On Syria, France's Fabius in Moscow Quotes Ban Ki-moon's Gun-Jumping, Doesn't Dare Cite ICC

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 17 -- When France's Laurent Fabius and Russia's Sergey Lavrov took questions in Moscow on Tuesday, France like at the UN Security Council the day before did not dare say the words "International Criminal Court."

  Instead, Fabius began filibuster-style to talk about the two countries' cooperation on culture, tourism -- everything but Syria. On that, he quickly cited Ban Ki-moon and his "overwhelming" report, without noting that Ban used that word BEFORE he even saw the report.

  The French journalists called on did their job, Le Figaro for example demanding to know if Russia will support a Chapter 7 resolution. But the US agreement with Russia only provides for Chapter 7 if there is a violation of the framework. And even then, Lavrov said, it would have to be sure the violation was not a provocation by the rebels.

  On Ake Sellstrom's report, Lavrov said it is interim, there are other incidents to be studied. He said that if the Security Council were to immediately jump to Chapter 7 on allegations of chemical weapons use, the Council would be taken "hostage" -- a word that others have used.

And what, Inner City Press asks again, of the UN staff held hostage by the rebels? After pressing the UN's Valerie Amos for the number of UN staff killed -- eleven -- Inner City Press asked Ban's associate spokesperson Farhan Haq if there are UN staff held by the rebels. Yes, he said, then refused to provide further information. Hostage, indeed.

Lavrov said the UN's main role, after the OPCW signs off, will be with regard to the protection of the inspectors. On that he said the responsibility is for the Syrian government, and in cases, by the rebels. So, a Security Council output on the OPCW and on protection of inspectors.

If there are obstacles, Lavrov said, the Security Council will take the appropriate measures against any party not respecting their commitments. And any party means the rebels too.

Fabius was asked about the split between the US and France (and the UK), and danced around the question, turning into a show of past French peaceful bona fides. But once the US signed the framework with Russia in Geneva, France's approach was gone. Watch this site.

Footnote: Perhaps France's echoing of Ban Ki-moon is a reason Ban gave one of his merely three questions Monday to Agence France Presse -- that and some more local dynamics.

 And while France's Deputy Permanent Representative would not answer Inner City Press' ICC question on camera on Monday, afterward as we noted his colleague came to tell Inner City Press that yes, France wants the ICC in any resolution. 

   

On Syria, UK Says Russia Has "No Argument;" China "Ready If They're Ready"

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 16 -- An hour after Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin emerged from the Syria meeting at the UN and told the Press that Chapter 7 is "absolutely unacceptable to us.. I made it very clear we are going to vote against this resolution," the UK's Mark Lyall Grant came out to rebut.

Lyall Grant said they have scheduled the vote for Wednesday afternoon. He said "there is overwhelming support for the text," but that "Russia and China still expressed objection to Chapter Seven."

This is a draft provision which would impose sanctions on the Syrian government if it did not comply in ten days.

Of Russia's and China's objection, Lyall Grant said "when challenged they were unable to come up with any convincing reasons why, they just asserted it as a fact."

Lyall Grant added that "we are happy to have further negotiations, but we've scheduled a vote for Wednesday afternoon."

Some then said that China, specifically, was saying don't vote Wednesday, but somehow might not veto if on Thursday or Friday. Inner City Press checked and found that yes, China would like more time to find consensus, but "if they're ready, we're ready." Showdown?

On Syria, As Araud Measures Red Line, UNSMIS Held Hostage by "Bogus Link"

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 12 -- When the Syria meeting of Permanent Representatives ended Thursday afternoon, French Ambassador Gerard Araud emerged to say, We were 10 kilometers apart, now we are 10 kilometers minus 5 centimeters.

The US may not speak metric but seems to agree, pursuant to US Ambassador Susan Rice's July 11 closed door statement first reported by Inner City Press that the US will only support a Syria resolution under Chapter 7.

But beyond what China's Li Baodong told Inner City Press earlier on Thursday, that China like Russia opposes Chapter 7, a more detailed argument was made to Inner City Press by a non-Western Council member at the end of Thursday's meeting.

  

"How can you sanction the opposition?" the non-Western member asked. "Even if you say you are sanctioning them, who are they? So they are trying to take the extension of UNSMIS hostage, making this bogus connection."

Others have opined that when the deadline comes, next Friday, unless the Western powers see a benefit in canceling the UNSMIS mission, they may back off what Araud called their "red line" of Chapter 7.

Then again, other things can happen. Thursday Russian Deputy Permanent Representative Pankin was asked repeatedly about a massacre he said he hadn't yet heard of -- "we are not reading newspapers in there" -- and asked if that changes Russia's opposition to Chapter 7.

They will continue meeting on Friday the 13th of July, a week before the deadline. Watch this site.

On Syria, Russia Won't Accept Chapter 7, China Too, Rice Won't Discuss Red Lines, Araud Will

By Matthew Russell Lee, Partial exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, July 12, updated -- In what several Security Council members tell Inner City Press is "brinksmanship," US Ambassador Susan Rice's July 11 closed door statement first reported by Inner City Press that the US will only support a Syria resolution under Chapter 7 was countered July 12 by Russia.

  Russian Deputy Permanent Representative Pankin came out of the Security Council before 10 am from a meeting of the five Permanent Members and joked to Inner City Press that things looked "bright and shiny."

  Moments later he clarified his bright line, saying the Russia will not agree to Chapter 7, that it is a "red line."

  Later China's Li Baodong exclusively told Inner City Press "we have a problem with that as well. We support a renewal of the mandate, as requested by Kofi Annan."

  Inner City Press asked Ambassador Rice about this as she left the Peacebuilding debate in the Security Council later on July 12. She answered that she does not like to disclose the US' red lines, "especially not in the press." Or would that be the Press?

Meanwhile the 11 am experts meeting on Syria that had been scheduled as reported by Inner City Press for the UK mission was moved to the consultations room of the Security Council. Why? A member told Inner City Press, "we have two drafts" - the UK and the Russian -- "so we had to find a neutral venue." And so it goes at the UN. 

Update of 1 pm -- Inner City Press asked French ambassador Gerard Araud if Chapter 7 is a red line. "Yes," he said. "On both sides." Watch this site.

On Syria, US Would Only Support 45 Days, Chapter 7, Sanctions, Sources Tell Inner City Press

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 11 -- After the UN Security Council held from Syria envoy Kofi Annan on Wednesday, sources tell Inner City Press, US Ambassador Susan Rice expanded on what she'd told the Press exclusive on Tuesday evening, that the Russian draft resolution is "insufficient."

In the meeting, the sources exclusively tell Inner City Press, Ambassador Rice said the US will only accept a draft under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, with sanctions, and with a mission rollover of no more than 45 days rather than three months as Russia proposed.

Meanwhile other sources said it is the UK and not France which will come forward with the counter-draft to Russia.