After UN's North Korea Resolution & Reaction, Quiet Committee Meeting

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 30 -- Eight days after the UN Security Council adopted a resolution about North Korea's missile launch, the 1718 or DPRK Sanctions Committee met in the UN's North Lawn building.

  The new chairperson of the committee, Luxembourg's Sylvie Lucas, emerged past 5 pm from the meeting room. She accepted the Press' invitation to provide a brief summary, as her predecessor Ambassador Cabral of Portugal used to do.

  She said the first part of the meeting was simply acclimating the five new members to the work of the Committee. The head of Panel of Experts, who recently met with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, made a presentation. Then, she said, the discussion was about the resolution and implementation.

   Inner City Press asked her if there had been any discussion of North Korea's statements after the resolution. No, she said. Hong Kong company? No. Missile launchers? No. 

  A gaggle representing, almost without exception, Japanese media hung on her every word, and thanked her afterward. This is an active or even omnipresent part of the press corps not treated well enough by the UN nor, it seems, its partners.

  Earlier on Wednesday, the Security Council's president for January Masood Khan of Pakistan answered a DPRK question by saying that the members of the Council have been monitoring the statements from Pyongyang.

   But apparently this monitoring is done country by country, or at least not in the sanctions committee. Anyway, it is a start. Watch this site.

From the US Mission to the UN's January 22  transcript:

Inner City Press: China had said it would only agree to a resolution that was, in its view, proportionate to this launch. Do you think that this response-they're claiming that it doesn't really-it's putting new names under existing sanctions but it's not really new sanctions. Is it a proportionate response?

Ambassador Rice: ...Clearly there are new sanctions in this resolution. By definition, any time additional entities or individuals or items are banned from action that they would otherwise not be banned from, that's a new sanction, by definition. So, we don't need to have a semantic debate and discussion here.

But this is also a resolution that built upon 1874 and 1718 and was a substantial tightening of the existing regime, which as you know is already a very robust sanctions regime. And we think the tightening of it and strict implementation of it, in and of itself, are very valuable steps. We worked quite closely and cooperatively, as I said, not only with China but other partners in the P5, and the Republic of Korea and Japan and other interested members of the Security Council to arrive at this outcome. We think it is a strong and credible outcome worthy of the collective effort we all invested in it. Thank you very much.

Summary from the January 22 stakeout of RoK PR Kim Sook:

Inner City Press: It seems the resolution was negotiated between the US and China.  What was South Korea's role in those negotiations?  Are you satisfied by the process?

Amb. Kim Sook: I appreciate the demonstration of solidarity in the security council in the process of negotiating the language of the resolution, and I especially appreciate the role that was played by the United States and China, but at the same time, this is the concerted effort of all the security council members.  So, we did what we did, and every member had played a positive role, I would say.  I'm not going to go into detail about that, but we did actually participate, and I think I contributed in a positive way.

UN's Syria Panel Chair Pinheiro Has No Info on Al-Nusra, Won't Say Funders Responsible

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 16 -- Human rights abused in and by Syria are denounced daily in the UN and elsewhere.

  But even the UN Security Council earlier this month condemned suicide bombings in Aleppo claimed by the anti-government Al-Nusra Front.

So one would expect the UN panel chaired by Paulo Pinheiro to have information and a position on Al-Nusra, and perhaps even its funders.

Inner City Press on October 16 asked Pinheiro about Al-Nusra, and Ansar al-Islam: is his panel collecting information on these groups? Does the "Responsibility" described in his panel's report extend to the funders of such groups? Video here, from Minute 28:22.

Pinheiro said no, "we don't have the specifics... we don't have the answer." On responsibility, he said it would be "very irresponsible" to answer that question. His fellow panelists Karen AbuZayd, formerly the head of UNRWA, did not choose to answer. Video here, from Minute 30.

Here's hoping that the two newly appointed panelists, Vitit Muntarbhorn and Carla del Ponte, can do a more serious job on this side of the panel's responsibility.

Footnote: At the end of the press conference, Pinheiro was asked if he had mentioned the International Criminal Court to the Security Council in last Friday's Arria formula meeting which Inner City Press covered in real-time. Pinheiro answered that it would have been rude.

But Permanent Representative Cabral of Portugal, which requested the meeting, afterward told Inner City Press that the ICC was raised by the panelists, with the admonition that of course a referral is up to the Security Council. Watch this site.

On Syria, Portugal Says ICC Cited in UNSC Arria Formula Meeting by Delegation, Another Delegation Dismissive

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

 

UNITED NATIONS, October 12 -- The was a meeting on Syria of UN Security Council diplomats on Friday morning, but it was low profile and many of the Council member's Permanent Representatives either didn't come or left early. As Inner City reported, the sign outside North Lawn Conference Room 6 referred only to a closed Arria formula meeting; no mention of Syria.

   Afterward Inner City Press asked Permanent Representative Cabral of Portugal, which organized the Arria formula meeting, "What happened in there?"

  Speaking exclusively to Inner City Press, Cabral replied that, "They brought to us the full horror of the situation. There was avery good phrase by Professor [Paulo] Pinheiro, that civil war breeds violence and ruthlessness and lack of rule of law. I find it very credible. They did try to do an honest job in the midst of a difficult circumstance. They have a balanced approach and I think an impartial one."

  Cabral paused. "Now, what do we do? In terms of human rights and ensuring accountability, and a way out of conflict [which will be] only a political one. As Professor Pinheiro said, increasing the military capacity of the opposition and government would only lead to more suffering. So, we must support Brahimi, we must create conditions for a peaceful negotiation."

  Inner City Press asked Cabral if the International Criminal Court had come up. Cabral nodded and said, "there were references from some delegations."

  The briefers, Inner City Press reported just after the meeting began included Assistant Secretary General Ivan Simonovic and two members of the Human Rights Council panel on Syria, not only the above (or Cabral) mentioned chairman Paulo Pinheiro but also member Karen AbuZayd.

  Cabral replied, "They did mention the ICC -- saying the responsibility is for the [Security] Council."

  Another delegation that DID speak to Inner City Press after the meeting snarked that "those who talk then most about this didn't even stay."

  Inner City Press asked and was told that Pinheiro and Abu-Zaid would hold a briefing for the press on Tuesday, October 16. Apparently they'll be in New York over the weekend until then. Why didn't or don't they speak publicly on Friday after the meeting? Watch this site.

At UN, Split on Who Represents Post-Coup Guinea Bissau, Lusophone, ECOWAS & Host

By Matthew Russell Lee

 

UNITED NATIONS, September 20 -- While a new post-coup Ambassador of Guinea Bissau is already in New York, Portugal's Permanent Representative Cabral on Thursday told Inner City Press that 'the old guy' is still the country's diplomat at the UN, since Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has not accepted the credentials of any successor.

  At Thursday's noon briefing, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky if Ban would during the General Debate be meeting with post-coup "interim" president Manuel Serifo Nhanadjo, or accepting the credentials of his new ambassador.

  Nesirky said that is up to the UN's Credentials Committee, which as named this week by new President of the General Assembly Vuk Jeremic is composed of Angola (likely to support 'the old guy,' like fellow CPLP Lusophone member Portugal), China, Peru, Russia, Seychelles, Sweden, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago and the United States.

  The US, several diplomats told Inner City Press, essentially joined the ECOWAS countries of West Africa in recognizing the coup by granting a G-1 visa to the new post-coup Ambassador. Inner City Press put the question to a US Mission spokesman on Thursday morning, and will publish the respond upon receipt.

  In the interim, so to speak, Inner City Press asked Nesirky if Ban's Department of Political Affairs might meet with post-coup officials of Guinea Bissau.

  Nesirky said generally that yes, the UN Secretariat meets with a range of people who are not necessarily elected. He said he would check into the specifics of Guinea Bissau, in the context of Ban's upcoming more than 100 bilateral meetings in the next week. We'll be covering some of those, for sure.

 

From the UN's September 20, 2012 transcript:

 

Inner City Press: Guinea-Bissau, early this year, had what was pretty much everyone says was a coup d'état, but there are some countries that now recognize the interim leaders as the de facto authorities and there are some, particularly in the CPLP, Brazil, Angola, Portugal, that are not recognizing the current Government. Is the Secretary-General going to meet with interim President Manuel Serifo Nhamadjo? I understand there is a new Perm[anent] Rep[resentative] representing them that is in the country, but has not yet presented his credentials; is the UN… do they recognize this Government and will they be meeting with them?

 

Spokesperson Nesirky: Well, first of all, recognition is a matter for Member States; recognition or non-recognition is a matter for Member States. And credentials for Permanent Representatives would be a matter for the Credentials Committee, so I think we would need to see where that goes. I am not familiar right now with where things stand on that particular question of credentials, so I would need to check. But it would be a matter for them.

 

Inner City Press: I appreciate that, but the current sort of de facto Government, if they came to New York for the general debate, would their meeting with DPA [Department of Political Affairs], could that be possible without any ruling by the Credentials Committee?

 

Spokesperson Nesirky: Well, more broadly speaking, and I am not saying that it would apply specifically in this case, but more broadly speaking, the Secretary-General and other UN officials will meet with a wide range of individuals and representatives, and not necessarily from elected Governments, Heads of State, ministers, but other officials and individuals, too, depending on the subject matter. And I think you will be familiar with cases where that has happened in the past, for very good reasons, because these are topics and matters of international concern. But I am speaking broadly here, in general, and not on that specific case. I’d need to check, as I think you are aware; in any given general debate period, the Secretary-General will have dozens, in fact beyond one hundred and something bilateral meetings. I don’t have them all to hand or in my head, unfortunately. I wish I could do that.

Inner City Press: That’s why I thought I’d ask this one now, before it all starts.

Spokesperson Nesirky: Okay, all right, all right.

On Guinea Bissau, Bamba Offers to Travel to Lisbon, Mali in the Wings

By Matthew Russell Lee, Partial exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, July 26, updated -- As if Guinea Bissau didn't have enough problems, now the dispute between ECOWAS and the Lusophone grouping CPLP about how to approach the country has grown more stark.

  Carlos Gomes Jr. and Raimundo Pereira were ousted in the coup. Now the CPLP won't recognize the post-coup government without them, while ECOWAS will.

  Inner City Press asked ECOWAS' speaker, Ivorian Ambassador Bamba, about the disagreement. "You have to be realistic," he told Inner City Press exclusively, "you must have interlocutors."

  Given what happened in Cote d'Ivoire last year, Inner City Press asked Bamba is such "being realistic" wouldn't have meant not using the UN and French Force Licorne for Alassane Ouattara but rather leaving Laurent Gbagbo in power, since unlike the Guinea Bissau coup leaders he at least received nearly 50% of the vote.

  Bamba pointed out that he ended his address inside the Council chamber with an offer to go negotiated with CPLP in Lisbon. This was not in his prepared text - "I added it," Bamba told Inner City Press.

  Initially, only questionable UN envoy Joseph Mutaboba, who allowed an alleged drug kingpin to set up shop in the UN compound in Bissau, Brazil's Permanent Representative Viotti for the Peacebuilding configuration, Mozambique for CPLP and Bamba were to speak.

 But at the end of the open session, Portuguese Permanent Representative Cabral asked for the floor, to dispute Bamba's implication that Gomes' party is in the government and that things are safe or better in Bissau.

 After Cabral's intervention, a non-Western Security Council member came out and told Inner City Press, "who is Portugal to be nosing around in Guinea Bissau, the colonist coming back as a friend? I might want to reform the Vatican, but does that mean I have a right to? This is the biggest hoax, post 1945, the colonists become the friend."

  In the background is ECOWAS' proposal about Mali, and how to deal with the coup leaders there. With former colonial power France taking over the Council presidency in August, can we expect a Licorne-like force? 

  On Guinea-Bissau, at least two delegations told Inner City Press it's time for the African Union to step in with some leadership. 

Update: and when consultations ended, SRSG Mutaboba escaped through the Chamber and GA lobby, no stakeout. Usually talkative Nestor Osorio, July's Council president, declined a stakeout, saying a statement is being negotiated between Portugal and Togo, that is, CPLP and ECOWAS. Waiting for the African Union? Watch this site.

On Annan to Damascus, Syrian "Thinks" He Can Get In, Ban Comparison: of Oil for Food and Kofi's Karma

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 23 -- In front of the UN Security Council on Thursday morning, Inner City Press asked Portugal's Permanent Representative Cabral what he'd think if former Secretary General Kofi Annan were named envoy to Syria. Cabral said Annan's "name's around, I like the idea but I'm not sure he would take it."

India's Permanent Representative Hardeep Singh Puri told the Press of Annan as envoy, "Why not? You need stature, and he has it."

Throughout the day, as a debate on Women, Peace and Security took place inside the Security Council, a range of diplomats weighed in with Inner City Press. Several of them noted how much lower profile the UN Secretariat has become under Ban Ki-moon.

"Kofi did Kenya," one of them said. "What's Ban got to show?"

At 6:10 pm, Ban's spokesperson's office issued a statement that Kofi Annan was, in fact, the joint UN - Arab League envoy.

Inner City Press asked Margot Wallstrom, Ban's sexual violence in conflict expert, about the appointment but she declined to comment.

When Syria's representative who spoke in the Security Council came out, Inner City Press asked if Annan would be allowed into Syria, "can he come in?"

"I think so," the Syrian said. There was a buzz, with some hearkening back to Annan trip to Iraq to see Saddam Hussein -- who later ended up dead by hanging. For Assad, bad karma? Or good Kofi?

A western diplomat told Inner City Press that Finland's Martti Ahtisaari was in consideration. "But after his Ahtisaari plan on Kosovo, the Russians wouldn't accept him," the diplomat concluded. Watch this site.

Footnote: while now Rwanda and Srbrenica are being raised, ironically the UN Oil for Food scandal was raised earlier Thursday to Inner City Press by a diplomat from the Sri Lanka mission, angry at Inner City Press' questions "leading to" their General Silva's exclusion from Ban's Senior Advisory Group on Peacekeeping Operations, by Annan's one time Deputy Louise Frechette.

The diplomat said, by what right does Fechette point the finger given her role in the UN Oil for Food scandal? For the record, Frechette intervened directly by phone to bar UN auditors from forwarding their investigations to the Security Council, as detailed on page 186 of the 219-page interim report Paul Volcker’s Independent Inquiry Committee released February 3, 2005. Kofi's in there too...