Inner City Press -- Investigative Reporting From the Inner City to Wall Street to the United Nations

At UN, Deal with Russia on Cote d'Ivoire Resolution Has Bamba Staying Silent, Speaks Afterwards to Inner City Press

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, January 19 -- As the UN Security Council on Wednesday morning belatedly adopted a resolution increasing UN forces and focus in Cote d'Ivoire, the new Alassane Ouattara appointed Ambassador Yousoufou Bamba sat at the Council table but did not speak.

On Tuesday, when the UN troops four week period ran out and the resolution was supposed to be adopted, arguments in the Council's closed door consultations focused on the procedural question of whether Ouattara's Ambassador Bamba could sit at the Council's horseshoe table, and if he could speak.

Russia opposed this, as well as demanding that the phrase “without prejudice to the freedom of expression” be added before a call to halt Radiodiffusion Television Ivoirienne (RFI) from “incit[ing] hatred and violence, including against the UN and particularly UNOCI.”

After Bamba sat in the meeting for the vote approving the amended resolution but did not speak, Inner City Press sent Bamba a text message asking for his reasons. He emerged from the Council and told Inner City Press, “I voluntarily chose not to speak, with the support of the African members, not to create a breach in the unity of the Council.”

Later it was explained to Inner City Press by the Permanent Representative of an African country not currently on the Council that it was mostly South Africa which implored Bamba not to speak, in order they said that the world not see that the Council is not, in fact, united.

UN's Ban and Bamba at swear-in, (c) MRLee

Inner City Press asked Bamba about Russia's demand that “without prejudice to the freedom of expression” be added to the resolution. Bamba said that's “not to silence their side” -- seeming to say that the Gbagbo “side” is Russia's side.

After a pause, Bamba came back to tell Inner City Press that “on behalf of the Ouattara administration,” he appreciates the increase in UNOCI's “defensive force” - he pointed at the phrase about “three armed helicopters with crews from UNMIL” as he said this -- and the RTI paragraph and “especially,” he said “the lifting of the blockage of the Golf Hotel without delay.” We'll see.

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At UN, Cote d'Ivoire Troop Rollover Stalled by “Politics,” UK Blames Russia

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 18, updated -- As the UN Security Council met Tuesday morning at the deadline to extend its extra troops in Cote d'Ivoire, two Western Ambassadors for the first time admitted there's a problem. Ambassador Wittig of Germany said there might be a “hiccup.” Then Mark Lyall Grant of the UK came out and blamed it on Russia.

As Inner City Press reported back on January 14, several Council members complained that the “Westerners” had loaded up what was supposed to be a technical rollover with “politics.” After a second draft by France, sources told Inner City Press that while China was “flexible,” Russia still had a problem with a paragraph about sanctions.

Why then the surprise on Tuesday morning that the problem remains?

   Inner City Press asked Lyall Grant about the sanctions paragraph Russia was known to have a problem with, even back on Friday. Lyall Grant said the Council President -- Bosnia -- was talking to Russia, and that he didn't think the Russians in New York knew what the issue, apparently taken by their capital, was. But why call a vote, he asked, if Russia doesn't have instructions?

Gambari and Lyall Grant, who will not second guess UN

  As Russia's Vitaly Churkin walked into the Council, Inner City Press asked him about what Lyall Grant had said. Churkin asked rhetorically, We're the problem?

Update of 11:18 am -- Inner City Press is told the Council will have Cote d'Ivoire consultations after its meeting on Sudan. At issue is not only the “political” language that Russia still doesn't want in, but also whether the new / Ouattara Ambassador, Yousoufou Bamba, should be allowed to speak in the chamber. Inner City Press told Churkin what was said about him “not having instructions.” He replied, smiling, “I always have instructions.”

Update of 1:31 pm -- Russia's Churkin tells Press his country has agreed to an “improved” Cote d'Ivoire resolution. “We inserted freedom of expression,” he said, smiling. It will be voted on tomorrow. Inner City Press asked Ouattara's Ambassador Bamba if he'll get to speak and he said “yes.” Watch this site.