As UN's "Faux" Financial Summit Begins, Host D'Escoto Calls Nepotism "Entertaining"

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/unpga1entertain062309.html

UNITED NATIONS, June 23 -- Asked Tuesday about charges of nepotism in the use of UN funds to pay two of his relatives, President of the General Assembly Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann told Inner City Press, "I leave you free to continue your speculations, I find them extremely entertaining." Video here, from Minute 18:42.

But the spokesman for d'Escoto confirmed to Inner City Press on June 9 and subsequently to the Times of London that d'Escoto is using UN budget funds to pay his nephew Michael Clark to be an economics adviser, and his niece Sophia Clark to be his deputy chief of staff. There is no speculation. There will however, as invited, be entertainment.

On the eve of a UN General Assembly summit on the global economic crisis for which his nephew has been a major briefer and advisor, d'Escoto said he was not troubled that only two heads of state are coming: Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Ecuador's President Correa. Even Chile's President Bachelet, in the Northeast United States to meet with Barack Obama, has canceled the previous indication that she would come.

Inner City Press, which was first to report on June 9 the use of UN funds to hire d'Escoto family members, also asked d'Escoto why there was still no word who was coming from the host country or if his president, Daniel Ortega, was coming. D'Escoto answered, I have no confirmation of who is coming from the two countries you mentioned.

While nepotism and d'Escoto's proposals to, for example, establish a Taxation Authority to consider regulating (or taxing) cyberspace, are not the only reason that many view the Summit as "a joke," they are not unrelated. That d'Escoto's advisers didn't tell when he began his term that issues might arise about putting two relatives on the UN payroll, and now advise him to make light of the matter, is also indicative.

Non-governmental organizations, too, are too blame for allowing the Sandinista emperor to have no clothes. On June 22, Inner City Press asked the South Center's director Martin Khor to respond to the nepotism and cyberspace taxation proposal. Video here.

Khor began diplomatically, saying that some Ambassadors were taken aback by "Father Miguel's" inclusion of so many references to Mother Earth. Later in conclusion Khor said yes, he had read the stories about the nephew. Why then say nothing?

On June 23 Inner City Press asked a panel of NGOs, who had just finished calling the UN more credible than the G-20, what they had done to make the UN more accountable, for example on the controversy and staff-pressuring surrounding the search for a second term in the top post of UNCTAD. None of the four NGOs would touch the question directly. Video here.

Yes, the G-20 is undemocratic. But for the UN, particularly its General Assembly and President, to be a credible alternative, nepotism and hair-brained proposals cannot be so easily accepted and laughed at.

It was the Latin American and Caribbean Group's turn to hold the General Assembly presidency this year. The spokesman for a major Latin country told Inner City Press on Tuesday that Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia -- "that bloc" -- had pushed for Nicaragua, and hence d'Escoto.

Why didn't they choose a less comical or less entertainment starved representative, or at least one who wouldn't hire two of his relatives and then refuse to answer any questions about it? Put otherwise by the diplomat, who is making the UN a joke?

If the summit had been more professionally organized, without Internet taxation proposals and open nepotism, then the decision by powerful countries to boycott it could more legitimately have been criticized. But "they made it easy for them," the diplomat said. And not only rich countries, but powerful banks are the ones who benefit.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unpga1entertain062309.html

Nepotism May Threaten UN Economic Crisis Summit, Role of Nephew of GA President d'Escoto Questioned

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/unpga2clarks060909.html

UNITED NATIONS, June 9 -- As industrialized countries' public skepticism has grown at the UN General Assembly's summit on the global economic crisis, postponed until later this month, analysts have focused on General Assembly President Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann's refusal to simply accept the proposed outcome document drafted by member states.

Inner City Press is told by well-placed sources that a major reason for the so-called Draft-Gate which threatens to undermine the crisis summit is the presence among the PGA's paid staff of at least two d'Escoto relatives, and the freedom that he gives them.

Michael Clark is an American staff member who has given numerous lengthly press conferences about the summit, most recently speaking so extensively about his views of a world without money that Inner City Press was not permitted a single question, about some countries' critique of the draft. At the time, Inner City Press reported that Michael Clark previously served with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and trying to open India to U.S. commercial firms.

Now it can be told, confirmed by d'Escoto Brockmann's spokesman to his credit on June 9: Michael Clark is d'Escoto Brockmann's nephew. Another niece, Sophia Clark, is d'Escoto Brockmann's Deputy Chief of Staff.

These two family connections were confirmed by spokesman Enrique Yeves on Tuesday. He noted that out of twenty cabinet members, only two are relatives of the President, and that these are "freely designated posts" not subject to competition or qualifications. They are, however, paid from the UN budget.

Chilean president Michele Bachelet, previously scheduled to attend the summit, has as Inner City Press heard recently canceled, Yeves confirmed on Tuesday. Few high level officials from industrialized countries are slated to come.

It is becoming, as one well placed source put it, a wasted opportunity. When the UN General Assembly had a chance to come out with innovative ideas to regulate the global financial system, he asked, "who did they turn to? Father Miguel's nephew."

Within those parts of the General Assembly not related to Escoto Brockmann by blood or marriage, one can find dissatisfaction with Michael Clark and the way d'Escoto has "let him run wild," as one source put it. This source states that Clark has been trying to find this next job after d'Escoto Brockmann's year as PGA expires, and that this has included trying to find some European jobs.

The source traces changes that Clark made to what was ostensibly d'Escoto Brockmann's personal draft to subsequent criticism of the draft. "Father Miguel is taking heat for a problem Michael created," the source says, calling it misplaced loyalty.

Yeves said for the record that Michael Clark is by no means the only adviser on the summit, and argued that Clark's appearance at three press conferences in a row about the summit was not, as one source put it, a "try out," but simply a product of the travel schedule of d'Escoto Brockmann and his other advisers. Inner City Press asked to interview Michael Clark for this story.

Yeves said all such requests to the PGA's advisers go through him, and that answer would be given by Tuesday at 5 p.m.. Inner City Press hours before that time also made the request directly to Mr. Clark. After that deadline, this story is being published, and will be updated. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unpga2clarks060909.html

EU Attacks UN Tax and Cyberspace Authority Proposal, D'Escoto Advisers Muse

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/unpga1taxnet051509.html

UNITED NATIONS, May 15 -- Faced with the global financial crisis, the Sandinista, former and current Nicaraguan President of the UN General Assembly Miguel d'Escoto Brockman has convened a GA session for June 1, and released his own draft outcome document which proposes a UN Taxation Authority and body to regulate cyberspace.

"This is a subject I don't have any expertise on," d'Escoto said when Inner City Press asked. Video here from Minute 7:25. The European Union, Inner City Press has learned, has written to d'Escoto in protest of his draft, which they say ignores a text that was being negotiated.

Two d'Escoto advisers held a press conference on the topic on May 14, but instead of addressing the controversy, Michael Clark held forth at length on his ideas of the end of money. As Inner City Press confirmed during Clark's May 1 press conference -- video here from Minute 26:24 -- Clark previously served the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and then lobbied for U.S. companies to get more business in India, in the U.S. - India Business Council. So did he believe in what he was doing then, or now? Apparently it's been an evolution.

While the May 14 press conference lasted an hour, it was organized in such a way that not all questions, including one on the European Union letter, could be asked.

Some in the press corps think that d'Escoto is over-briefing about this financial session. But his Office is not even answering the obvious questions. The main spokesman for d'Escoto is away, which may explain it. Previously, Inner City Press has asked his office for d'Escoto's view on carbon offsetting his travel around the world, without receiving an answer.

D'Escoto himself seems a nice and gentle man. After his press conference -- at the most recent of which he took only three questions, refusing one about the contentious UN Gaza report -- journalists descend on him like locusts for, as one put it, "crazy quotes." Now security officers surrounded d'Escoto as he moves gingerly off the podium. It is all coming to a head: Watch this site.

Footnote / analysis: clearly, there is a need to re-think the under-regulation of finance. But grandstanding and pontificating, and ignoring major blocs drafts of document and then refusing to take questions, seems unlikely to be effective. There are still two weeks to be more effective. Given the importance of the topic, here's hoping.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unpga1taxnet051509.html