might be between Nambiar and India possibly getting, on a non-interim basis, the top post at UN Women. Or will it goFinnish? Watch this site.

At UN, Halonen Contradicts Rudd on Frequency of Sustainability Meetings, Less Press Access Under Ban Ki-moon?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 19 -- Finnish president Tarja Halonen predicted more UN Panel of Global Sustainability meetings than Australian foreign minister Kevin Rudd had, when he was accused of two timing by the Press.

In the first media stakeout of this heavy UN week, Inner City Press asked President Halonen how the panel she co-chairs with the absent Jacob Zuma will accomplish much, if it only meets three times in the next two years, as Kevin Rudd described it.

President Halonen responded that there should be a meeting this Fall in New York, another next Spring, and more after that -- that is, more than Rudd had said. She acknowledged her co-chair's absence but said the panel members are committed.

Only two questions were taken, both directed at Halonen, during which UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stood seeming uncomfortable. “I will see you later,” he told the Press after the two questions, referring to his upcoming stakeout after a meeting on Pakistan to which Richard Holbrooke and others were seen streaming at 5 pm.

For today, Sunday, reporters are allowed to roam on the second floor of the UN's Temporary North Lawn Building. But starting tomorrow, journalists will largely be confined to a media room on the first floor, with only twenty “free range” passes to share amongst them.

What in previous years was a stakeout microphone in front of the General Assembly Hall is gone. Many have remarked that under Ban Ki-moon, there is less and less press access. But will the member states notice and complain? Watch this site.

Finland Will Not Vote Against Serbia's Kosovo Resolution, Bolivian Silence and Italian Vacillation

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/icj2serbia092308.html

UNITED NATIONS, September 23 -- "If Kosovo was not quite perfect," Finnish President Tarja Halonen told Inner City Press on Tuesday at the UN, "then the Georgia situations, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, are much less perfect." Inner City Press had asked for Finland's position on Serbia's resolution to get the General Assembly to ask the International Court of Justice for an advisory opinion on the legality of Kosovo's independence. After Ms. Halonen said "we support the court," Finland's foreign minister Alexander Stubb made clear what that means. "Finland will not vote against" the Serbian resolution, he said. "If the EU is to have a unified position, it can only be to abstain." Video here, from 21:32.

This principled stand is contrasted to that of France, which while holding the EU Presidency has said that Serbia's request causes "turbulence," and also of Italy. Inner City Press on September 23 asked Italian foreign minister Franco Frattini for his country's position. He said that while he "personally" would prefer to abstain, Italy will follow whatever the EU does. Video here.

Frattini gave the same answer on how Italy will vote if asked to suspect the International Criminal Court proceeding against Sudan's Al-Bashir. To some, this seems to be an argument for having only one veto-wielding seat on the Security Council for the European Union.

Inner City Press also asked embattled Bolivian president Evo Morales about his country's position on South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the independence of which Nicaragua has recognized. Morales gave a long answer about throwing out the U.S. Ambassador, but did not answer on breakaway republics, perhaps for obvious reasons: he has breakaway provinces of his own.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/icj2serbia092308.html