Ethiopia Minister Who Un-Tweeted Gay Rights Is Still Listed as CSW Speakers As Vallaud-Belkacem Cancels Presser: Minova or Mistral?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, March 11 -- Among the listed speakers at the UN Commission on the Status of Women is Ethiopia's Zenebu Tadesse, as Speaker Number 42. 

  Back in Addis, her re-tweets of messages supporting gay rights led her to say that these in fact were not her tweets. Now some wonder, will she be Ethiopia's speaker, and what happens next?

    Meanwhile in other CSW news, when French minister on the rights of women Najat Vallaud-Belkacem came to the UN last March for the Commission on the Status of Women, Inner City Press asked her about the 135 rapes in Minova by two battalions of the Congolese Army which UN Peacekeeping under Herve Ladsous supports.

  Then, Vallaud-Belkacem said that "time is the enemy" in rape investigations. In June 2013, when Inner City Press asked again, she acknowledged that there had not "yet" been enough arrests.

   Now it is March 2014 and there have been no convictions for the Minova rapes but Herve Ladsous, the fourth Frenchman in a row to run UN Peacekeeping, continues to support the 41st and 391st Battalions of the Congolese Army, while refusing to answer Press questions.

  This is what France's domination of UN Peacekeeping and now more at the UN has come to: impunity, lack of accountability, statements like that of Ambassador Gerard Araud last week that "there is no Navi Pillay report" that France's disarming of ex Seleka in Central African Republic put Muslim communities at risk, but click here for that.

  What does Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, a spokesperson for the government of Francois Hollande, now say one year later?

   She cancelled her 10:15 UN press conference at March 11, the day after French Permanent Representative Gerard Araud repeatedly refused to answer Press questions on France going forward with a sale of two Mistral warships to Russiaeven while denouncing Russian actions in Crimea and Ukraine.

 Fifteen months after two units of the Congolese Armycommitted over 100 rapes at Minova, "Sexual Violence in Conflict" was the topic of a panel discussion at the UN on March 6.  

   The UN's envoy on the topic, Zainab Bangura, praised Congolese president Joseph Kabila for his new focus on rape. But have there been any convictions at all for the 135 rapes 15 months ago?

  The Enough Project, which ran the event, promised that questions like this one, submitted on paper in the room and on Twitter, will be answered. We'll see.

  The head of UN Peacekeeping Herve Ladsous dodged Press questions about the Minova rapes for months, evendirecting his spokesperson to seize the microphone so the questions couldn't be asked. Click here for that video.

  On March 6 Ladsous was at it again, refusing to answer a Press question about allowing a UN-listed child soldier recruiter into "his" mission on Mali and prospectively in the Central African Republic. At the UN, grandiose speeches are given, but too often there is little follow through and no accountability.

 Here's a place to start: the US-trained 391st Battalion of the Congolese Army FARDC, which took part in the mass rape at Minova.

   That was more than 14 months ago, and yet at a February press conference by the UN Mission in the Congo MONUSCO, it was reported that in the already delayed interview of victims in Minova, interviewers spoke with barely a quarter of the more than 200 listed victims. Still no justice. 

  Again: the 391st Battalion, one of two charged with the Minova rapes, was trained by the United States. (Click here for comment the US Mission to the UN provided to Inner City Press, which also first reported that Ambassador Samantha Power raised Minova to Joseph Kabila in October.) 

  Kobler acknowledged that the most recent hearing in the Minova case had been postponed, that witness statements have still not been taken. Video here, from Minute 6:32. 

  Given that the UN says it has a Human Rights Due Diligence Policy of not supporting army units engaged in abuses, how much longer will the UN accept this? Fifteen months and counting.

   Watch this site.
   

UN Launches Book on HIV in Country Banning Gays; No Comment on Kuwait Anti-Gay Gulf

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 22 -- At the UN, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said that gay rights is one of his signature issues. But when Inner City Press asked about a Kuwait minister speaking of plans to ban visas to the Gulf countries based on sexual orientation, Ban's UN has had no comment.

On October 22, Inner City Press asked that question, and about the UN planning a book launch on "HIV in the Caribbean" in Trinidad and Tobago, from which gays are banned. Ban's spokesperson Martin Nesirky said to ask UNAIDS, which Inner City Press will do as it has in the past. But what about Ban?

UNAIDS is co-sponsoring the book launch with PANCAP (Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS) at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port of Spain, this week. UNAIDS' publication, “The Status of HIV in the Caribbean” says that "Leadership is needed to … Remove punitive laws and diminish stigma and discrimination. Laws that perpetuate stigma and discrimination … and fuel the spread of HIV are not in the national interest."

So why is the book launch there?

Because Kuwait is now mentioned as a replacement for the UN Security Council seat Saudi Arabia has said it will give up, Inner City Press asked Nesirky for Ban's view of their minister speaking of banning gays. None was given then. Watch this site.

   

At UN, Now Homosexuelle Initiative Wien Wins NGO Committee Vote 19 to 6, Syria Offers Evidence of Abuse

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 28 -- The working day after the Australian Lesbian Medical Association won a vote at the UN for recommendation as special consultative status to ECOSOC, Austria-based Homosexuelle Initative Wien (HOSI Wien) won, by exactly the same vote.

When ALMA's application came up on May 24, Pakistan sought to put it off, asking for a copy of a scientific paper mentioned in its application. Bulgaria took the floor to call this a delay tactic, and called for a vote.

On May 28, it was Belgium calling for the vote on HOSI Wien.

There are 19 members of the NGO Committee. Two were again listed as "absent" -- Burundi and Cuba. Of those listed as present, nine voted yes, six voted no, and two abstained.

The nine "Yes" votes as recorded by Inner City Press in the room were the USA, Venezuela, Belgium, India, Israel, Nicaragua, Peru and Turkey.

The six "No" votes were China, Morocco -- which has also opposed or questioned groups dealing with Western Sahara -- Pakistan, Russia, Senegal and Sudan.

The abstainers were Kyrgyzstan and Mozambique, which Secretary General Ban Ki-moon just visited.

Inner City Press has asked, does Ban's Secretariat monitor this NGO Committee, and try to assert leadership?

On the other hand, the US on May 24 alone blocked or delayed the Islamic African Relief Agency, saying it funded Osama Bin Laden, and asking for more information: which UN agencies funded it?

Sudan complained that while the US question blocked the groups, questions about ALMA did not. But ALMA had the votes. Did the Islamic African Relief Agency? Apparently not.

  In other May 28 morning action, Russia noted that the Assyrian National Congress "has no website," and asked for an update on its work. 

  Syria -- not "Assyria" -- spoke on another item, offering to provide evidence of abuse of refugees in camps in neighboring countries. And so it goes at the UN. Watch this site.

At UN, Ban's Al Qaeda in Syria Quote Was Not Planned, Houla Fallout, Ban's Gaffes Covered Up, Witchhunt Against Watchdogs

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 27 -- Amid the focus on and use the Syria issue of statements by the UN and its Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, mostly unreported is just how slap-dash and un-thought out many of Ban's statements are.

  Ban's famous or infamous May recent statement that "a few days ago there was a huge, serious, massive terrorist attack. I believe that there must be al Qaeda behind it" was made in response to a student's question at a Model UN event in the General Assembly Hall.

  But in the same session, as Inner City Press reported, Ban also referred to the Syrian city of Hamas as "Hamas," a glitch which the UN edited out of its transcript of Ban's remarks without even noting it was brackets. See Inner City Press' May 17 story, here.

  Subsequent reporting by Inner City Press had found that people close to Ban were embarrassed by these and other Ban's statements, and that the "Al Qaeda" reference was not in any prepared speech, remarks or talking points. "He just said it," a source close to Ban told Inner City Press.

  And now that Ban gaffe is impacting and delaying Security Council response to, for example, the deaths on Houla.

  But most of the wire services covering the UN do not report on Ban's many glitches. They seem to want to take him seriously, because it makes their jobs seem more serious. They also do not cover Ban speeches like that at his May 24 "Town Hall" event with staff.

  Staff expressed outrage to Inner City Press that, for example, Ban's first answer was about AIDS to a question about the UN not recognized the domestic partnerships of homosexual staff members if their home countries do not.

  Others were offended when Ban's response to being questioned about his lack of follow up with the government of Afghanistan to the killing of UN Security Officer Louis Maxwell by Afghan National forces was to say he has asked "Hollywood" to make a movie about Maxwell.

Inner City Press reported on this, then at the May 25 UN noon briefing put a series of questions to Ban's lead spokesman Martin Nesirky, about Ban's answers on Maxwell (and Hollywood), gay rights (and AIDS), on and, perhaps relatedly, about media rights.

  Nesirky responded on each that "I am not going to go into the details of what was discussed at a staff meeting" and "there are complications, because of national legislation in some cases.."

  Then Inner City Press asked about " a complaint was filed with the Media and Accreditation… Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit (MALU) by" Louis Charbonneau, the UN bureau chief of Reuters which used without any credit Inner City Press' exclusive story that US official Jeffrey Feltman will come work by Ban. (Foreign Policy's The Cable did credit Inner City Press, here.)

  Nesirky said of Charbonneau's complaint to MALU that "correspondence between individuals is between individuals, first thing."

  Inner City Press asked as a matter of due press "whether journalists at the UN have a right to see whatever files or complaints are maintained about them."

  Nesirky said, "I think what we have here is something that I am fully aware involves you, and I think that it would be better to be discussed offline, not on camera in the briefing."

  Inner City Press followed up "to know what the procedures are, because I have very little confidence in the off-camera due process."

  Nesirky ended the questioning and the briefing by saying"we’ll deal with it separately. Thanks very much, and have a good weekend." 

  Then he went just outside the Dag Hammarskjold Auditorium and conferred to Charbonneau, who used to be his colleague at Reuters. Four hours later Inner City Pressreceived written notice of May 29 session seeking to name a "board of examination" to expel it.

In this case, the Emperor has no clothes -- and those including in the media who insist that he does will apparently do anything to keep the nakedness under wraps. Watch this site.

At UN, Gay Rights Group Loses 9-7 in NGO Committee, Sudan Wins, Egypt Speaks

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 4 -- The International Lesbian and Gay Association has been applying to ten years for consultative status with the UN's Economic and Social Council. On Friday afternoon, Belgium called for a vote on its application. Sudan immediately countered with a No Action Motion, to block voting on Belgium's proposal and the group.

After much back and forth, the vote was called. Sudan's No Action Motion won 9 for, 7 against and one abstention (Kyrgyzstan). Surprisingly, India voted no. Cuba did not vote at all, and Mozambique was “not present.”

Here were the votes on Sudan's motion to block voting on the gay rights group:

Peru No, Russia Yes, Senegal Yes, Sudan Yes, Turkey No, USA No, Venezuela Yes, Belgium No, Bulgaria No, Burundi Yes, China Yes, Cuba __, India No, Israel No, Kyrgyzstan Abstain, Morocco Yes, Mozambique Not present, Nicaragua Yes, Pakistan Yes

After the vote, the US noted that it could re-raise the group's application at the full ECOSOC, as it did last year. A request Thursday morning to Ban Ki-moon's spokesmen for a comment on the comments on and against gay rights in the UN Committee on NGO had still not been responded to be week's end.

The question Inner City Press submitted Feb 3 was:

“In the ECOSOC Committee on NGOs earlier this week, Morocco, Sudan, Russia and Pakistan opposed consultative statsu for the Autonomous Women's Center, after noting that its application referred to discrimination against lesbians. Pakistan's representative said that whatever UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon may have said, it was on his own behalf, not on behalf of member states. Pakistan argued in the ECOSOC Committee on NGOs on Monday that discrimination against gays and lesbians is 'not recognized by the UN.'

Please provide the Secretariat's - ideally, the S-G's -- response to this characterization of the S-G's statements and whether discrimination against LGBT is “recognized by the UN.” Will Ban be doing anything for the Autonomous Women's Center, or another gay rights group denounced Wednesday morning in the ECOSOC Committee on NGOs?”

As of 6 pm on Feb 4, there was not response. Watch this site.

Earlier on Friday, this is a summary of what was said about the Australian Lesbian Medical Association:

Pakistan's delegate asked if homosexuals are more prone to sexually transmitted diseases, in terms of having and transmitting those diseases. He asked the NGO support its response with medical documents...

Belgium's delegate did not believe the Committee should place conditionalities on the kind of documents to be provided.

Later on Friday, the representative of Egypt said he was was in an awkward position as a former member of the committee. He said that there was any acceptable and internationally recognized definition to “controversial” references and notions discussed. He did not recognize there was any legally bounding definitions for terms as sexual preferences or orientation or that such terms had been defined by any internationally recognized instrument in the human rights arena.

Meanwhile in Egypt...

At UN, Empty Talk of Egypt and Culture Wars on Lesbian Rights, of Muslim Peacekeepers and Decay under Ban

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 1 -- Amid protests by Egyptians in Cairo, New York and elsewhere, the UN Security Council held its end of presidency reception Monday night, hosted by Bosnia in a rooftop space a half dozen blocks from the UN.

That Egypt is the big world news but not present in the Security Council, nor meaningfully addressed by the out of town Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was the talk of the night.

Inner City Press asked the Permanent Representative of one of the Council's permanent members why Egypt had not even been mentioned in consultations. “It's an internal matter,” he said. “We're following it closely, it's a question of timing and that it must be done without violence.”

The spokesman for a Western member said that “the capitals are studying it, they have to get their own positions clear before even thinking of acting through the Council.”

The UK has been most clear, in statements by David Cameron and foreign minister William Hague: Mubarak is a “friend of Britain” and the prospect of Muslim Brotherhood involvement in a subsequent government is abhorrent. To some it echoes the Cold War: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. For thirty years of “emergency” rule.

There were of course other topics. Inner City Press, which reported earlier in the day on attacks in the ECOSOC Committee on NGO on a women's group from Serbia which mentioned discrimination against lesbians in its application for consultative status, asked Serbia's Permanent Representative about the group. He was jovial but hadn't heard of this new Serbian showdown.

The irony is that after Serbia's lower down representative spoke in favor of the group, so did the US and Bulgaria, as well as Belgium and the EU. On the other side were Pakistan, Russia, Sudan and Morocco.

Inner City Press asked Morocco's Permanent Representative about his country's opposition to to the group, the Autonomous Women's Center. “It must be on behalf of the OIC,” he said. Later another Moroccan said his country represents the Arab Group this year in the NGO committee, replacing Egypt whose staffer famously said of a gay rights applicant for consultative status to the UN, “We've asked questions but we just can't get any straight answers from them.”

Now that Egyptian regime is on the rocks, despite its long time Permanent Representative trying to act otherwise at the UN on Monday, delivering a speech to the UNDP executive board as if nothing was happening.

So while the world sees and talks about a wave of change sweeping the Arab world, this leaves no mark inside the UN, where Arab countries like Morocco score points by opposing gay rights.

There was talk of Islamic peacekeeping, with an Asian Muslim country's Permanent Representative telling Inner City Press his country has offered troops to Somalia's Transitional Federal Government if the force ever “gets blue hatted,” or comes under UN command. He said that same of Afghanistan: his country will only send soldiers if the UN is in charge, not ISAF.

While several members characterized Bosnia's presidency in January as rather sleepy, its reception got higher marks from the crowd of diplomatic Epicures, noshing on Kobe beef sliders and burek like Bosnian pastry filled with meat and spinach.

The Bosnian missions first couple ended the evening by dancing, as the lights of midtown Manhattan flickered through the glass roof. Their Deputy was congenial, having served her country through thick and thin.

Inner City Press' question to the Perm Rep about a new documentary about UN peacekeepers in Bosnia buying women -- where was the Autonomous Women's Center then? -- met with a smiling “I'm not working tonight.” But of course he was. And through the course of January he got more accessible and comfortable at the Council stakeout, to his credit, unlike some in the UN.

The deterioration under the Ban Ki-moon “regime” as one called it was also in the air. A well placed Council source recalled “Martin [Nesirky] got excluded from the Council's consultations and all we got was a letter from [Vijay] Nambiar.” Ban's chief of staff Nambiar was in attendance Monday, but chief adviser Kim Won-soo did not seem to be. Susan Rice was nowhere to be seen, nor it appeared was her UK counterpart Mark Lyall Grant.

The Permanent Representatives of France, China and Russia were all present, along with those of just left Council members like Austria and Turkey. Israel's prime minister is much concerned of regime change in Egypt. Israel's hard line Permanent Representative was not seen at that reception Monday night, but earlier on Monday Israel joined the defense of the Serbian group on lesbian rights. And so it goes at the UN.

Footnote: earlier on Monday several dozen UN correspondents discussed the lack of information coming out of Ban Ki-moon's UN, unfavorably comparing Ban's answering in New York to what he does, for example, while in Addis Ababa the last few days, including a France 24 interview against deferring announcing a campaign for a second term.

Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky was reviewed, called alternately rude and “in a tough spot” not getting any information from Ban. We'll address this going forward - later today, and in this new month when Brazil heads the Council, holding a debate on Security and Development on February 11. Watch this site.

At UN, Jabs at NGO on Lesbian Rights from Pakistan, Sudan, Russia, Morocco

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 31 -- In the UN's committee on non-governmental organization on Monday morning the application for accreditation of the Autonomous Women's Center, which mentioned discrimination against lesbians, was questioned and opposed by Pakistan, Morocco, Russia and Sudan.

Pakistan's representative asked sarcastically if the discrimination of lesbians was “against men.” He mocked the application's reference to disability, asking if “lesbianism is a disability.”

This followed not only previous fights in the ECOSOC Committee on NGOs but December's debate after which lesbians and gays were added to a UN resolution against extrajudicial executions from which the US abstained. In the run up to that vote, not only the United Arab Emirates for the Arab Group and Tajikistan for the Organization of the Islamic Conference but also Benin for the African Group urged that the LGBT amendment be opposed.

Now late January, some of the opposition has become more technical. Morocco argued that since the Autonomous Women's Center changed its name in 2009, it has not been in operation for the two years necessary for accreditation. Serbia, where the group is based, spoke in its defense.

Russia and Sudan, where women including a UN staff member have been sentenced to whipping for wearing pants, both joined the opposition to the Autonomous Women's Center. Sudan specifically joined in the opposition of Pakistan.

Pakistan's representative later in the session said that whatever UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon may have said, it was on his own behalf, not on behalf of member states. Pakistan argued in the ECOSOC Committee on NGOs on Monday that discrimination against gays and lesbians is “not recognized by the UN.”

In the past, Ban has dodged such questions by saying “it's up to member states,” or that he won't speak on particular application or motions pending for a vote before UN bodies. He has been out of town for days, but one wonders what if anything he will have to say about the mocking of gays and gay rights in the UN's North Lawn Building, three floors beneath his office, on January 31. Watch this site.

With Obama Proud of UN Gay Amendment, 10 Who Did Not Vote include Uzbekistan, Turkey & Gabon, "Strong-Armed"

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, December 22 -- After the sexual orientation amendment to UN General Assembly's resolution against extrajudicial executions passed on December 21, US President Barack Obama's spokesman Robert Gibbs issued a statement that “President Obama applauds those countries that supported” the amendment.

Ambassador Susan Rice tweeted that the US had gone “all in” to win passage of the amendment, with 93 for, 55 against and 27 abstentions -- that is, 175 votes casts of the UN's 192 member states.

Little noticed were the ten countries which did not vote at all of the LGBT amendment, but were present and voting minutes later on the overall resolution on extrajudicial executions, on which 185 votes were cast.

Late Tuesday, sources told Inner City Press this was reflexive of “arm twisting” or advocacy by the US over the weekend. “They conveniently walked out of the room,” as one source put it, appearing satisfied.

The countries which were conveniently absent on the LGBT vote included Central Asia countries with dubious human rights records: Uzbekistan, which former UK Ambassador Craig Murray accused of boiling to death the opponents of Islam Karimov; Kyrgyzstan with its recent ethnic cleansing and support from the US, and Turkmenistan, where Turkmenbashi's former dentist rules the roost.

Also out of the room or not voting on the LGBT text, but suddenly back for the executions resolution were the African nations of Gabon, Cameroon and Madagascar.

More tellingly, when Inner City Press on Wednesday morning in front of the Security Council asked one of the absent country's Ambassador about his country's sudden absence for the LGBT amendment, he acknowledged without hesitation or equivocation the pressure from the United States.

As one example among those countries which did vote, advocates pointed at the abstention, rather than "no" vote, of Jamaica.

Footnotes: A country that may have walked out and not voted for its own internal reasons is Turkey. Another, Tuvalu, is small and climate change focused. The final two are harder to understand: Myanmar and Cuba, which spoke after the vote to pillory the US' hypocrisy for abstaining from the overall extrajudicial executions resolution.

The US Mission has yet to clearly state its reason, which most take to be about its drone strikes in Pakistan and elsewhere. Watch this site.

At UN Gays Added to Executions Resolution, US Overall Abstains

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 21 -- Lesbians and gays were added Tuesday to a UN resolution against extrajudicial executions from which the US abstained.

In the run up to the vote, not only the United Arab Emirates for the Arab Group and Tajikistan for the Organization of the Islamic Conference but also Benin for the Africa Group urged that the LGBT amendment be opposed.

Zimbabwe went further, openly referring to bestiality and saying “we won't have it foisted on us!” To the surprise of some, both South Africa and Rwanda said they would vote for the LGBT amendment, both based on evidence that gays and lesbians are disproportionately targeted.

Rick Barton of the US Mission to the UN introduced the amendment, and did not mention that the US would in fact abstain from the resolution barring extrajudicial executions, related it's reported to criticism of the US' use of drones in Pakistan and elsewhere.

The vote on the LGBT amendment was 93 for, 55 against and 27 abstaining. With it added, the overall extrajudicial executions resolution passed 122 for, 1 against, 62 abstaining - including the US.

Prior to the vote, Inner City Press asked the acting Deputy Spokesman for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon if he had any guidance for member states on the LGBT amendment. No, spokesman Farhan Haq said.

In other voting, a resolution for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty passed 109 for moratorium, the US and 40 more against it, and 35 abstaining. The Defamation of Religion resolution passed 79 for, 67 against and 40 abstaining.

At UN, Gay Rights Debated, NGO Admitted as Egypt, Saudi Arabia & Russia Call It Selective

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/un6ngoglbt071910.html

UNITED NATIONS, July 19 -- The culture war at the UN, to block the granting to the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, re-ignited on July 19 in the ECOSOC committee. The blocking was over-ridden, and the non governmental organization granted consultative status with the UN, on a vote of 23 in favor, 13 against, and 13 abstaining.

As Inner City Press exclusively reported in June, in the NGO Committee the application of IGLHRC was “deferred” at the request of Egypt, China and Russia among others.

On July 19, US Deputy Permanent Representative Rosemary DiCarlo introduced an ECOSOC resolution to overrule the NGO Committee and grant consultative status to IGLHRC. In statements before the vote, Saudi Arabia and Egypt outright opposed the group and U.S. motion.

Eight more speakers signed up. Belgium's Permanent Representative Grauls, on behalf of the European Union, spoke in favor of IGLHRC, saying a “no” vote would be discrimination. Norway and UK DPR Parham echoed this, as did Argentina, where gay marriage was just legalized.

St. Lucia questioned if gay and lesbian rights are the priority in this time of economic crisis, and answered “no.”

Australia tried to respond to St. Lucia, but Ambassador Maged of Egypt cut in that the time for general statements had passed. So, a rare attempt at actual debate in the UN was immediately cut off, by a diplomat said to be seeking a UN job.

The voting began, then was halted by a point of order. "What does the Present button mean?" Then a question, are your votes reflect correctly on the screen? But the screen was black.

The resolution passed, the NGO was admitted, 23 in favor, 13 against, 13 abstaining and some not voting, including Iraq. Those voting no included China, Russia, Velezuela, Morocco, Malaysia, Egypt and Pakistan. Abstainers included Turkey, India, Ghana and Ukraine...

Note: Seven hours after Inner City Press published the above report, President Obama and Ambassador Susan Rice issued statements praising the vote, and other media then covered it.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un6ngoglbt071910.html

At UN, Gay Rights NGO Blocked from Consultative Status by Egypt, Qatar, Russia and China, Turkey Abstains

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/un5ngoglbt060310.html

UNITED NATIONS, June 3 -- The UN rebuffed a gay rights group on Thursday, in a little covered bureaucratic meeting of its NGO Committee. The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission had applied for consultative status. Egypt, Qatar and others peppered the group with questions, including on whether its advocacy for gay rights might impinge on freedom of religion and of "discussion."

Finally, the US called for a vote. Egypt objected, saying that its questions to the group had not been "answered in a straight way." Some in the quarter-filled meeting room laughed. But Egypt persisted, prevailing in placing its motion, to put the application on ice, ahead of the US's motion for an up or down vote on giving consultative status.

Standing openly with the US were Romania and the UK, which to its credit called the Inner City Press to the impending showdown. Ultimately on the vote, only three more countries took the US / UK position: Colombia, Peru and Israel.

Voting to block the gay rights group's access were Egypt, Qatar, Security Council Permanent members Russia and China, Angola, Burundi, Sudan and Pakistan. Turkey, ever the self conscious bridge, abstained.

Qatar listed some if its questions, about whether the group sought "special rights for LGBT."

The UK said that allowing this block, based on repetitive questions, set a bad precedent. Even if the group answered every single questions, the UK said, the detractors would never be satisfied.

And for now, at least in the NGO committee, the detractors are in the majority.

Footnote: Inner City Press asked the spokesman for General Assembly president Ali Treki for a statement. Upon taking office, Treki called homosexuality an abomination. Now his spokesman's draft response talks about tolerance, but has a paragraph crossed out. But at today's UN the votes are what they are.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un5ngoglbt060310.html