Despite
UN
Recognition, Cote d'Ivoire Diplomat Can't Enter Mission Until
Jan 3, Sources Say, US Diplomat Involved
By
Matthew
Russell Lee, Exclusive
UNITED
NATIONS,
December 31 -- Two days after the new Cote
d'Ivoire
Ambassador to the UN nominated by Alassane Ouattara had his
credential accepted by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, he had still
not been able to enter the country's Mission to the UN in New York,
Inner City Press has been told. He will enter at earliest on January
3, he has told Inner City Press, “in connection with a US senior
diplomat.”
Youssoufou
Bamba
flew to New York from his previous posting in Vienna and took
questions from the Press on December 29. Video here.
On December
30,
sources told Inner City Press that Bamba was not able to get into the
Ivorian Mission, that “someone inside kept changing the security
code” to bar him access.
This
mirrors
fights for the Ivorian embassies in Paris, Mali, Brussels, Guinea and
elsewhere. Inner City Press wrote to Ambassador Bamba to ask if he
had been blocked from the Mission to the UN: “After asking you
questions on Wednesday at the UN (about International Criminal Court,
etc), I've been told that you weren't able to get into the Cote
d'Ivoire Mission to the UN, as a 'person inside' keeps changing the
lock code. Please confirm or deny this.”
Ambassador
Bamba
replied:
From:
Youssoufou
Joseph Bamba
Date: Fri, Dec 31, 2010 at 1:35
PM
Subject: Press Q - you weren't able to get into Cote d'Ivoire
Mission to UN? Please confirm or deny
To: Inner City Press
Dear
Mattew,
There no problem to my knowledge; all the personnel is
informed of my inauguration in office on monday 3 jan 2011. This
matter is being conducted by the charge d'affaires, Mr Ngbichi
in connection with a US senior diplomat. Mr Ngbichi reported me that
everything is in order for monday morning; thus our schedule still
hold. Best regards, Ambassador Y Bamba
Why
rush to New
York on December 29 for a photo op presenting credential to Ban
Ki-moon and then not enter the Ivorian Mission nearby?
UN's Ban and Bamba, UN photo, ICP photo here
Inner City
Press has asked for the identify of the “US senior diplomat” and
to attend the January 3 entering of the Mission. Watch this site.
Footnote: A senior
UN official to whom Inner City Press directed a question about Bamba's
banning from the Ivorian Mission expressed surprise, saying "that's the
opposite of what happened in Brussels."
* * *
At
UN,
Ouattara's
Bamba is Installed, Speaks of Genocide But Not
How He's Paid
By
Matthew
Russell
Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
December
29 -- In New York on Wednesday, Laurent Gbagbo's
former Ambassador to Austria Yousoufou Bamba became the
Ouattara-nominated Permanent Representative of Cote d'Ivoire
to the
UN. After a ceremony with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Bamba sat to
take questions.
Inner
City
Press
asked Bamba if the Ouattara government can confirm Gbagbo's use of
mercenaries, and if it would support an investigation by the
International Criminal Court of Gbagbo and his supporters. Inner
City Press is putting exclusive video of
the full Q&A online,
here.
Bamba
said
first
the killings must be stopped, before there is any discussion of the
ICC. He referred, as the UN has, to markings on doors based on tribal
affiliation, and said things are close to a “genocide.” He said
there are Liberian mercenaries embedded in Gbagbo's Republican guard.
With
state
broadcasters
whom the UN has likened to those in Rwanda in 1994 now
off the air outside of Abidjan, Inner City Press asked if Ouattara's
forces had been involved in taking the stations off the air. Bamba
refused to comment, just as the UN has.
UN's Ban & Bamba, call for ICC action and how paid not shown
In
light of Soro
statements seeming to call for military action by ECOWAS, Inner City
Press asked Bamba if Ouattara too supports outside intervention. Bamba
said that there is a negotiation taking place that is
sensitive, and that he would not discussion intervention, nor safe
passage for Gbagbo.
Inner
City
Press
asked Bamba about his previous service to Gbagbo. Bamba responded
that he is a civil servant of 25 years, who served under pre-Gbagbo
Ivorian leaders. Later, Inner City Press asked Bamba how he is being
paid, he called it “too personal” and said only that in his years
as a civil servant he had developed savings.
Since
Bamba
insisted
repeatedly on his years as a diplomat, Inner City Press
asked what he made of Russia's opposition in the Security Council to
the press statement noting ECOWAS' recognition of Ouattara as the
election's winner, and Russia's opposition to the change in
credential from Djedje to himself. I was not here in those meetings,
Bamba said, refusing to comment further.
The
presentation of credential ceremony included the same Ivorian Mission
Deputy who served under Djedje, and has held the seat since. US
Ambassador Susan Rice told Inner City Press he had not gone over to
"the dark side," and he will apparently continue.
How
big a change
Bamba will be remains to be seen. Watch the video -- click here
-- and
watch this site.
Footnote:
present
at
Bamba's handshake with Ban Ki-moon was Ban's spokesperson
Martin Nesirky. Throughout this week, Inner City Press has directed
to Nesirky questions about Cote d'Ivoire, Sudan and other UN topics,
without any answers. On Wednesday morning, Nesirky indicated there
would be answers later in the day. As of this publication at 2:30 in
the afternoon, no answers have been received. We'll have more on
this.
, 
