At the UN, As Johnston Barkat's Selection as Ombudsman Is Protested, A Letter Is Lost, A C.V. Is Padded, Staff Union Says

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un1ombudsman031908.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 19 -- A new UN Ombudsman was announced late last week, Johnston Barkat, selected through a process which had already been protested to the Secretariat by the union of UN Staff, who the Ombudsman is supposed to serve. On Wednesday Inner City Press asked UN Spokesperson Michele Montas about claims that Mr. Barkat embellished his resume, and out the objections to the selection process having excluded the view of UN staff in New York. Ms. Montas said she would look into it. Hours later, one of her staffers e-mailed Inner City Press, "you asked if the SG received a letter from the staff union on the Johnston Barkat appointment. The answer is no."

Not only does Inner City Press have a copy of the letter protesting the appointment process -- the letter has been and is on the Staff Union's web site, click here to view. The letter states it is "a formal objection to the selection process," and states the reasons for the protest. So did the Secretary-General and even his spokesperson's office not read the letter?

Perhaps the trick is that the Staff Union letter was addressed to the Deputy Secretary-General, allowing the Spokesperson's Office to say that the Secretary-General has not received any protest. But he put the DSG in charge of the issue, and of a task force that, it is reported, is to testify to the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly. Just as the UN now seems to have problems transmitting letter from UNDP in Myanmar to UN Headquarters in New York, is there now some problem in a building moving from the DSG to the SG?

The Staff Union's beef for Barkat's resume is that while they say he claimed to have been ombudsman for 2000 staffers at Pace University in New York, that school only has some 300 staffers. All of the rest are part-time or adjuncts, so they say the use of the number is misleading. While the Spokesperson on Wednesday said she didn't know what will happen next, the first step, it seems clear, must be to admit that the protest has been received. Watch this site.

Footnote: Beyond the online protest letter, the Under Secretary General for Management has had meetings on precisely this topic, opposition to the process which selected Mr. Barkat. Is what's said to -- and by -- this USG not attributable to the S-G? Further on the rumor that she will be leaving New York, it's pointed out that the appointment of Susana Malcorra of Argentina as USG for the Department of Field Support makes the decamping all the more likely. In this scenario, the replacement rather than Jane Holl Lute is said to be a German -- some say, groaning, from UNMIK in Pristina; other says from Vienna, though that may be OHRM. Ah, bureaucracy. But who on the 38th floor is paying attention, or even reading and passing on their mail? Developing.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1ombudsman031908.html

UN's Top Official Srgjan Kerim Accepts Outside Funding, Calls for Reform Which the UK Supports

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un1pgafunding031808.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 18 -- The current President of the UN General Assembly, Srjgan Kerim, has his living costs and rent paid by the government of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, which also arranged with Mr. Kerim's employer, the WAZ media group, to keep him under contract even while he serves at the UN. Having gotten these arrangements confirmed by Kerim's spokesman, Inner City Press on Tuesday asked Kerim if this might present a conflict of interest, and what he would propose.

"It is the right of those who pay to ask favors," Kerim candidly responded, calling the situation "unbearable." He said he will instruct the two facilitators of the General Assembly revitalization resolution to raise the issue. Inner City Press asked the United Kingdom's Permanent Representative John Sawers for the UK's view of the president of the General Assembly accepting funding from his government or a private corporation. "There are certain things in this building that are out of date," Ambassador Sawers replied, calling such funding an "unusual situation, inherited over the years." He said the UK would in principle support a GA resolution to address the issue.

Ascertaining the financing of the current President of the GA has taken several rounds of questions, not all of which have been answered. Last month, Inner City Press' questions (video here, from Minute 33:31) led his spokesman to state that "no, the President has not requested a credit card, he inquired... about his entitlements including also any entitlements and obligations covering family members. He has not made any request for car and security for his wife."

Inner City Press followed up with a question about Kerim's rent at Essex House, his arrangement with the WAZ media group, and even if he has asked that his lunches in the UN's Delegates Dining Room be paid for. This resulted in a confirmation that "it is the Government of Macedonia that covers the cost of the President's accommodation in New York and also provides him with income to cover his living costs." Inner City Press' request to know how the size of these payments was not answered by the spokesman. Rather, even before Kerim's in-person call for reform, a written response was provided to Inner City Press that "the General Assembly President should be covered through the regular UN budget. He believes that as a matter of principle and logic this should be the case to clearly indicate that the President is fully accountable to the General Assembly and not to his / her sending Government."

Ironically, while Mr. Kerim while running for the presidency committed to call his country by its UN name, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia or FYROM, since assuming office he has repeatedly called it Macedonia, including in the written responses provided to Inner City Press. He visited, as a personal trip, the country's incoming honorary consul in Naples, Florida, a trip that Inner City Press covered. (Inner City Press has covered Kerim's views on UN ethics, the budget, climate change and vows of transparency.)

To his credit, Kerim on Tuesday did not deny that funders ask for favors. "We cannot leave it to character," he said, asking "who can guarantee that every President will show resistance" to such pressure? He emphasized that the PGA is the only UN official elected by all member states, hence the UN's top official. He said that Article 21 of the UN Charter directs the General Assembly to make rules for the office of the President of the General Assembly, but the GA has provided neither guidance nor funding. Kerim says he is asking for a change, and the UK for one says it will in principle support the request. We'll see.

Footnote: Speaking just after the General Assembly's end of the year budget vote, Kerim suggested that the agenda item on "GA revitalization" should be replaced with the notion of the Assembly's role in "strengthening the United Nations system," and said "how well this Assembly performs depends on the Member States... when you are active and engaged, it allows any President of the Assembly to show leadership." This issue of removing the Office of the President of the GA from an anachronistic conflict of interest position will require leadership to solve. Presidents only serve for one year, making structural changes hard to accomplish. Kerim has at least admitted publicly that there is a problem. Now, will there be a solution? Will Ban Ki-moon, with a longer tenure than Kerim to solve this problem, get involved?

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1pgafunding031808.html

UN's Kosovo Rules of Engagement Questioned as Chain of Command is Retraced, from Larry Rossin back to NY

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un2kosovo031808.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 18 -- In the aftermath of the UN Mission in Kosovo sustaining at least one death while battling ethnic Serbs, questions are multiplying about who gave the order to retake the contested courthouse in northern Mitrovica, and what the UN's rules of engagement were. At Tuesday's noon briefing at UN headquarters, Inner City Press asked "who in UNMIK said, let's retake the courthouse?"

Spokesperson Michele Montas said, "we can try to retrace the chain of command. But, the fact that UN police left and KFOR stayed is part of the standard procedures we have on our agreements for escalating violent circumstances, where police alone cannot maintain law and order. And UNMIK and KFOR will consult on when to end the temporary departure of UN police from north Mitrovica."

While still waiting for this retracing of the chain of command -- sources tell Inner City Press that some high in UN Headquarters are questioning UNMIK's judgment -- the follow-up noted both Ihor Kynal, the "Ukrainian UNMIK police officer who is dead and that's terrible" as well as a "Serb who was shot in the head and is in critical care. Is it known who shot? Is that within UNMIK? Is that part of the UNMIK action or KFOR action?"

Spokesperson Michele Montas said, "I cannot confirm this at this point." And 12 hours later, whose bullet it was remained unconfirmed. The shot "Serb demonstrator" has been identified by the local press as a former Kosovo police officer with three children.

In terms of the "chain of command," deputy SRSG Larry Rossin has said "I authorized the operation that took place early Monday morning." And he has pointed the finger, or the chain, right back to New York, saying "We have instructions from our Secretary-General that we are to maintain the exclusive executive authority of the SRSG throughout Kosovo." Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un2kosovo031808.html

UN Is Grilled in DC, As Opponent of Free Press and Bloggers, UNIC Claims Not to Lobby Congress

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/unic1dc031708.html

WASHINGTON, March 17 -- There is a UN Information Center, pronounced eunuch, in the U.S. capital, and on Monday its director William Davis promised that the UN does not lobby. This he defined as explicitly supporting pending legislation, or openly requesting contributions to the UN. He was asked why his office tells only positive stories; he was asked to explain actions of the UN Development Program ranging from support of dictators to crackdowns on the press, via press release, lobbying against media accreditation and bad-mouthing of particular news outlets. Davis said he is not an expert on the dictatorship and retaliation issues. He said, with an explicit reference to Inner City Press, that the UN is struggling to enter the twenty-first century and determine how to handle bloggers, to determine if they are credible and if they "overtake regular relations with the working press."

On this, Inner City Press has obtained the UN's internal background paper on Media Accreditation and New Media, which opines that blogs "are essentially about providing opinion and stimulating debate. They are not subject to the same editorial and legal vetted as traditional media and do not function according to normal journalistic practices and standards. With its infinite capacity to shift, change or cease operations entirely, it is more difficult for an organization to ensure accountability from a blog."

Whether the UN is any judge of journalistic standards, when its in-house faux news operation routine deletes any controversial reference at the request of member states, is dubious to many. The UN's credibility was questioned at an event on Monday in Washington, by the Government Accountability Project, among others. Click here to view, here for MP3. GAP's Beatrice Edwards said that when the UN tries cut out the free press, it is no more than a powerful and wealth and lawless organization. Whistleblowers, she said, are best off leaking information to the Press, particularly after what she called Ban Ki-moon's "huge leap backwards" last year when he allowed UNDP to escape the jurisdiction of the UN Ethics Office and its protections against retaliation.

Another panelist, Claudia Rosett, recounted the UN's delayed and mendacious responses to her questions, most recently a refusal by the UN Office of Drugs and Crime to disclose which countries are on its Executive Board. This should be not surprising, given the UNODC director Costa has also failed to file his long-promised "Compact" regarding the UN Office in Vienna, which he heads. Months ago, Inner City Press was told this was just a temporary scheduling glitch. But still the report has not gone online. Ms. Rosett said that UN millennial poverty advisor Jeffrey Sachs has not even put online any statement that he will not disclose his finances. Davis listened to this, but did not disagree.

Both GAP's Bea Edwards and Claudia Rosett nodded toward UNDP as the likely complainant to Google to get Inner City Press de-listed from Google News. "Maybe there's a guy on Mars," Ms. Rosett said, "who knows Google's policies, the make-up of the UN press corps, and how to get Inner City Press delisted. A pitch was made for pro bono public interest representation to pursue the question in court. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unic1dc031708.html

As UN's Ms. Ahlenius Withholds "Her" Report, UN Business Seminars Benefit Rich Countries

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un1oiosgrimstad031108.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 11 -- "It's my document, for my perusal," chief UN investigator Inga-Britt Ahlenius told Inner City Press on Tuesday, by way of explaining her decision to withhold all copies of a report on her agency, the Office of Internal Oversight Services, and its embattled Investigative Division. The UN's Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions noted that "the Committee did not have the benefit of access to the review itself, as OIOS declined to provide it."

Since Ms. Ahlenius is on record stating that she wishes more of her reports could be public, if only the UN's General Assembly would let her, Inner City Press asked both at Tuesday's UN noon briefing and then to Ms. Ahlenius directly what the basis is for this withholding. The UN Spokesperson said that the question would be passed on to OIOS (video here), but in the UN's basement just before five p.m. Ms. Ahlenius said she'd not yet seen the question. Inner City Press repeated, why is the report being withheld? "I am accountable to the Fifth Committee" of the General Assembly, she said, emphasizing that the consultant who prepared the review does not have to report to the Fifth Committee (Budgetary and Administrative).

But who paid for the report? On these questions, who watches the watchers? Who will do the auditing?

Ms. Ahlenius was exiting a meeting about procurement, at which for example the Russian delegate denounced the UN's no-bid $250 million contract with Lockheed Martin for infrastructure for the Darfur peacekeeping mission. Ms. Ahlenius' OIOS was directed by a December 18, 2007 General Assembly vote to investigate this contract and the waiving of competitive bidding and hiring rules in Darfur. Ms. Ahlenius has yet to give any substantive update on this inquiry; Tuesday she again appeared not eager to answer any questions. So much for transparency.

At Tuesday's meeting, the UN's acting chief procurement official Paul Buades listened to member states complaints, not only about the Lockheed Martin no-bid contracts but also about so-called business seminar, for which host nations can pay for the travel and "mission sustenance allowance" of UN staff. The delegate of Brazil noted that this favors rich countries, and raises "ethical issues." On this and most other topics, Mr. Buades said he would be replying in "informal" session -- that is, out of the public eye.

And on the most basic of procurement issues, which company has the contract for UN helicopters in Nepal, one of which crashed eight days ago, the UN has still refused to answer, despite Inner City Press asking yet again at Tuesday's noon briefing. While the UN to its credit has set up an online condolence book for the ten people killed when the helicopter went down, to stonewall all requests for information underlying the crash is, so far, a troubling memorial.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1oiosgrimstad031108.html

As Georgia Says Sochi Olympics May Not Happen, Russia Calls it Far-Fetched, Georgia Speaks of Abkhaz Trenches

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un1abkhazia031108.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 11 -- "I won't see any Sochi Olympics happening," Georgia's Permanent Representative to the UN Irakli Alasania told Inner City Press on Tuesday, "if destabilization in region" continues. Ambassador Alasania had criticized Russia's lifting of sanctions against Abkhazia, a move that some have related to the Winter Olympics planned for 2014 in Sochi, fifty miles from Abkhazia.

Inner City Press asked Amb. Alasania about a quote by the chairman of the Georgian parliament temporary commission for the restoration of territorial integrity, Shota Malashkhia, that "if Russia continues to act in the same manner as currently, the Sochi Olympics will resemble that in Moscow in 1980."

While declining to comment directly on the statements of the legislative branch, Amb. Alasania went beyond the implicit boycott call to say that the Olympics might have to be canceled altogether. If the destabilization on the ground continues, he said, "I don't see how the Olympics can proceed." Video here, from Minute 12:47.

Inner City Press asked U.S. Ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad about the Georgian statement that the Sochi Olympics might have to be cancelled. U.S. entertainer Mia Farrow has called for a boycott, citing Darfur, of the upcoming Beijing Olympics; filmmaker Steven Spielberg himself boycotted participation in the Games. After initially declining to say anything, Amb. Khalilzad when pressed said "I have no comment on that... with regards to the Olympics issues." Video here, from Minute 5:54

Afterwards another Council diplomat told Inner City Press that the idea of boycotting the Sochi Olympics due to a dispute about Abkhazia or South Ossetia was "reminiscent of the Cold War." But there are those who say a new Cold War is brewing.

Russia beat out South Korea to win the 2014 Winter Olympics. Inner City Press asked Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin about Amb. Alasania's statement that the Games might have to be cancelled. Amb. Churkin laughed and called it "a far-fetched statement... I'm surprised that he made it." Video here, from Minute 4:09. Then again, Russia claims that its lifting of sanctions on Abkhazia has nothing to do with other countries' recognition of Kosovo's declaration of independence.

Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, asked by Inner City Press about any link between Abkhazia and Kosovo said of the latter that as an '"ethnic" secession, Kosovo "is a first, which is another way of saying precedent... Precedents aren't announced, precedents just happen." Video here.

The commander of the Georgian peacekeeping operations, General Mamuka Kurashvili, has accused Russian peacekeepers in Abkhazia of digging new trenches. Inner City Press asked the UN Spokesperson at Tuesday's noon briefing if the UN Mission in Georgia had any information in this regard, and later received a response that " UNOMIG has sent patrols to most of the reported locations. In most cases, the reports proved false. At several Abkhaz posts UNOMIG observed that 'light' works had been carried out to improve fortifications. There were also increase in manning levels at the Abkhaz posts following the February 29 incident, in which three Abkhaz police officers were wounded by a mine; the levels returned to normal as of March 7."

When Inner City Press later on Tuesday told a Permanent Five Council member diplomat about this "light fortification" work, the response was that rather than Russia using Abkhazia to gain leverage vis-a-vis Kosovo, they are using Kosovo to do what they want in Abkhazia. Other than from Olympian heights, how would one know?

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1abkhazia031108.html

In Nepal, UN "Regrets Altercation" With Media, Seizes Film of Crash Site, Won't Name Contractor

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un5nepal030708.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 7 -- Four days after a helicopter serving the UN Mission in Nepal went down, killing all of those aboard, the UN in New York was unable or unwilling to even state what company the helicopter came from. Inner City Press has adduced that it is from the Russian firm Vertical T. A local report says that photographs of the crash site were confiscated: "asking the news crew not to shoot images of the crash site, UNMIN staff also took tapes of the crash site already shot by the media persons into their possession."

At Friday's noon briefing at UN headquarters, Inner City Press asked again for confirmation of the name of the contractor, and for a response to the reports of crack-down on journalists. While still refusing any procurement information, the UN spokesperson told Inner City Press by e-mail that "we regret that there was an altercation between members of the UNMIN team and media at the site of the helicopter crash, when members of the UNMIN team were attempting to recover the bodies of colleagues and to cover them before filming."

While the UN's use of this rationale always sounds lofty, the Federation of Nepalese Journalists and the International Press Institute's Nepal chapter both denounced the UN's "manhandling and misbehavior" and the confiscation of the tape of cameraman Bhola Thapa of Nepal TV.

A Russian-language report says the cause may have been a rocket-propelled grenade. Still the UN not said who will investigate the crash. The Nepali Minister of Civil Aviation, on whose web site it is reported that there was at least one previous UNMIN helicopter incident that went uninvestigated, generally makes public copies of its crash reports. Will that happen in this case? The secrecy to date, while par for the UN course, is inappropriate in this case.

Vertical T, sometimes spelled Vertikal T, which has amassed some 127 million in UN contracts, click here for some. Involved in this contracting has been the head of the UN's Field Procurement Section, Dmitry Dovgopoly, who is also central to the UN's award of no-bid contracts to military contractor Lockheed Martin. During the General Assembly's questioning of the $250 million non-competitive contract to Lockheed for Darfur peacekeeping camps, Inner City Press is told by sources that Procurement official Dmitry Dovgopoly had Ukraine's ambassador reach out to other countries' Permanent Representatives, urging them to cool off on inquiries into the Lockheed deal, given Dovgolopy's involvement.

Earlier this week, Inner City Press asked Dovgopoly to comment on another procurement irregularity in which he is involved, the changing of the final Request for Proposals for the follow-on Darfur infrastructure contract after a request from the French mission to the UN. Dovgopoly did not respond. And the UN spokesperson's office, even four days after the crash in Nepal, could or would not provide the name of the helicopter owner.

A Vertical T helicopter was previously shot down by the Taliban in Afghanistan, click here for that. Why would the UN have an interest in downplaying possible hostile fire at one of its helicopters in Nepal? Perhaps, one observer said, the UN can be too committed to a peace process -- or, as now explained, too committed to its version of acceptable journalism -- to the point of confiscating evidence or worse.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un5nepal030708.html

At UN, Developing Countries Demand Changes to Ban's Political Affairs Reforms

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un2dpajcc030708.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 7 -- Developing countries have taken strong exception to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's approach to political affairs, calling among other things for an increased focus on Africa and on development initiatives directed by the General Assembly, not only donor nations.

One day after the chief of Ban's Department of Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe told Inner City Press that most country don't link the proposal to reform DPA with a consonant increase in funding for development, the Joint Coordinating Committee of the Group of 77 and the Non-Aligned Movement wrote Pascoe an 11-page letter making just such a link. The March 6 letter directs Pascoe to amend his proposal by, among other things, requiring prior consent of member states before the opening of regional offices, and re-directing the requested funding boost for DPA to Africa. See Letter, obtained by Inner City Press and placed online here.

The letter requests the omission of two references to the UN Development Program, which G-77 member Ecuador this week told Inner City Press is too dominated by Northern donor countries. A deletion of the "One UN" proposal under which UNDP would gain control over other streams of funding is also requested in the letter.

On March 4, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesperson Michele Montas about opposition expressed by the Group of 77 to Pascoe's restructuring plan. Ms. Montas declined to answer, saying the question should be directed to Pascoe himself, slated to appear on March 5 to unveil a new, and now seemingly controversial, mediation support team to be administered by the Norwegian Refugee Committee. This end-run around UN rules can be seen as an attempt to avoid what the G-77 and NAM refer to in their letter as the primacy of the General Assembly.

In his March 5 press conference, Pascoe said that bypassing the GA's rules would provide desired "flexibility." When Inner City Press asked about criticism in the General Assembly of his restructuring proposal, Pascoe was dismissive, saying that after many meetings with select developing countries, most did not make any link with boosting UN development efforts. The next day, the link was made in the JCC letter requesting detailed amendments to the DPA proposal.

Sources tell Inner City Press that Pascoe, and presumably Ban Ki-moon behind him, are declining to make the requested changes. Whether they can expect approval of their already-delayed "DPA strengthening" proposal remains to be seen. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un2dpajcc030708.html

UN Master Plan Still Fuzzy On the Numbers, Dismissive of Skanska Scandal, But May Save Trees

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un2cmp030608.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 6 -- The head of the UN's Capital Master Plan, Michael Adlerstein, came Thursday to tell the press that the project is within its $1.867 billion budget, and that a new "swing space" has been leased at 380 Madison Avenue. The promise and premise of the briefing was that Adlerstein is keeping the public informed about all aspects of the project to, as he put it, avoid even the appearance of impropriety. But Adlerstein refused to state how much the UN will be paying in rent at 380 Madison; his office declined to answer Inner City Press' question of how much in "associated funding," beyond the $1.867 billion, is being sought from the UN General Assembly's Fifth Committee (Budgetary and Administrative), and whether the swing space at 380 Madison is "MOSS compliant," a term much in use at the UN following the bombing of the UN in Algiers in December.

Inner City Press asked for an update on issues surrounding the general contractor Skanska, including what in Argentina is routinely called the "Skanska scandal," involving bribery to get a gas-related contract. Adlerstein said he doesn't like or agree with the phrase Skanska scandal. Video here. Inner City Press asked him to confirm he has written an ethics letter to his staff. Adlerstein said yes, he did so on the topic of avoiding even the appearance of impropriety. But to not answer basic budgetary questions hardly appears proper. And his claim that the $1.867 billion figure still stands and will stand will be put to the test by the Board of Auditors, which previously exposed the CMP as $219 million over budget.

In more positive news, it appears that the UN is considering relocating some of its trees, including gifts from the Japanese mission, to keep them safe during construction. Inner City Press asked Capital Master Plan spokesman Werner Schmidt if he could confirm that the Bronx-based NY Botanical Garden, where the CMP's Michael Adlerstein used to work, is coming to check out and even price relocation of the trees. "There are tree issues," Schmidt replied. "We are talking to a number" of entities, "including the Botanical Garden." Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un2cmp030608.html

In Darfur, UN Gave Lockheed $12 Million No-Bid Food Contract, Leaked Minutes Show, Breakfast in Nyala

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un2procurepae030608.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 6 -- Already under fire have having granted Lockheed Martin a no-bid $250 million contract to build peacekeeping camps in Sudan, the UN on New Year's Eve convened an emergency meeting to give Lockheed subsidiary Pacific Architects & Engineers another $12 million on an emergency basis, records show. This no-bid contract was to feed the peacekeepers, and to strong-arm the UN Headquarters Committee on Contracts to sign off, they were told that the peacekeepers had "to be fed breakfast in the next few hours." See HCC Minutes, leaked to Inner City Press and placed online here, at Paragraph 1.03.

While the UN's Department of Field Support sought approval of the lack of competitive bidding on the grounds of emergency or "exigency," UN Controller Warren Sach wrote that "the urgency of the matter stems from poor planning." See attached as last page, Sach's January 2, 2008 note, copied to the UN Department of Management's Alicia Barcena and DFS acting chief Jane Holl Lute.

The last minute contract to Lockheed Martin is particularly noteworthy for its context, in which DFS' award of a $250 million no-bid contract for peacekeeping camps in Darfur Lockheed had already been criticized by the UN General Assembly, which has called for an investigation of the waiver of competition. In the General Assembly, a number of countries' representatives drew a link between the contract and Jane Holl Lute, an American, married to Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute, President Bush's war czar for Iraq and Afghanistan. When Inner City Press asked Ms. Lute if this is not a conflict of interest, she said no, her work at the UN and her husband's work for the U.S. on Iraq and Afghanistan don't overlap. Since the UN has missions in both countries, this seemed a strange statement. Since then, Ms. Lute has told reporters that she will not be quoted on the records about either Afghanistan or Iraq, since it would be "a conflict of interest."

During the General Assembly's questioning of the $250 million Darfur contract, Inner City Press is told by sources that Procurement official Dmitry Dovgopoly had Ukraine's ambassador reach out to other countries' Permanent Representatives, urging them to cool off on inquiries into the Lockheed deal, given Dovgolopy's involvement. Earlier this week, Inner City Press asked Dovgopoly to comment on another procurement irregularity in which he is involved, the changing of the final Request for Proposals for the follow-on Darfur infrastructure contract after a request from the French mission to the UN. Dovgopoly did not respond.

Inner City Press first asked DFS about this no-bid contract, without providing a copy, some weeks ago. On March 4, the question was reiterated along with the HCC minutes themselves. To its credit, DFS then responded in 24 hours, providing an alternate explanation. According to DFS, it because aware on November 1 that the UN would become responsible for feeding peacekeepers in Darfur on January 1. Since that date as the beginning of the UN's responsibilities in Darfur was known since July 31, the three month lag as regards food still required explanation. But even accepting November 1 at the starting point, why did DFS wait until New Year's Eve itself, without presenting any other contractor, only the same Lockheed Martin subsidiary?

DFS' response is that "there was insufficient time to run a competitive exercise to re-bid the requirement which was for a relatively short period (three months). So we agreed to this as a temporary measure prior to being able to move the ex-AMIS troops over to a standard UN support regime." In this standard regime, while the troop contributing countries will supply their own chefs "so that they can prepare food to meet tastes of their soldiers," the UN will still contract out the kitchens, apparently to Lockheed Martin.

While Controller Sach in the attached expresses concern about "the delay in contacting the HCC," the response from DFS states that Sach was told on November 13. Given 24 hours to reply, nothing has been heard from Mr. Sach, perhaps due to work triggered by growing skepticism in the General Assembly toward the Secretariat's budget add-ons.

In the attached HCC minutes, the Committee in executive session indicated that the UN "had no way to determine if the prices were competitive" and "had no certain confirmation if a competitive solicitation with respect to the contract with PAE had been undertaken, and if so, if it was done in 2004." As with the UN's $250 million infrastructure contract with Lockheed's PAE, the deal began on a no-bid basis by the U.S. government then resulted in the UN becoming the payer, with no interruption for competitive bidding, to the U.S.-based contractor.

News analysis: It is true that Darfur is not as easy environment in which to contract. But the UN knew well before October 15 that it should seek competitors for the camps contract; it knew well before New Year's Eve that breakfast would be needed on January 1. To the degree the infrastructure contract, after extensive criticism, is being opened up, it has been shown to involve inordinate access by the UN Mission of France, another of the Permanent Five (P-5) members of the UN Security Council. Thursday after Frenchman Jean-Marie Guehenno told his staff he will leave his post in June, the UN was full of speculation of who from France will take over this post. Even if such P-5 politics is the norm in the doling out of top jobs at the UN, procurement is supposedly less subject to power politics. We say "supposedly" because the attached minutes show different. As the Committee states in the minutes, "appropriate measures should be taken by DFS to avoid these situations from occurring in the future." But we've heard that before. When will there be some accountability?

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un2procurepae030608.html

UN Envoy Robert Serry Moving Now to Reimburse Free Housing from Dutch Government

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un1subsidyserry030608.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 6, updated March 7 -- The UN's new envoy to the Middle East, Robert H. Serry, has run afoul of UN rules barring the receipt of housing subsidies from government. The Dutch government's continued provision of housing to Serry only came to light after UN Development Program official Eveline Herfkens was exposed as accepting $7000 a month from the Netherlands while drawing a salary to head the UN's Millennium Campaign. In the aftermath, it was revealed that at least one other Dutch staffer of an international organization had their housing subsidy suspended, while another was being reviewed as to the legality of the benefit received.

On February 26, Inner City Press asked the office of the UN spokesperson if this official being reviewed was Robert Serry, and if so what was being done about it. After Inner City Press made several follow-up inquiries, about Serry and another Dutch UN official, late on March 5 the Deputy Spokesperson of the UN Marie Okabe replied that

"Since Mr. Serry joined UNSCO on 1 January 2008 as Special Coordinator to the Middle East Peace Process, at the invitation of the Dutch government, Mr. Serry's family members have been residing in the Dutch Ambassador's residence in Ireland at no cost, since the building is being sold and is no longer earmarked for the incoming successor. However, an arrangement is being made to enable Mr. Serry to reimburse the Dutch government of the fair and reasonable monthly rent value for the period between 1 January through 30 June 2008."

It's notable that the arrangements for reimbursement are still being made more than two months into the situation, and only after scrutiny of Eveline Herfkens' improper receipt of free housing and the Dutch government's statement that it offered the benefit to Ms. Herfkens without her asking for it.

While this may be a case of better late than never, it raises questions whether other governments are improperly providing similar benefits, and are either hoping not to be found out, or are now scrabbling to "make arrangements" for reimbursement. On that, despite the fact that a low-income woman in Brooklyn was prosecuted and jailed for erroneous receipt and spending of UN money, Ms. Herfkens is not reimbursing any of the housing subsidy that she received. Click here for that story.

Footnote: on February 26, Inner City Press asked Mr. Serry if as UN Middle East envoy he thought it might be a conflict of interest for Quartet envoy Tony Blair to be receiving $1 million a year from JPMorgan Chase. "I will not comment on that," Serry said. If there is a comment on this, going forward, we will report it. Watch this site.

Update of March 7: beyond Tony Blair taking on yet another gig, we have received a follow-up on Mr. Serry, from the UN's Spokesperson's Office, which we'll run in full:

Subj: serry
From: Deputy Spokesperson [at] un.org
To: Inner City Press
CC: Spokesperson [at] un.org
Date: 3/7/2008 12:20:05 PM Eastern Standard Time

With the respect to the previous response provided to Inner City Press regarding a question about the UN Special Coordinator to the Middle East Peace Process, we would like to provide the following additional information that puts the situation in its proper perspective and clarifies that it was Mr. Serry himself who took the initiative to request guidance from the United Nations and to move to address the situation in a way that is consistent with UN regulations:

1) At the request of the Secretary-General, Mr. Serry agreed to take up his duties as the Special Coordinator shortly after his selection. Given the rapidity of his deployment, Mr. Serry agreed with his family that it was best for them to remain in Dublin while his son finished the school year and to transfer their household in an orderly fashion which they are now in the process of doing.

ii) Mr. Serry informed UNHQ of the decision to allow his son to finish the school year in Dublin and sought guidance vis a vis any requirements regarding his family's living arrangements in Dublin.

iii) Upon receiving guidance to pay rent for the Dublin accommodation, Mr. Serry informed the Dutch Government and has agreed to pay a reasonable and fair rent.

We'll have more on all this.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1subsidyserry030608.html

Jeffrey Sachs, Touchy About UNDP, Declines to Touch On Africa's Underfunding

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un1mdgsachs030508.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 5, updated March 7 -- Globally, the greatest need for development is found in Africa. But, according to an analysis circulating within the United Nations, the UN Development Program spends more in Latin America than in Africa. As a spokesperson for even a Latin American country, Ecuador, told Inner City Press this week, UNDP has become too dominated by the agendas of its donors. In Latin America, this includes countries like Argentina and Brazil using UNDP to carry out government functions, but to get around local rules. And so less is spent in Africa than elsewhere, despite the need.

A major UN voice on the Millennium Development Goals, hosted in UNDP, is Jeffrey Sachs. Wednesday he came to brief the press, off-camera, about progress toward the goals. He spoke about his high-powered scientist colleagues; he did not mention, but reporters did, his hob-nobbing in the world of Madonna, most recently at a glitzy event held on the UN's North Lawn, which Gucci said was to celebrate its flagship store on Fifth Avenue. After his remarks Wednesday, he picked people to ask questions. Although not picked, Inner City Press asked him, since his unit is housed or hosted by UNDP, to respond to the analysis that more is spent in Latin America than in Africa. Before the question, Sachs demanded, "Is it about the MDGs?" Yes, it was. But once asked, why UNDP spends more in Latin America than Africa, Sach said "I can't address that." In the audience was the chief of staff to UNDP Administrator Kemal Dervis. Apparent Sach was told not to answer any question about UNDP, despite or because of the money he has accepted from them.

The resulting defensiveness ill-serves the cause of the Millennium Development Goals, and development more generally. There were other questions to be asked, which Jeffrey Sachs should answer: is development served by UNDP's policy of not routinely making available copies of its audits to member states, or even donors? It's the kind questions, about transparency in development, to which Sachs ought to respond. In the glitzy by-invitation-only fashion tent of Gucci, perhaps it was not asked. But Wednesday's Sachs press briefing, not matter how controlled, took place in the UN. The Media Advisory promoting it asked "is doubling aid to Africa possible and will it happen? Please join Prof. Sachs for an interactive discussion about how to make sense." But it didn't make sense.

Another questions asked but not directly answered is whether climate change adaptation funding should be counted toward outstanding development aid pledges. We'll have more on this.

Update of March 7: a UNDP spokeswoman has written to point, as an answer to the question left unanswered by Jeffrey Sachs, to footage of a statement by UNDP's Gilbert Houngbo on October 16, 2007, click here to view. The spokeswoman wrote a second time to say that Jeffrey Sachs "has no staff at UNDP." Only "colleagues," apparently -- the word Sachs uses in the Acknowledgements section of his 2008 book "Common Wealth" for the aforementioned Houngbo, as well as Kemal Dervis and Ad Melkert. He also lists as "close colleagues" a number of people who at last report were getting paid by UNDP, among them one Guido Schmidt-Traub. Again, we'll have more on this.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1mdgsachs030508.html

As Questions Grow on Funding of UN's Political Affairs, Freelance Mediators Unveiled

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un1dpamediators030508.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 5 -- "Flexibility is the watch word," said B. Lynn Pascoe, head of the UN Department of Political Affairs on Wednesday, introducing a team of UN mediators who will in fact work for the Norwegian Refugee Council. Norway has committed "most" of one year of funding, and was allowed to "pre-screen" the applicants for the mediator posts, it was said at Wednesday's briefing. Inner City Press asked Mr. Pascoe, in light of reports that DPA turned down as too short-term Singapore's offer to fund a regional center for one year, what is envisioned for this mediation unit, after Norway's year. Pascoe said, "Our hope is it's so successful, everyone agrees it should be extended."

But how? As part of the UN? Or parallel to it?

Bigger picture, Inner City Press asked Pascoe to respond to criticism from the developing countries in the Group of 77 that strengthening of DPA -- that is, increasing its funding -- should be accompanied by increased funds for the UN's development work. Pascoe said that both proposal are "out there," that "maybe some want to link them, but most don't." That's not what Inner City Press hears from the Group of 77. A simply one example, on Tuesday a spokesperson for Ecuador told Inner City Press that the UN's over-focus on DPA and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations is misguided, that until development and poverty prevention is taken care of, the UN's other efforts are doomed to fail.

Pascoe is a diplomat, so perhaps he can schmooze the Fifth Committee (Budgetary and Administrative) of the General Assembly. Wednesday he said he'd met with ambassadors in the Non-Aligned Movement and the G-77 is settings large and small, and that "many members of NAM are the strongest supporters of DPA strengthening." We'll see.

In the midst of his briefing, Pascoe made reference to the UN's 193 member states. This would involve one extra member of the UN, presumably Kosovo. Called on it, Pascoe said it was designed to keep his audience awake, that he'd heard the 193 figure recently and it had made him pay attention. After the briefing, Inner City Press asked Mediation Support Standby Team leader Joyce Neu about her listed work in Moldova and Georgia, and what impact she thought Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence might have on each. Ms. Neu downplayed her work in Moldova, and when asked how her five expert team members would review the UN's recent handling of Kosovo, she said quickly, that's not what our team is about. Apparently not.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1dpamediators030508.html

At UN, Protest of Ban's Naming Ed Luck as "Anti-Genocide Trust Fund Baby"

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un1fifth030408.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 4 -- The UN's appointment of Edward Luck as an Assistant Secretary General for the responsibility to protect fell under fire in the General Assembly's Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) on March 3. Eight countries protested that the ASG post was never approved. At the UN's noon briefing on March 4, Inner City Press asked the UN's spokesperson Michele Montas to respond. She said that Luck's appointment "was discussed with several representative ambassadors of the Non-Aligned Movement and other representatives of Member States, by senior officials of the Executive Office of the Secretary-General during recent weeks."

But in the Fifth Committee on March 4, numerous Ambassadors pointed out that there is a formal process to be followed, not by meeting with hand-selected representatives. They pointed out that only the General Assembly may create posts. Nevertheless, Ms. Montas went on to say that "it was agreed that the appointment of Mr. Luck as Special Adviser would be a temporary appointment covering an interim arrangement and the expenditure involved during this period would be incurred from voluntary resources."

But left unanswered is what voluntary means: from governments? From corporations? It is said that a trust fund will be set up, leading one wag to call Luck the "anti-genocide trust fund baby." There are some at and covering the UN who are so close with Mr. Luck that they oppose covering these questions. But these are questions raised by member states. Fifth Committee footnote: outside the closed-door briefing by Alicia Barcena on Accountability on Tuesday, no copy of Barcena's proposal could be found. A staffer promised it would be available on Friday. It is said to involve the creation of ten new posts. "Wait and see the report," Inner City Press was advised. Okay.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1fifth030408.html

UN's Deadly Helicopter Crash in Nepal May Have Been Presaged By Another, Local Reports Allege

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un4nepal030408.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 4 -- In the wake of the deadly crash of a UN Mission in Nepal helicopter, at the UN's noon briefing on March 4, Inner City Press asked the spokesperson to confirm or deny reports of a previous UNMIN helicopter incident. Inserted by the UN into the subsequent transcript was that "the Spokesperson later added that there had been no previous recent incident in Nepal with an UNMIN helicopter."

But on the website of Nepal's Civil Aviation Ministry, a complaint was posted on February 11, 2008 that "recently, one of the Mi-17 helicopters operated by UNMIN was involved in an incident near Okhuldunga, as reported by some dailies. Strangely, despite the fact that the aircraft is on the Russian civil registration, Nepal (State of Occurrence) has not instituted an investigation in this incident, as required by the Annex 13."

Minister Leela Mani Paudyal responded that "I have taken inquiring on the issues including the UNMIN accident and will post response after getting clear recommendation from CAAN which I am waiting. The papers forwarded to the Ministry about that incident were just papers prepared by UNMIN that too was received when I personally asked CAAN to produce me." Did the Nepali minister mis-speak about UNMIN papers about an incident? Or are different (but undisclosed) definitions of incident at play? Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un4nepal030408.html

On Drugs, UN Urges More Government Control, Even in Myanmar, Dodges Crack Disparities

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un1incb030408.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 4 -- While celebrity drug use is the hook to the UN's International Narcotics Control Board's new annual report, INCB's analysis of disparities in sentencing dodges issues that impact many more people, for example the racial disparate sentences imposed on users of powder versus crack cocaine. Inner City Press asked INCA board member, and former U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria Melvyn Levitsky about this, and he responded that the UN's INCB "doesn't try to dictate" countries' sentencing schemes. But the INCB report pointedly recommends that high-profile drug users not be coddled. Why not recommend that racial minorities not be disproportionately imprisoned for their use of one form of cocaine rather than another?

Levitsky's responses at the report's launch at UN Headquarters were more detailed than is usual the case. Asked by Inner City Press about the INCB's missions to Bolivia and elsewhere, Levitsky criticized Bolivia for not yet banning the use of coca for traditional purposes. Of the decline to zero of opium production during the last year of Taliban control, Levitsky said this was attributable to the Taliban trying to drive up the price of heroin. The basis of this convenient theory wasn't disclosed -- a stray page of laptop found in a cave at Tora Bora, perhaps. At the University of Michigan, Levitsky teaches a class on Drugs, Crime and Terrorism, which he made a point of saying, including online, is called Drugs & Thugs.

Levitsky also seemed to parrot the Bush administration line when he referred off-handedly to the "shady area of harm reduction" and needle exchange. What' so shady? Particularly when the UN itself is on record as prioritizing stopping the spread of HIV / AIDS?

Levitsky said that INCB recommends that central governments assert more control over their territory, to control drugs. Inner City Press asked if this is the UN's recommendation with respect to Myanmar, where those with "close ties to the military regime" are subject to sanctions for involvement in the heroin trade. While Levitsky cited back to Shan and Ha warlords, he did not answer on current government involvement. He acknowledged that anti-drug and human rights imperatives could sometimes be at odds. That's a start.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1incb030408.html

In North Kosovo Track Dispute, UN "Will Not Tolerate" Serbian Railroads, Will Russia Tolerate UN?

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un1kosovo030308.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 3 -- In Northern Kosovo, Serbia's state-owed railroad company has claimed control of the tracks and trains. At the UN in New York, Inner City Press asked the UN spokesperson for a response, if the UN Mission in Kosovo could confirm it. "We can ask for you," Spokesperson Michele Montas said. "I don't have that information at this point." Hours later a response arrived by e-mail, that "any movement of trains south of Leshak by Serbian Railways is a clear breach of the 2003 Memorandum of Understanding between UNMIK Railways and Serbian Railways. This violation will not be tolerated. Border police, with the support of KFOR, will act to prevent these trains traveling south of Leshak." Click here for the e-mail.

While it seems to many that the UN is remaining strikingly quiet about troubles in Northern Kosovo, including a reported shooting at UNMIK's headquarters there on Monday -- the spokesperson later said that "the Kosovo Police Service is investigating the incident" -- the railroad response seemed surprising sharp. Inner City Press asked Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, the Security Council president for March, about Serbia's claim over the railroad. Amb. Churkin indicated that he had not heard about it. Inner City Press provided a copy of an article, and the above-quoted response from the UN Spokesperson's Office. We'll see.

It has been pointed out that most successful resolutions of disputes like Kosovo leave both parties unhappy. In this case, the glee of one side may be a less than positive auger.

A Permanent Five diplomat said the Secretariat's railways statement given was not balanced, and that the politics originate "from upstairs." It has been increasingly widely rumored that Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov has spoken to Ban Ki-moon about Russian (non) support for a second term. On February 25, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesperson, "Has the Secretary-General received a phone call from Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov concerning Kosovo and, if so, what was said?" The spokesperson replied, "I will try to find out. I don't think that was one of his phone calls this weekend, no, I don't think so, but I'll check."

Inner City Press clarified, "about the Lavrov call, I just want to make clear that I meant not this weekend but since the declaration [of independence] was made." The UN later stated that "the Secretary-General has not spoken recently to the Russian Foreign Minister." Still, diplomats talk about the call and non-support, and Monday the P-5 diplomat told Inner City Press that with Russia, the threat is credible. While four years is a long time, why now the strident position about the rails? Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1kosovo030308.html

UN Changed Darfur Request for Proposals, Leaked E-mails Show, To Track French Amendments, Official Demands to Know, "Who Gave My E-Mails to You?"

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un1procure030308.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 3 -- Three weeks after the UN had promulgated a formal Request for Proposals for a large contract in Sudan's Darfur region, a counselor at France's mission to the UN e-mailed to the head of the UN's Procurement Service to suggest amendments to the RFP, to change the criteria of which companies would be eligible. France proposed lowering the required size of previously completed projects, and including not only peacekeeping projects, but any in "austere field environments."

A mere three days later, the UN accepted the French amendments, substituting the phrase "hardship area" for France's "austere field environments," the chief of the Procurement Service acknowledged Monday to Inner City Press, asking that the e-mails not be published and demanding to know who had leaked them. The chain of events raises questions about whether other countries have similar access, and about the UN's acceptance of investigative reporting on its business dealings, particularly with countries like France.

The February 7 message of Eric Duedal to current UN procurement chief Paul Buades, obtained by Inner City Press and placed online here, suggests switching the qualification of having done "construction of military camps in peacekeeping mission in Africa" with a more general (and undefined) "austere field environment." France's Mr. Duedal also suggests a change downward from the RFP's requirement that qualified bidders list a minimum of three completed projects, each with a minimum value of $50 million.

The responses obtained by Inner City Press show that Interim UN Procurement chief Buades, rather than rejecting France's thirteen-hour lobbying out of hand, forwarded the message to two Procurement officials, Dmitri Dovgopoly and Chantal Maille, reportedly a French national, recently put in charge of Darfur procurement. Mr. Dovgopoly, despite his involvement in the $250 million no-bid contract to Lockheed Martin in Darfur which was criticized by the General Assembly, was promoted some weeks ago to a higher D-1 position. And, Inner City Press' sources say, Paul Buades who has overseen all this has a proposed promotion to D-2 sitting on the desk of Ban Ki-moon's senior advisor Kim Won-soo.

Ms. Maille's response, which sources say was stilted from the fear of press exposure, based on this publication's detailed reporting on the Lockheed Martin no-bid deal, acknowledged that "it would not be wise to review the wording of the RFP on the basis of the request from the French Mission as the basis of the request is not transparent." She went on to write, however, that "on the other hand, the UN will have the opportunity to gauge the importance of changing this criteria after the bidders conference."

Inner City Press has previously asked and received confirmation that contractors were traveling to Darfur last month -- at least those granted visas by Sudan; others were blocked. On February 29, Inner City Press asked the French mission to the UN about Mr. Duedal and his proposed amendments, and asked the UN Department of Field Support for comments on the Darfur RFP and on another no-bid Darfur contract. DFS asked that this story be held for three days to allow their comment to "make it richer."

On March 3, Inner City Press asked the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General about France's proposed changes to the RFP, and was told that there would be no comments on leaked e-mails, but that Procurement's Paul Buades could and should be contacted. Inner City Press sent him a copy of his e-mail exchange, and asked four questions:

--What should have been the response to Mr. Duedal's inquiry?

--Please describe any and all responses to Mr. Duedal's inquiry, and provide a current copy of the RFP, and list of companies who attended the bidders' conference, by nationality of headquarters, and those who were blocked.

--Please summarize and, it is requested, provide copies of recent similar communications from member states, particularly but not only Permanent Five members of the Security Council.

--Finally, is it your understanding that you are a / the finalist for the D-2 Procurement position?

Less than an hour later, Mr. Buades to his credit called back. He said that a written response was in the works, to be transmitted by the UN's Department of Field Support. He demanded to know, "How did you get my e-mail? Who gave it to you?"

A whistleblower, Inner City Press explained, one who thought that France's intervention with amendments to a completed RFP, and Procurement's responses, were improper. Buades asked again to know, who provided the information. A source who like investigative journalists anywhere, Inner City Press said, we will not reveal, so they won't be fired.

"By your construction I would have fired the four people to who I sent the e-mail," Buades said. He added, "I answer your questions but you do not answer mine. You twist what I say. Will you put my e-mail on the your web site?"

Yes, Inner City Press replied, along with whatever comment or explanation you provide.

"If you put it on the website, I think you deserve a different treatment," Buades said.

Inner City Press has decided to accommodate Mr. Buades' request by publishing only two of the three pages of the e-mail chain, leaving out messages by Chantal Maille, Dmitri Dovgopoly and Buades himself. The message from France's Eric Duedal, however, must be published, along with the Procurement Services' explanation, in light of Buades' admonition to "transmit the information we give to you."

On March 3, after being asked by the French mission to wait until the completion of the Security Council vote on Iran sanctions, a French official came to acknowledge to Inner City Press that France reached out to UN procurement, and would be happy to see French companies get this business. The official said that France's outreach was also on behalf of other European Union members, mentioning a bidder from Spain and adding that other countries should do the same. "Some small missions don't have the means," the French official said. "Maybe they should pool their resources."

A key question is whether Procurement's Paul Buades would pay as much attention to a request for amendments by a smaller or less favored country.

What we can say is that the Procurement Division's response, delivered through DFS, shows that France essentially got the amendments it proposed. The UNPD / DFS response:

1. Several factors prompted a change in the evaluation criteria for camp construction, which can happen regularly in complex tenders:

a. The template for camp construction was provisionally scaled for a 200 man camp. As a result of security incidents in Darfur in late 2007 it was envisaged that the template would increase in size to 400 man camps. Department of Field Support (DFS) later informed Procurement Division (UNPD) that the template would most likely remain at maximum 200 man camps for evaluation purposes. As the Request for Proposal (RFP) incorporates a provision for splitting the award and as the level of construction effort will be less for the 200 man camp size, smaller sized construction companies would be able to submit proposals;

b. UNPD's review of the RFP documents (RFPS-1142), in particular the source selection plan, revealed that some elements should have been more precise to ensure full competition and provide clarity.

2. UNPD also received a number of concerns from European Union countries on the probability of very limited responses to the tender.

3. As a consequence, DFS and UNPD agreed to make the following changes to the technical evaluation criteria for camp construction:

a. "Contractors to list a minimum of 2 (two) completed comparable construction projects within the past 5 years where the vendor was the primary contractor or was the leading agent for construction element" instead of "3 (three) completed comparable construction projects where the vendor was the primary contractor."

b. "Each contract cited should have minimum value at least 25 million US dollars" instead of "50 million US dollars."

c. "Most similar projects would be construction of camps (military, peace keeping, refugee, etc.) in peacekeeping missions or in similar hardship areas of world" instead of "Most similar projects would be construction of military camps in a peacekeeping mission or in a similar environment."

These changes were incorporated in the formal RFP amendment which was distributed to all participants on 11 February 2008.

4. The changes were aimed at maximizing international competition while maintaining appropriate selection standards for the Vendors.

5. As a result, UNPD, at this point, has a robust response from the international market. In particular, it will be noted that 25 companies, representing 12 countries, attended the Darfur Conference in order to complete their proposals by 20 March 2008.

One question is, if the UN's Procurement Division took France's amendments weeks after the January 15 RFP went out, how were other companies made eligible by the changes supposed to know to attend the Darfur Conference? And if they did not attend, can they bid by March 20?

The French official pointed out that this lobbying was triggered by DFS' $250 million no-bid contract in Darfur with Lockheed Martin, announced on October 15, 2007. "You remember, Russia too was unhappy with that," the official said. In context, he argued that allowing these French amendments might make the process more inclusive that it has been. But if there is a slightly larger group of insiders, is it not still an insider's game? Should the UN not be required to tell all member states that this is the process, they can write to and be heard by the head of the UN's Procurement Service and get thirteen-hour changes to already finalized Requests for Proposals? "Maybe the Secretariat should do that," the French official conceded. There is more, on another UN's no-bid contract with Lockheed Martin. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1procure030308.html