As Ban
Ki-moon Pushes
for S. Korea
Prez, He Let
Saudi on Yemen
and US on
Haiti Write
Speeches, Like
Park
By Matthew
Russell Lee,
Follow up on
Exclusives
UNITED
NATIONS,
October
29 --
What has Ban
Ki-moon turned
the UN into,
as he seeks to
run for
President of
South Korea?
Since October
14, Ban
Ki-moon has
refused to
make public
the speech he
gave on
October 14
before the
Council of
Korean
Americans,
which sought $100,000
sponsorships
to hear Ban
speak.
Now even as
current South
Korean
president Park
is under fire
for allowing
her speeches
to be written
by others, it
has become
clear that
Ban's speeches
and policies
have been
similarly
influenced, by
Saudi Arabia
on Yemen, and
by the United
States on
denying the
UN's role in
bringing
cholera to
Haiti. So what
is the
difference?
On October 25,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric, UN transcript
here:
By contrast,
for days
leading up to
Ban's October
26 speech at
Columbia's
SIPA, Ban's
spokesman
promoted and
promised the
text of the
speech. At
noon on
October 26,
Inner City
Press asked,
“You're
talking about
the Columbia
speech.
Can you just
please
explain?
If he gives
private
speeches, can
we just get a
list of where
they are, even
if you don't
give the
text?
Can you do
that?”
But
neither before
Ban's SIPA
speech, more
in the hours
after, did
Dujarric
provide even a
list of Ban's
recent
“private”
speeches.
Inner City
Press watched
and streamed
Ban's SIPA
speech, adding
some
commentary and
even satire as
is its right
on Periscope.
YouTube
video here.
As noted, Ban
did not
address his
position(s) on
UN cholera in
Haiti, or
being
pressured by
the Saudi led
coalition to
drop them from
the Children
and Armed
Conflict annex
on Yemen, much
less nepotism,
censorship and
lack of
transparency.
We'll have
more on this.
From the
October 25
transcript:
Inner City
Press: Thanks
for announcing
the
Secretary-General's
speech in… at
Columbia.
I want to ask
again.
Rather than… I
may have
misread your
[inaudible].
Last time I
asked, where
is Ban
Ki-moon's
speech to the
Council of
Korean-Americans,
for which they
raised
$100,000, just
to release
it? You
seem… I
somehow read
into your face
that, like, it
might be
coming.
Is there some
reason that
that speech
is… is… of all
the speeches
that he gave
in the last
two weeks…
withheld?
Spokesman:
He's given
speeches to
private
events.
I really have
nothing else
to add on the
issue.
Thank you.
How many
"private
events"? For
which groups?
We'll have
more on this.
On October 21,
even as UN
staff
protested
Ban's lack of
judgment in
naming a
cartoon
character,
Wonder Woman,
a UN
ambassador,
Ban made
public to
Reuters not
this speech
but his
ambition to be
president of
South Korea.
Reuters did
not ask about
the day's
protest, much
less the
“private”
speech.
Reuters
“reported”
that “Ban said
it was the
first time he
had spoken
publicly about
his future
beyond the
United
Nations.” So
what was new,
given that Ban
held a 20
minute public
“photo op”
with South
Korea
legislators,
with Korean
media (and
Inner City
Press)
present?
At the
October 24
noon briefing,
Inner City
Press put the
question to
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric who
was present at
the 20 minute
photo op, even
told the
Department of
Public
Information to
break from its
stated rules
and allow
Korean
print-only
reporters up
to witness
Ban's
announcement.
Dujarric
repeatedly cut
off the
question, not
allowing Inner
City Press to
a related
follow up.
Later he said
it's not for
Ban to comment
on any changes
to allow an
additional
presidential
term --
precisely an
issue at stake
in Burundi. From the UN
transcript:
Inner City
Press: on
Friday he gave
an interview
to Reuters in
which he said…
it's said that
he said it was
the first time
he publicly
said he's
returning to
South Korea in
mid-January
and exploring
how he could
help the
country.
I think you
were there
when he met
publicly with
the […]
legislators
and said the
same
thing.
But I wanted
to know, how
do you view
this
interview?
Is this him
announcing…
it's been
portrayed as
him saying…
implying
strongly he's
running.
What was first
about the
thing?
And does he
have any
response…
Spokesman:
I think you'd
have to ask
the…
ICP
Question:
I haven't…
Spokesman:
…the
journalists
why they
interpreted it
the way they
did. I
think the
Secretary-General
has made no
secret that he
will return to
Korea, and he
will decide
whatever his
next move is
once he
returns.
There is
really… you
will have…
that's not a
question
directed to
me. I
think it's a
question
directed to
journalists…
ICP
Question:
What's the
position on
term limits?
[later]
ICP Q:
just to finish
this South
Korea
question, does
the
Secretary-General
have any view
on the
announced plan
by President
Park Geun-hye
to extend… to
two limits,
to…
Spokesman:
It's not for
the
Secretary-General
to have an
opinion on
this plan.
Question:
Right.
But he's
commented on
other…
Spokesman:
I'm just…
you've asked
me a
question.
I've answered
it.
To this low
has Ban
brought the
UN. We'll have
more on this.
At the
October 21
noon briefing,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric again
for a copy of
the speech -
next question,
Dujarric said
- and about
the Wonder
Woman fiasco.
What will
Ban's platform
be? At the UN,
he he give the
top job in
Kenya to his
own son in
law, without
recusing
himself. He
has allowed
his mentor Han
Seung-soo to
be a UN
official while
on the boards
of directors
of Doosan and
of Standard
Chartered
bank, which
has UN
contracts. He
has evicted
the Press
which has
asked about
his nepotism
throughout his
tenure. See
here. So:
corruption,
nepotism and
censorship?
We'll have
more on this.
On October 17,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's outgoing
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric why
his office had
not made
available
Ban's speech
in Washington
DC on October
14 to the
Council of
Korean-Americans
but had widely
emailed out
Ban's speech
the same day
while getting
another
honorary
degree in
Maryland.
Dujarric
replied, with
characteristic
defensiveness,
that Ban's
Friday evening
speech at the
Ronald Reagan
International
Trade Center
in DC was
private. Vine
video here. On
October 18
when Inner
City Press
followed up
and asked how
much was
charged or
sought to hear
Ban, Dujarric
said to ask
the
organizers.
Well,
the Council of
Korean
Americans
began
promoting
Ban's
attendance, as
UN Secretary
General, as
early as
August - and
sought
$100,000
“platinum”
sponsorships.
Here's
a tweet from
September.
Is this
ethical?
Separately,
did Ban get
any UN Ethics
Office opinion
on this? Inner
City Press
asked these
questions and
more on
October 20;
Dujarric said
to... ask the
Ethics Office.
Isn't he the
UN spokesman?
He separately
refused to say
how much the
outside
counsel Ban's
UN has hired
in connection
with the Ng
Lap Seng UN
bribery case
(in which
Ban's
Secretariat
changed a
General
Assembly
document to
insert the
name of Ng Lap
Seng's
company) is
paid, and from
which budget
line or slush
fund. The
lawyer's firm
does not have
an active
contract in
the UN
Procurement
database. Earlier in the day
the UN's own
Special
Rapporteur
David Kaye
published his
report, which
included his
and Rapporteur
Michel Forst's
letter asking
Gallach why
she evicted
Inner City
Press, and her
belated
response that
Inner City
Press has
“trespassed”
in the UN
Press Briefing
Room.
But a UN
Secretary
General
allowing his
image and the
UN flag to be
used to raise
$100,000
sponsorships -
is it ethical?
Inner City
Press asked
Dujarric,
wouldn't it be
fair at least
to infer Ban
supports the
views of the
group he let
charge
$100,000 for
him / the UN?
Dujarric said
no: but why?
We'll have
more on the
group's views,
including on
matter on the
agenda of the
UN Security
Council. Watch
this site.
Inner City
Press: You'd
said that Ban
Ki-moon's
speech on
Friday in
Washington to
the Council of
Korean-Americans
at the Ronald
Reagan
International
Trade Center
was somehow a
private
appearance,
but I've seen
pictures of
it. He
was in a
tuxedo with a
big screen
behind him,
and the media
was
present.
So, I'm left…
I guess what I
wonder is,
what do you
mean by
"private"?
Was it open
only to some
media?
What… was…
Spokesman:
You'd have to
ask the
organizers.
Inner City
Press:
But, if he
spent… the
money question
is this… if it
was a private…
Spokesman:
He was in
Washington for
a UN-related
event, and he
participated
in a… in this
event
organized by
this
foundation,
which was
considered a
private event.
ICP
Question:
Was money
charged to
attend it?
Spokesman:
You'd have to
ask the
organizers.
ICP
Question:
Would that be
against UN
rules?
Spokesman:
The
Secretary-General
and others
appear
sometimes in
dinners where
money is
charged.
We'll have
more on this.
The Council of
Korean-American's
speech was
covered with
headlines like
“Ban Ki-moon
defends
leadership to
counter
Western
media’s
criticism.”
Ban's defense,
it seems, is
merely
“personal” -
in a parallel
fictitious
universe like
Wonder Woman.
Watch this
site.
On October 77,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's deputy
spokesman
Farhan Haq, UN transcript
here
Inner City
Press: there's
been a number
of media
outlets in
South Korea
that have
quoted former
Prime Minister
Kim Jong-pil,
who has met
with Ban
Ki-moon and is
viewed as a
supporter and
ally. He
has been
quoted on the
record saying
Ban Ki-moon
has made up
his mind and
is running for
president.
So I wanted to
know, when's
the last time
the
Secretary-General
spoke with Mr.
Kim
Jong-pil?
Because it
becomes
important to
know to assess
the
credibility of
his statement
of Mr. Ban's
intentions.
Deputy
Spokesman:
On this, as we
have made very
clear, the
Secretary-General
has spoken, he
is going to
work as
Secretary-General
and continue
to concentrate
his energies
on being
Secretary-General
of the United
Nations until
the end of his
mandate.
He'll make his
decision after
that.
Question:
Right.
So he's
wrong.
So his ally is
not…
Deputy
Spokesman:
That is what
the
Secretary-General
has
said.
Have a good
weekend,
everyone.
On October 3
Inner City
Press asked
Haq about a
political
party's offer
to Ban, UN
transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: there
was a proposal
today, or a
law proposed
and announced
by the Saenuri
Party in South
Korea, which
would provide,
quote,
privileges or
benefits to
the
Secretary-General
when he leaves
here, which
would include
a bodyguard,
office,
security,
secretary.
And so some
have raised…
is there any
provision for
this? Is
this
consistent
with UN ethics
rules in terms
of a country
offering these
things to a
sitting UN
official?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Well,
regarding
that, you'd
have to ask
the officials
in South Korea
what their
arrangements
are.
This is…
obviously, the
Secretary-General
doesn't accept
these favours
in his time as
Secretary-General.
I wouldn't
have any
comment on his
post-Secretary-General
career.
On
September 30,
a concert in
the UN pitched
as only about
South Korea's
25th
anniversary at
a UN member
was converted
into an event
for Ban
Ki-moon's
legacy.
Oh Joon, who
has spoken
about Ban and
South Korea's
presidency,
was there, as
was Ban's male
personal
assistant and
his spouse
(but not Ms
Eun Ha Kim.)
UN officials
Adlerstein and
Dieng,
Ombudsman and
successor
candidate
Helen Clark
were there.
Some
Ambassadors
showed up at
the top and
then left;
Kazakhstan, we
note, stuck it
out.
The music was
great - but,
it was
disclosed,
paid for by
investment
bank G C
Andersen. Ban
cited Han
Seung-soo, who
he's let be a
UN official
while on the
boards of
directors of
Doosan and
Standard
Chartered
Bank. (Inner
City Press
asked the new
President of
the General
Asssembly
about this on
September 30,
here).
Ban's
nepotism has
come to the
fore, but his
polling is up,
and he'd
headed on the
road. We will
cover it,
watch this
site.
, 
