As UN Flies 700 Staff to Copenhagen, Coup Leader Set to Speak, Major Emitter Excluded

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/uncope8offmessage121009.html

UNITED NATIONS, December 10 -- In the run up to the Copenhagen climate change conference, Inner City Press on December 4 asked UN climateer Janos Pasztor how many UN system staff, officials and consultants would be traveling to Denmark, with what carbon footprint. Pasztor said it wouldn't be known until the conference began.

On December 10, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky finally answered the question, or part of it. He said that the Copenhagen conference has among its participants 477 people from the UN Secretariat and 309 from 19 specialized agencies and related organizations. That is, 786 people from the UN. But does this include consultants? And what is the carbon footprint and will it be offset?

Nesirky did however answer two questions Inner City Press asked on December 10, after an ill attended noon briefing held at the same time as a media stakeout by U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice. Inner City Press asked if Ban Ki-moon is aware of the request that the coup leader of Madagascar not be allowed to participate in the Copenhagen conference, just as he was barred from speaking before the General Assembly in September.

Nesirky answered, "As for Madagascar, it is scheduled to speak on next Wednesday 16 December, sometime after 6 p.m., so they seem to have been invited." But what about the request that, as at the UN General Debate in September, they be disinvited?

On December 8, Inner City Press asked Ban Ki-moon

Inner City Press: Has Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, has he indicated to you – we’ve heard that you’ve spoken to him weekly by videoconference – he represents the African Union. Is the $10 billion enough? They threatened to walk out if not sufficient funds were committed. What’s you stance on how that issue’s going to play out?

SG: As you know I, together with Prime Minister [Lars Løkke] Rasmussen [of Denmark], have been engaging in weekly videoconferences with major stakeholders on climate change - particularly the representatives of the most vulnerable countries, including the African Union and small island developing countries. We are going to continue to do that, as we did in Trinidad and Tobago. Now the idea of short-term fast-track financial support is supported by developing countries. We had a very in-depth discussion on this issue during our Commonwealth summit meeting in Trinidad and Tobago. As you know the 53-Member State Commonwealth adopted a consensus declaration where this financial support – fast-track support – was agreed by all the Member States, including a provision that 10% of this $10 billion will be provided to small island developing countries.

So the Commonweath agreed -- but has the African Union? Inner City Press asked Ban's top humanitarian John Holmes on December 10, but he said he hadn't been involved in setting the $10 billion figure. So who was?

Inner City Press also asking about the block on participation by Taiwan, which is a major industrial emitter. Nesirky answered only that "Taiwan is not a party to the UNFCCC." But why not? Would the UN want a major source of emission like Taiwan to participate?

The answer, of course, in China, a senior diplomat of which told Inner City Press a good joke on Thursday. He noted that U.S.' Susan Rice had been harsh against Iran in that morning's Council meeting. She has to play to the electorate, he said, just as Iran's teetered regime tries to strengthen its power by being ever more hard-line. The Chinese diplomat said, "This is the problem with democracy." And then he laughed.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/uncope8offmessage121009.html

With Guinea's Strongman Speechless, Burkina Pauses, France Snarks, UN-Democracy?

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/unbf1guinea121009.html

UNITED NATIONS, December 10 -- With Guinean strongman Moussa Dadis Camara still speechless in Morocco following the attempt on his life, the military government in Guinea has pulled out of the mediation facilitated by Burkina Faso's president Blaise Campaore. Inner City Press asked Burkinabe Ambassador Michel Kafando on December 10 for his country's reaction.

"Our mediation has as its support the consent of the parties," he answered. That one party wants to "disengage," he said, has led "not to a rupture but a pause in the facilitation." Video here, from Minute 4:41.

Less diplomatic, a senior French official in New York was asked if Dadis Camara will regain his capacities. The official snarked, "Given what capacities he had before..." and added that according to French intelligence, Dadis Camara was drinking until 3 a.m. and waking up in the afternoon, a "thug."

On December 9, Inner City Press asked the spokesman for Ban Ki-moon

Inner City Press: on Guinea. The military junta has said it’s pulling out of the talks until [Moussa] Dadis Camara is returned. What is the UN, given Said Djinnit and others involved in that, what do they think of that, and are they aware of these reports that the junta is rounding up people and disappearing or torturing them?

Spokesperson Nesirky: The UN is aware of these reports that you’re referring to. I don’t have anything specific on that particular aspect that you mentioned, and I’ll have to find out and come back to you on that.

At the noon briefing on December 10, ill attended because held at the same time as a media stakeout by U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice, Spokesman Nesirky said that in response to Inner City Press' question of the previous day, the Secretary General "reiterates the need to avoid violence."

There was a reference to democracy. But, also on December 10, Inner City Press asked and was told that post-coup Madagascar will be allowed to participate, by the coup leader, in the UN's Copenhagen conference. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unbf1guinea121009.html

Sri Lanka Falls Off Radar of UN and US, Despite Rapp Report and Disappearances

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/lanka1hrusun121009.html

UNITED NATIONS, December 10 -- How far the plight of the Tamils and other minorities in Sri Lanka has fallen off the radar of the United States and United Nations was made clear on Thursday. After US Ambassador Susan Rice made remarks to the press about human rights day and accountability, Inner City Press asked her about "the State Department report on Sri Lanka that seemed to allege war crimes, what [are] the next steps for the State Department on Mr. Rapp’s report?"

Ambassador Rice answered, "with respect to Sri Lanka, and frankly other instances of alleged and definite human rights abuses, we will examine these with seriousness internally, and look at what steps we might take bilaterally to reflect those concerns, with respect to any nation. And the President in his remarks in Oslo mentioned today Zimbabwe, Sudan and Burma specifically." Video here, from Minute 6:15.

Last week, as Stephen Rapp walked into the UN Security Council, Inner City Press asked him about the Sri Lanka report he had signed. "We are pushing hard on that," Rapp said. But what exactly is being done? Another report authored by Senator John Kerry urges rapprochement with Sri Lanka. So what was that about accountability?

The UN, too, spoke of accountability of one of three things necessary in Sri Lanka. On December 10, Inner City Press asked the UN official who has most visited Sri Lanka, John Holmes, about reports of people released from the Manik Farm camp only to be put in other closed camps, and about additional disappearances. Video here, from Minute 20:15.

Holmes said he wouldn't call those disappearance, rather that people who previously worked with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam were "still being identified" and put into "rehabilitation camps." Video here, from Minute 21:31. Holmes put the number at "ten to eleven thousand," fewer that those the Red Cross has been allowed to visit. Again, what about accountability? Watch this site.

From the US Mission's transcript:

Inner City Press: Parliamentarians from 29 countries have written to the Council asking for them to setup a commission of inquiry on what the call crimes against humanity committed by the military government of Myanmar/Burma. I’m wondering if you received that and what you think of it. And the State Department report on Sri Lanka that seemed to allege war crimes. What’s the next steps for the State Department on Mr. Rapp’s report? What steps are going to be taken?

Ambassador Rice: I have not seen the letter you reference on Burma so I won’t comment. With respect to Sri Lanka, and frankly other instances of alleged and definite human rights abuses, we will examine these with seriousness internally, and look at what steps we might take bilaterally to reflect those concerns, with respect to any nation. And the President in his remarks in Oslo mentioned today Zimbabwe, Sudan and Burma specifically. And obviously we will continue our discussions here in the United Nations and in Geneva at the Human Rights Council on what action might be desirable and feasible multilaterally. Thank you.

For more, see this same authors piece on Sri Lanka in John Hopkins University's "SAIS Review," Summer-Fall 2009...

And see, www.innercitypress.com/lanka1hrusun121009.html

At UN, Holmes Denies UK Slows Somali Aid, Five Small CERF Deadbeats, HSBC for Gaza

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/cerf1somalia120909.html

UNITED NATIONS, December 9 -- The UN's humanitarian coordinator John Holmes, in his previous life a UK diplomat, on Wednesday told the Press that he is "not aware that the UK government has followed [the] example" of the United States in slowing aid to Somalia following concerns of diversion. Video here, from Minute 4:48.

But on December 8, the Office in Charge for Somalia of the Food and Agriculture Organization, Graham Farmer, told the Press that not only the U.S., but also the UK have slowed their aid based on these concerns.

The UK's Minister of State for International Development Gareth Thomas, speaking to the Press earlier on December 9, was asked for the UK's position on the claim by the African Group that they had been promised the number two post in the UN Development Program. He declined to comment on the fact that the UNDP top was given this week to Rebecca Grynspan, a decidedly non African Costa Rican.

In response to another question, about his praise of Fair Trade certification for the Nestle Kit Kat chocolate bar despite non governmental organizations' call for a boycott of Nestle for child labor, water overuse and breast milk issues, he said the government is trying to get UK supermarkets to source six percent of their goods from Africa. Video here, from Minute 13:12.

He also would not comment on the UK's attempts in the UN's Fifth Committee to change the "scale of assessment" to pay relatively less into the UN's budget.

On Holmes' office's chart of donors to the UN Central Emergency Relief Fund, the UK is on top, albeit paying 15% less in 2009 that in 2007 and 2008. At the bottom of the list are several relatively small countries such has Tuvalu, Benin and St. Lucia which have given one or two thousand dollars. Holmes said these are signs of political support.

The Maldives, much in the news these days for having its ministers meet underwater to publicize climate change, pledged a thousand dollars in both 2007 and 2008, but has not paid on either pledge. El Salvador pledge two thousand dollars in 2007 but still has not paid. The other "deadbeats," as reporters called them, are Djibouti, Haiti and Mongolia. The last of these has sent doctors to Darfur.

On the corporate side, HSBC Bank Middle East Limited contributed $10,000. Inner City Press asked Holmes about it, and he said "I think there's a link there probably to Gaza." Video here, from Minute 6:14.

HSBC is known to have branches in the unregulated Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Meanwhile, UNICEF uses a bank on the terror sanctions list, just as UNRWA was exposed as doing earlier this year. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/cerf1somalia120909.html

UN Did Not Vet Nepal's "Killer Major" Who's Still in Chad, Misplaced Trust in TCCs

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/dpko1nepal120909.html

UNITED NATIONS, December 9 -- When a peacekeeping serving with the UN is accused of torture and murder, what happens? He or she is sent back to their country.

For a week now Inner City Press has asked the UN about Nepalese Major Niranjan Basnet, serving with the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Chad, accused of the torture and rape of a 15 year old girl. Nepal sent him on the UN mission, for which they get paid, knowing of the allegations against him.

The UN's chief of peacekeeping Alain Le Roy on Wednesday told Inner City Press that Basnet "is being repatriated... in the next 48 hours," that all the remains is to "make the plane ticket." Inner City Press asked how the UN vets such people before sending them out among vulnerable people with the UN's blue helmet and immunity. Video here, from Minute 48:01.

Le Roy said that senior officials are vetted, while for lower level people, the UN relies on the Troop Contributing Country. Inner City Press asked, "how senior?" then what the UN does when a TCC tries to game the system like here: Nepal knew of the allegations against Basnet, and sent him at a lower level to escape scrutiny. Video here, from Minute 51:03

The UN's head of Field Support Susana Malcorra specified that all "individual" deployments, regardless of rank, are vetted by the UN. This appears to be limited to force commanders and their deputies -- even so, the UN let in as deputy in Darfur a Rwandan changed with war crimes. In apparent exchange for not renewing his service, the UN gave Rwanda the higher, Force Commander post, being vacated by Nigerian Martin Luther Agwai.

This led Nigeria to threaten to pull its troops from Darfur unless it got the Special Representative job, which was was just awarded in the form of Ibrahim Gambari, Nigeria's former ambassador to the UN. And so it goes.

On December 3, Inner City Press asked

Inner City Press: Marie, I wanted to know if you can confirm that a Nepalese major serving in MINURCAT, Niranjan Basnet, who was found guilty of both murder and torture in Nepal is being repatriated from the mission and Nepalese media accounts say that the UN only vets senior officials, therefore didn’t vet this major despite the charges that were swirling around him at the time he was deployed. It’s reported that DPKO has decided to send him back. Is that true?

Deputy Spokesperson Okabe: I think we’re waiting for some updates from DPKO on that issue, but I haven’t seen any yet. So if they’re listening, please send it down.

It was the next day, December 4, that the UN read out this:

And in response to another question yesterday about the deployment of a Nepalese officer to the UN Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT), DPKO (Department of Peacekeeping Operations) has provided us with the following information:

DPKO vets all senior appointments to its missions. However, with more than 115,000 personnel currently in the field, it is impossible to vet each and every peacekeeper deployed. Therefore, the United Nations relies on its troop- and police-contributing countries -- which ultimately have the mandated responsibility for the good conduct, order and discipline of their forces -- to screen all contingent members nominated to take part in peacekeeping operations in accordance with international norms and standards.

With regard to this specific case, due to the serious nature of the allegations against Major Niranjan Basnet, who was deployed as a member of the Nepalese contingent, a decision has been made to repatriate him immediately.

But five days later, when Inner City Press asked Alain Le Roy, Basnet had still not been repatriated. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/dpko1nepal120909.html

At UN, Downer Says Anti-Obama Op-Ed Has No Effect on Cyprus Work with U.S., Coal Role

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/uncyp3conflicts120909.html

UNITED NATIONS, December 9 -- Alexander Downer, alongside being the UN Special Adviser on Cyprus, works for the consultancy Bespoke Approach, serves as a director of Hong Kong based mining firm ResourceHouse and its China First coal, and writes op-eds, most recently saying Barrack Obama should not have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Inner City Press asked Downer on December 9 if this op-ed had any effect on his discussion for the UN with Obama's Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, with whom he met about Cyprus on December 8. Downer laughed and said, "Of course not! No such thing was discussed." .

But the question isn't whether Hillary Clinton brought up the op-ed: it's whether it has any impact of Downer's effectiveness for the UN on the Cyprus issue. Another correspondent pointed out that Downer had offered the Press nearly exactly the same upbeat assessment of the talks back in May. Has any progress been made?

Previously, Inner City Press has asked Downer and the UN what safeguards are in place to avoid any conflict of interest between Downer's work for the consultancy Bespoke Approach and his UN role. Downer scoffed that Cyprus doesn't have much business. But of course, Turkey and Greece have a stake in Cyprus, and both have big business. In fact, while KKR lists Bespoke Approach as an Easter affiliate, KKR has business interests in Turkey. So where are the safeguards?

Downer is also on the board of directors of ResourceHouse, which is raising funds for a China director coal mine in Australia. Inner City Press asked Downer, in this light, to comment on the UN climate change negotiations in Copenhagen.

Downer against laughed, saying that his Cyprus role does not involve climate change. How about his China First Coal role?

Ironically, in a press conference the same day the head of UN peacekeeping argued that all UN peacekeeping mission are impacted by climate change. But Downer, without responding to the question about China First Coal, said that his personal hope is that the negotiations succeed. And that an $2.25 will get you on the subway in New York: appointments with Bespoke Approach cost more. Watch this site.

Footnote: the UN's force commander in Cyprus is slated to be changed in the Spring of 2010. A question at the stakeout about Slovakia's public claim to be lobbying for the position yielded no answer, except that the process takes place in New York. We will follow this.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/uncyp3conflicts120909.html

At UN, Mr. Sha's Meltdown Unseen or Excused, Congo Question Dangles, The Who Recalled

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/unspox1shago120809.html

UNITED NATIONS, December 8 -- A poster denouncing China's censorship of the Internet was removed by the UN last month from its Internet Governance Forum event in Egypt in a widely publicized event. Also during the conference, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's Under Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs Sha Zukang told the audience that while he knew "I am offending everyone, I do not care, at all!" Video here, from Minute 1:40.

Mr. Ban new spokesman Martin Nesirky was asked about the incidents on December 8:

Inner City Press: Under-Secretary-General Sha [Zukang] was at this Internet Governance Forum in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Now somebody has posted on YouTube footage of him gabbling and saying, complaining about the security at the conference and saying “I don’t care if I’m being rude”. Some have described him as sort of losing it. I wanted to know whether the Secretary-General, was he aware of that and what…? This was a conference at which a poster about Chinese Internet censorship was removed. Some on the online world are saying it was a new low. But I’m just wondering whether the Secretary-General was aware of that or that just takes place out there.

Spokesperson Nesirky: Well, as you know, Matthew, there is an awful lot out there online, and I can’t imagine that it would be fair to assume that the Secretary-General is aware of absolutely everything that’s online out there all the time. So we’ll need to take a look at that and then we can get back to you. But thanks for raising it. Any further questions? Okay, thank you very much.

Twelve hours later, Mr. Nesirky had not "gotten back" to Inner City Press with anything about the incidents, nor about the Secretary General's report on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, see below

Inner City Press: In your summary of the Secretary-General’s new report on the Democratic Republic of the Congo that the country is largely at peace, I believe you said it was in the Kivu, and maybe Ituri? What was the second?

Spokesperson Nesirky: I think it was Orientale. Orientale.

Inner City Press: Okay, because there are these reports in Equateur Province of the Government now sending 500 commandos and MONUC sending 120 to try and put down unrest. I’m just wondering is it that the UN doesn’t see that as… Is that the second reference or do they not see that as being significant on an ongoing basis? There was a helicopter, UN helicopter shot at recently there. Just wondering…

Spokesperson Nesirky: Let me check on that, Matthew. I’ll come back to you.

Given the wide availability of reports of unrest in Dongo in Equateur including a UN helicopter being fired at, as reported by Reuters, and given top UN Peacekeeper Alain Le Roy's personal commitment that his department would quickly answer questions going forward, it would seem this question could have been answered in less than twelve hours.

While some mutter the old Who lyric "meet the new boss, same as the old boss," Mr. Le Roy will appear as the guest as Wednesday's noon briefing. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unspox1shago120809.html

In Somali Chaos, Japan and Germany Offer Separate Training, U.S. Cuts Aid

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/unon1somalia120809.html

UNITED NATIONS, December 8 -- Mirroring the chaos of the Transitional Federal Government in Somalia, donors and vultures and purported helpers are all working at cross purposes. Among the vultures we place a company called "Phoenix," which brags of having contracts with the TFG to train security forces in Jordan for deployment in Somalia. We will have more on this.

Meanwhile while the UN claims that it alone is authorized to train Somali forces, a senior UN official on Tuesday complained to Inner City Press that Japan and Germany are moving toward doing their own trainings, outside of Somalia.

This has reportedly angered the UN's envoy to Somalia Ahmedou Ould Abdullah enough that he has traveled to Tokyo. His spokesperson has repeatedly declined to answer questions from Inner City Press in the past.

Three top UN humanitarian managers for Somalia briefed the Press on Tuesday, about shortfalls in fundraising. Inner City Press asked if they have solved their dispute with the United States, which slowed aid because transfers to Al Shabaab would violate U.S. anti terrorism laws. Mark Bowden, the UN's Nairobi based humanitarian coordinator, confirmed his talks with "donors," stressing that time is of the essence.

Inner City Press asked Bowden about the UN urging the TFG president not to fire the police chief of Mogadishu, which nevertheless took place. Bowden confirmed the UN has concerned, but said they "come from the political side." Then what is Ould Abdullah doing in Japan?

In belated disclosure of how the TFG's parliamentarians were paid, Inner City Press was told that when the parliament contained 250 members, countries including the U.S., UK and Norway paid their salaries. When the parliament swelled to 500, the UN Development Program started paying, Inner City Press was told. UNDP itself has repeatedly refused to answer questions about its funding in Somalia.

Al Shabaab has ordered the UN World Food Program to stop importing food, to buy locally or not bring food in. The Food and Agriculture Organization's Graham Farmer conceded that bringing in food aid during the harvest season depresses the prices farmers get.

Does WFP buy locally in Somalia? Farmer said WFP tries to buy locally elsewhere, but does not do so in Somalia. Why not? Watch this site.

Footnote: Bowden's press conference was delayed, a spokesperson said, because he was blocked at the UN's visitors' entrance. Afterwards, Bowden told Inner City Press he showed his pass from the UN Office in Nairobi, but that this wasn't accepted at the UN in New York. Ironically, Kentucky Fried Chicken's Colonel Sanders impersonator got into the building with no problem, but the UN's humanitarian coordinator for Somalia was stopped...

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unon1somalia120809.html

UN's Corporate Abuse at Copenhagen, Goodyear Tires, Telsa Test Drives, Petrochemicals

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/uncope7offmessage120809.html

UNITED NATIONS, December 8 -- As 15,000 climate change conference participants fly into Copenhagen, corporations stand to profit whether or not the deal is sealed, sometimes by outright lying.

In a final pre-conference press conference in New York on December 4, the UN's Janos Pasztor painted a relentlessly upbeat picture of "Hopenhagen." Inner City Press asked, based off an article in a trade publication, if Goodyear would in fact be displaying tires inside the convention hall.

Yes, Pasztor said, there will be exhibitions. What about a claim by Bahrain's Gulf Petrochemical Industries that it is an "official sponsor" of the Copenhagen conference? Pasztor said he hadn't heard of the claim, that that the UN conference has no corporate sponsors.

After the press conference, Inner City Press showed Pasztor the press release. We'll see. Since the question, while the Gulf Petrochemical Industries' press release has not been withdrawn, Telsa Motors has announced it will provide test drives of cars at the Belsa Center.

Inner City Press also asked Pasztor how many UN system officials, staff and consultants will be attending the Copenhagen meetings. Pasztor wouldn't provide a number, instead saying that it wouldn't be clear until the conference started.

But when UN spokesman Martin Nesirky was asked the same question on December 7, the first day of the conference, he did not provide an answer, at the briefing or in the 12 hours after.

To the spokesman for General Assembly President Ali Treki Inner City Press asked:

Inner City Press: is the President, is Ali Treki going to go to Copenhagen at any point?

Spokesperson Nkolo: No. Unless this changes in the next few days, no he is not going.

Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/uncope7offmessage120809.html

As a Ban Reform Dies, UN Refuses to Provide Comment or Costs

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/ban1ohrm120709.html

UNITED NATIONS, December 7 -- This UN brags extensively about what it considers its successes, but has not comment on and tries to prevent the reporting of its failures. The most recent case in point is the unceremonious withdrawal of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's proposal to move the UN from permanent contracts to so-called continuing contracts. The UN Staff Union has argued this undermines the independence of the international civil service. Member states before voting on it requested information about its costs.

On December 3, Inner City Press was informed that the Secretariat has withdrawn its continuing contracts human resources proposal. While the head of the UN's Department of Management has previously told Inner City Press in writing that she does not have time to answer press questions, the head of the Office of Human Resource Management Catherine Pollard as recently as late November answered a question about a karaoke party held in her office at four p.m. on an afternoon.

So seeking confirmation and comment, Inner City Press wrote to Assistant Secretary General Pollard:

hello. I understand that the Secretariat with withdrawn its report on Human Resource Management. Can you please comment? I am on deadline. Also, I believe you have reviewed the "procurement painter" case mentioned in my last e-mail to you. Can you state why this raises no issues regarding UN recruitment and promotion practices? Thanks. -Matthew

The request for confirmation and comment was received by Ms. Pollard's office:

Return Receipt

Your Re: Press question(s) document: was received by:Lourdes Quiogue/NY/UNO

at: 12/03/2009 05:51:47 PM

But no response was received, on December 3 or 4 or 7. On December 7, then, Inner City Press asked new Spokesman Martin Nesirky:

Inner City Press: There is a proposal by the Secretary-General about human resources management; continuing contracts. He made a big proposal to change permanent contracts into something else. I’ve just heard that it’s been withdrawn, that the proposal was no longer being put forward. Can you, I guess speak to Angela Kane or …?

Spokesperson Nesirky: Let’s see what we can find out.

Later on December 7, Inner City Press reiterated to Mr. Nesirky that the UN's response should be send by email. But by midnight on December 7, the UN had provided neither confirmation nor a comment.

A UN meetings coverage press release states that the Budget Committee

turned to a draft decision on the provisional staff rules (document A/C.5/64/L.9), submitted by MUHAMMAD A. MUHITH (Bangladesh) on behalf of the Chair, by which the Assembly would decides that the Staff Rules, as referred to in the report of the Secretary-General, should remain provisional pending their further consideration at its sixty-fifth session.

CATHERINE POLLARD, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management, said the Secretary-General’s proposals were made in response to a request from the General Assembly last year, as part of its review of United Nations contractual reform. The report addressed the Assembly’s full range of concerns. However, it had become apparent from the Secretariat’s deliberations with the ACABQ and the Fifth Committee that the Office of Human Resources Management was not in a position to answer their questions on data on continuing needs. Since it was unable to provide the necessary responses required by the Committee to conclude its consideration of the item, the report on implementation of continuing appointments (document A/64/267) would be withdrawn and a new report would supersede it. The Committee was to be briefed on the issue during its first resumed session in March 2010.

The Committee adopted the decision without a vote.

The representative of Sweden, speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated States, said the European Union’s stated aim had been to carefully study the proposals on continuing appointments in order to take a well-informed decision. It was of great importance to complete the reform regime that was adopted by the Assembly at its previous session. The European Union was aware of the expectations of United Nations personnel, the Organization’s most important asset, and was ready to engage constructively to ensure that the new contractual system met the needs of both the Organization and its staff. At informals, the European Union had asked for clarifications and supplementary information, and learned that the Secretariat was not in a position to provide that information. The Secretariat had indicated its intention to brief the Committee at the first resumed session in March next year. While disappointed, the European Union appreciated the Secretariat’s frankness and open approach.

Sudan’s representative, speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, expressed deep disappointment over the handling of this crucial issue. The Secretariat’s inability to answer questions raised by Member States was a major source of concern and surprise. Indeed, the Assembly had firmly intended to take a decision on the final step of the new contractual framework and the Secretariat had almost a year to prepare. Ensuring the well-being of the Organization’s staff was of utmost concern to the Group of 77 and China, and it approached today’s decision to postpone consideration of implementing continuing appointments with concern.

So this was and is a setback for a reform proposal loudly announced by the UN Secretariat. Apparently the Secretariat hopes that the press does not cover the budget committee, and that by refusing to confirm what it said in the committee, there will be no outside coverage. This is a reason why this UN, even inside the UN, lack credibility. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/ban1ohrm120709.html

As Sudan Claims "Unrelenting Backing" of UN's Ban, Spokesman Snarks, Dodges

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/banos1sudan120709.html

UNITED NATIONS, December 7, updated -- Indicted war criminal Omar al Bashir received the "unrelenting backing" of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon during a December 6 phone call, Sudanese media has reported.

Inner City Press asked Mr. Ban's new spokesman Martin Nesirky about this call and characterization, among other questions on December 7, his first day. Video here, from Minute 16:08.

Mr. Nesirky said that Ban's call was "purely on humanitarian grounds," about two UN hostages in Sudan. He acknowledged that the appointment of Ibrahim Gambari as the UN's and African Union's envoy to Sudan was also discussed. So how, some wondered, can the call be legitimately characterized as "purely" humanitarian?

Inner City Press asked about advise by the UN's own Office of Legal Affairs, that Ban avoid Bashir since his indictment by the International Criminal Court. Nesirky that it is "right" that their was advice to retain a distance, but this was "purely humanitarian." He confirmed that it was the first call from Ban to Bashir since the ICC indictment.

Pressed about the Sudan's state media's quote of Ban's "unrelenting backing" of Bashir, Nesirky snarked, to some refreshingly, "Listen to me, not the Sudanese media."

His other answers were less clear. Inner City Press asked if Darfur envoy designate Gambari, in his December 7 speech in Nigeria about that country's leadership, was speaking for the UN, or being paid that day by the UN. Nesirky said during the briefing he would look into it, and reiterated later on Monday that an answer was in the works. But after the lid was called, after 7 p.m. no answer had arrived.

Inner City Press asked if the UN joined the call by ECOWAS that the military junta in Guinea must leave power. Nesirky responded with a statement of concern, but no direct response to the regional ECOWAS position. On the Secretariat's withdrawal of its human resources proposal for "continuing" rather than permanent contracts, Nesirky said he'd respond later.

On the UN's Congo Experts' report, which links the UN Mission in the Congo with murderous former rebel units of the Congo's army, Nesirky said "ask the expert," who in fact claims to be independent from the UN. The expert brought a Secretariat employee, who refused to answer but rather passed notes to the Expert. So much for independence. Click here for that, and watch this site.

Update of December 8, 2009 -- a day later, Spokesman Nesirky answered

Some questions from yesterday. I have some answers. I was asked about a trip that Ibrahim Gambari made to attend a meeting in Nigeria. Mr. Gambari was on annual leave at the time and he attended that meeting in his personal capacity.

Gambari's Myanmar spokesperson also called to say the same, adding that the 38th floor was aware of Gambari's plans.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/banos1sudan120709.html

UN's Congo Expert Covers Up for MONUC, Chides Press He Was With Under Other Name

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/drc1unexpert120709.html

UNITED NATIONS, December 7 -- The coordinator of the ostensibly independent UN Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo appeared in the UN briefing room on Monday to criticize the Press for focusing on portions of the Experts' report which show the UN working with murderous former rebels engaged in Congo mining. Video here.

Even before the press conference, Dinesh Mahtani on December 4 declined to answer on the record Inner City Press' questions about the UN's role in providing logistical support to units of the Congolese army which were until recently the rebel forces of Laurent Nkunda and indicted war criminal Jean Bosco Ntanganda.

In a large conference call at the German Mission to the UN, filled with an audience of several dozen, Mahtani said "I can't speak on the record," and referred Inner City Press to his press conference on Monday. Dinesh was introduced, by former head of UN Peacekeeping Jean Marie Guehenno, as having been a journalist in the past. Guehenno also declined to answer questions.

Three days later, when Mahtani took to the UN's rostrum accompanied by an employee of the UN's Department of Political Affairs, he emphasized that the Group is independent. He criticized press accounts of his report, previously leaked to Reuters, BBC and others in Kinshasa, which emphasized on the findings against the UN.

He said the report, now available online here, is mostly about two groups, the FDLR and the CNDP, that latter of which has become a part of the Congolese army. The UN's Mission in the Congo, MONUC, provides logistical support to these former CNDP units, for example one led by Innocent Zimurinda, who identified as Zimulinda is charged by UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston with murder and multiple rapes.

Inner City Press asked Mahtani if he believes the UN should be working for example with these "Innocent" units. Mahtani replied that his report mentions Zimurinda several times. But should the UN be working with him?

From there, things got more surreal. Mahtani told one long time wire service correspondent that her question was "strange." Dinesh Mahtani, as it happens, reported from the DRC for Reuters, on other monkey business, under the name Dino Mahtani. Why so defensive?

Mahtani also defended China, which is named in the report as flying in weapons without accounting for them to the UN Sanctions Committee. Defending itself is the company Niotan, identified as a wrong-doer in the report: it claims it has another name, Refractory Metals Mining Company Limited. Sort of like Zimulina and a certain Mahtani... To be continued.

Footnote: the Report at paragraph 119 zeroes in on a Western Union transfer to "the program manager of the Ahadi Institute, Edison Bashimbe Nshombo [whose wife] reportedly administers medical treatment to wounded FDLR in the region." But, hat tip CanWest, the Ahadi Institute has as a supporter the UN's own UNESCO, click here for that, and watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/drc1unexpert120709.html