On Yemen & Yarmouk, Ban Ki-moon's Bland Press Encounter Has Handpicked Questions, No Answer on Airstrikes

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, April 9 --  When UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon scheduled a "press encounter" for April 9, his first one this year in UN Headquarters by some counts, the UN canceled its noon briefing. Ban would speak on two topics: the Yarmouk Camp in Syria and on Yemen.

  After bland opening statements (one correspondent called them platitudes, others were less diplomatic), Ban's spokesman handpicked questions such that the only question on Yemen was whether Iran could be condemned for sending warships to the Gulf of Aden.

  Inner City Press asked, quite audibly, Should the airstrikes stop? But this simple question was not answered.

  In fact, Inner City Press has been reliably informed that when Ban deigned to ask the Saudis for a mere two hour humanitarian pause, they said only if Ban more openly supported their coalition (which included, for example, Sudan, which now brags that Suadi Arabia has removed trade sanctions on it.)

  Then Ban left, to Panama and tellingly Qatar. 

  It was surprising to some that Ban or his team did not go public with this attempt to condition humanitarian access on a political statement.

  Why for example hasn't outgoing UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos spoken out? Where is her successor, Stephen O'Brien, also of the UK? (Inner City Press' exclusives on that UK to UK hand-over of a UN post were credited during the process by for example Channel 4, and after by the Telegraph.)

   On Saturday April 4 an urgent UN Security Council meeting began at 11 am, on a proposal for Russian draft resolution for "humanitarian pauses" -- and evacuation.

  Nearly an hour after the meeting broke up, April's Security Council president Dina Kawar of Jordan came to the stakeout and gave a summary, or two (as President and in her national capacity) and took two questions, including one from Inner City Press (the US did not raise the issue of evacuations in the meeting).

 Here's what Ambassador Kawar said as Jordan's Ambassador:

“As you know the GCC has been engaged for some time on a draft resolution that deals with the political situation in Yemen. We will continue our efforts to reach a consensus on that. We should not forget the root causes that led to the current grave situation and humanitarian situation in Yemen is due to the failure of the implementation of Resolution 2201 by the Houthis.”

     “We just met. We have arranged for meeting on the side between a few members of the Council and the GCC, we are working on that all day today. We hope that by Monday we can come up with something.”

  Inner City Press asked Kawar if any UN Security Council member raised the issue of evacuations. She said, evacuations are under way. Inner City Press asked if the US had raised the issue of evacuations in the meeting. She said, No, the US did not raise it. 

 Here is what Ambassador Kawar said as UNSC President:

“The Council met this morning upon a request from the Russian delegation. The Council members reaffirmed their views on the importance of the full implementation of the Security Council's resolutions on Yemen in particular Resolution 2201. The Council members also reiterated their concern over the grave humanitarian situation that Yemen has been facing for a while.

“The Russian delegation circulated a draft resolution to the Council members regarding humanitarian pauses in Yemen and expressed concerns over the humanitarian situation in Yemen since a long time. The Council members need time to reflect on the Russian proposal.”

   The meeting ended at just after noon at 12:30. Saudi Arabia's ambassador and an entourage arrived outside the Security Council. Inner City Press asked him if Saudi Arabia has spoke with the US about allowing safe evacuation of Americans.  Video here and embedded below.

  Overall, the Saudi ambassador said that the GCC draft resolution is "more comprehensive" than what Russia proposed, and that he hopes Russia wouldn't veto the GCC proposal. He said that aid access should be coordinated with the Secretary General -- now though this exclusive we know why.

  When the meeting ended, UK Deputy Peter Wilson said he'd leave it to the Presidency - that is, Jordan's Dina Kawar - to say what happened as a result of the meeting. Which was, very little.

    The UK's Wilson on his way into the Security Council said, "we continue to support the Saudi-led action in Yemen... in response to a legitimate request.”

  Wilson said, "any civilian casualties and all civilian casualties are ones that we deeply regret. We remain fully committed to ensuring that international humanitarian law is complied with and that proper access is given to agencies who need to get access to grant relief."

  So does Saudi Arabia trying to condition humanitarian access on Ban Ki-moon making a statement in support of the military offensive comply with international humantarian law?

   Back on March 30  Inner City Press asked the US State Department if any steps are being taken to evacuated Yemeni Americans.

  On March 31 a State Department official provided Inner City Press on background with this answer:

"We have no current plans to evacuate private U.S. citizens from Yemen. We continue to watch the situation closely. The protection and safety of U.S. citizens overseas are among our top priorities."

  Some of those impacted, including Yemeni Americans, pointed out to Inner City Press that other countries, as simply one example Pakistan which is part of the Saudi-led coalition, have done evacuations. This has been followed by India, China and others.  But not (yet?) the US, leading to the campaign #StuckInYemen. We'll have more on all this.

   

After Faux Press Encounter, Ban Ki-moon Does Interview on Corporate LinkedIn, Softball with Scribes

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 1 -- When is a “press encounter” not a real press encounter? When is an interview essentially a fake?

  Two days after the UN claimed that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon held a "press encounter" but the press corps which covers the UN was not informed and was not present, Ban has done an "interview" -- on LinkedIn.  Why was this done?

   Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric on July 1 said that Ban, after the press-less press encounter, did an interview - on his LinkedIn page. This essentially promotes that for-profit company, as it can only be seen if one joins.

  Those ostensibly speaking for the UN press corps make no complaints, instead bragging about Ban kicking a (soft) ball with them. Despite previous issues with UNCA presidential financial links with Sri Lanka's ambassador - and attempts to censor reporting on these - and reversal on donated TV,UNCA's president is bragging about new jerseys: branding everything.

   This is UN decay, and what the Free UN Coalition for Access is challenging.

  On Sunday, June 29 Ban's spokesperson's office sent out a transcript of what it called Ban's “Remarks at Press Encounter with H.E. Mr. Shimon Peres, President of Israel.” What was sent out did not say when it had occurred, nor where, other than “New York.”

  No notice was sent out by the UN's Media Liaison and Accreditation Unit, nor by Spokesman Stephane Dujarric. When Dujarric was in charge of MALU, FUNCA formally asked him to begin providing notice of Ban events even if held outside of the UN headquarters.

  On June 30, Inner City Press for FUNCA asked, where did the "press encounter" take place and why were the press not told? Dujarric said it was the Israeli mission which made the arrangements -- if true, that is abnormal, as the UN is supposed to announce to the media it accredits when Ban will be taking questions on UN relevant issues.

  Dujarric bragged when he gave notice of Ban meeting New York City Mayor De Blasio - but gave no notice of the "press availability" regarding Israel's Peres. FUNCA says this is UNacceptable.

  The old UN Correspondents Association on the other hand, whose head Pamela Falk was present on June 30 if only to take the first set-aside question to Hilde Johnson on South Sudan, made no complaint.

  Instead, they are bragging about a "journalists and diplomats" game of football or soccer this week, even that Ban Ki-moon may be present at the kick-off.  Virtually? Softballs, indeed.

   

On Syria, UN Defends Ban Ki-moon's Questionless Encounter, After $2B Renovation, Still No Wi-Fi

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, April 29 -- When UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon refused to take any questions on his Syria chemical weapons probe, after much promotion of his “press encounter” on the topic, media dissatisfaction was widespread.

  Inner City Press, after uploading video of the question-less encounter and some of the disorganization which preceded it(haphazard screening of print journalists, elevators up to the 38 floor and then down again, stakeout in a UN lobby location without wi-fi), conferred and for the Free UN Coalition for Access submitted a letter of complaint to the Department of Public Information.

  FUNCA primarily complained that Ban should take questions from the media; that is the purpose of a “press encounter.” By contrast, Syria's Permanent Representative Bashar Ja'afari has scheduled a press conference for April 30 at 10:30 am at which it seems sure he will take questions. Why doesn't Ban?

  DPI has been sitting on specific requests submitted by FUNCA on April 18 and before, including a dozen proposed reforms to its archaic Media Accreditation rules and Access Guidelines (to which the old UN Correspondents' Association is a party, or collaborator).

  But this time DPI sent back a response quickly, albeit not from its chief but rather the head of UNTV, and main UNCA partner, Stephane Dujarric.

  On Ban's questionless press encounter or “fakeout at the stakeout,” Dujarric wrote:

From: Stephane Dujarric [at] un.org
Date: Mon, Apr 29, 2013 at 4:17 PM
Subject: Fw: FUNCA response to S-G's press "encounter" this morning, outstanding questions, thanks
To: funca [at] funca [dot] info
Cc: Isabelle Broyer [at] un.org

Thank you for the email you addressed to DPI this morning regarding issues you had with the Secretary-General's appearance before the press.

I'm truly sorry that you felt the event was not organized properly and wasted your time. I would ask you to show some flexibility. Due to the large number of journalists present, a decision was made to change the location of the event to one that would be more comfortable all those involved, including the Secretary-General. Sometimes things change at the last minute and we just all have to go with the flow.

As for the event itself, you complain that the Secretary-General took no questions and that it should not have been called a “press encounter.” I frankly don’t know what to call an event when the Secretary-General encounters the press but a “press encounter.” There are clearly different types of press encounters and sometimes questions are taken and sometimes they are not depending on the circumstances.

No one wants to waste your time but please understand that your presence is not mandatory and that you are free to attend or not to attend any event at the UN. I have no way of guaranteeing that press events at the UN will not be a waste of your time. In planning these events we can only hope that you will find them useful.

There is currently no wi-fi in the north end of the Secretariat lobby but I do very much hope that wi-fi coverage will be extended through out the building as soon as practicable.

  The response largely speaks for itself. But just on the last point: no wi-fi after a $2 billion renovation?

  Would the UN call Ban speaking to UNTV (run by Dujarric) a "press encounter"?

 And will Ban hold another "encounter" after Syria's press conference on April 30? Or will a Western power's ambassador do it?

Footnote: We said Dujarric is UNCA's main supporter (and even an opponent of anything more than a one party system) and here are just a few reasons. Dujarric complained when Inner City Press published audio of UNCA president Pamela Falk screaming in an on the record meeting, audio here and here.

This month, Dujarric threatened Inner City Press about a single tweet that mentioned World War Two and UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous who owes his JOB to France's veto power won in WW2.

  Dujarric has refused to explain how photos taken during a non-consensual raid of Inner City Press' office on March 18 were leaked to BuzzFeed on March 21, right after that publication contacted Ban's spokesman with questions about the raid. We will continue to push on all this. Watch this site.