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By Matthew Russell Lee, Video, Q&A, HK here

UNITED NATIONS GATE, February 4 – On El Salvador on February 4 US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino said, "The United States congratulates Nayib Bukele on his election as the next president of the Republic of El Salvador.  We salute the Salvadoran people for their commitment to democracy and their participation in a successful election.  The United States and El Salvador share a strong partnership based on our joint efforts to improve security and our mutual commitment to the rule of law and inclusive economic development.  It is in our common interest to reduce illegal immigration and combat transnational crime by fostering economic growth, good governance, and security.  We value our cooperation and look forward to working with President-elect Bukele to expand economic opportunity, strengthen democratic institutions, and redouble efforts to make El Salvador safer and more prosperous for all Salvadorans." How will Bukele, a former mayor of San Salvador who was alleged on BBC to have links to, or pay, street gangs be cited in upcoming US talk of caravans? Back on January 16 on Moldova, US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino on said, "The United States urges the Moldovan authorities to take all necessary measures to ensure a free and fair electoral process and a transparent outcome that respects the will of Moldovan voters.  We encourage the government to implement OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) prior recommendations for Moldova that remain outstanding.  Local and national authorities should ensure that candidates are able to register to participate in the elections and carry out their campaigns without fear of harassment or physical harm.  Media outlets should provide equal access to all candidates and approach their coverage in a fair, balanced, and impartial manner, consistent with Moldova’s media laws.  Ultimately, we believe, the goal of all the parties and candidates is the same, ensuring a prosperous and democratic future for Moldova and its citizens.  The United States will continue to help the Moldovan people achieve this goal." Meanwhile, with civilians still being killed in Yemen despite the Sweden talks (and the UN of Antonio Guterres refusing to answer Press questions about it), US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Oman had this meeting read-out by his Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino: "Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo met today with Omani Sultan Qaboos bin Sa’id in Muscat.  The Secretary commended the Sultan for Oman’s unique capacity to create opportunities for dialogue on difficult issues at challenging times, including by separately hosting both Palestinian Authority President Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in Oman in October.  The Secretary and the Sultan discussed ways to promote peace throughout the region.  On Yemen, the Secretary and the Sultan agreed on the importance of all parties continuing to engage and working with UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths toward a political solution to end the conflict and bring peace, prosperity, and security to Yemen.  The Secretary thanked the Sultan for hosting meetings on the economic and energy pillars of the Middle East Strategic Alliance on January 9 in Muscat.  The Secretary and the Sultan also discussed ways to build upon the strong bilateral U.S.-Oman economic and security partnership." UN's Patrick Cammaert was not mentioned; he has lost confidence of parties. Is it any wonder, when the UN used him, willingly, to cover up its under performance in South Sudan at the Terrain Hotel, where the UN stood by then stood silent on the murder of journalist John Gatluak? Pompeo has been on a tour around the region. The itinerary said that "in Muscat, the Secretary will meet with Omani leaders to discuss ways to promote peace throughout the region, including in Yemen, and build upon the strong U.S.-Oman partnership.  The Secretary and Omani leaders will discuss the Middle East Strategic Alliance and the importance of a united GCC in advancing the peace, prosperity, and security of the region." Back on 5 November 2019 after Pompeo spoke of new US sanctions on Iran and eight exemptions on 5 November 2018, later in the day he spoke with the foreign minister of Denmark about Iran, giving rise to this read out attributable to then Spokesperson Heather Nauert: "Secretary Michael R. Pompeo spoke by phone today with Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen.  They discussed Denmark’s public announcement of an arrest related to an Iranian plot to assassinate members of an Iranian dissident group living in Denmark.  They also discussed the importance of strong collective EU action to hold Iran accountable for its continued use of terrorism on European soil.  Secretary Pompeo praised Denmark’s swift and strong response and reiterated that the U.S. maximum pressure campaign against Iran is in response to this type of abhorrent behavior from the Iranian regime.  Secretary Pompeo stressed that the United States stands with our European allies and partners in addressing the threat of the Iranian regime’s support for terrorism." Now on 3 January 2018, as UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres continues his censorship and refusal to answer Press questions on Syria and corruption, another Pompeo call with Samuelsen, this time read out by Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino: "Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke by phone today with Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen.  They discussed Denmark’s contributions to Operation Inherent Resolve.  The Secretary thanked Foreign Minister Samuelsen for Denmark’s outstanding cooperation in the international effort to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria across the globe." US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin together with Pompeo held a short US "Foreign Press Center" briefing on November 5 about the new Iran sanctions that went into effect at midnight, the identities of the jurisdictions given waivers were public: China, India, Italy, Greece, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey. There were calls for SWIFT to entirely disconnect Iranian banks. Mnuchin and Pompeo took very few questions. The first was about President Donald Trump's Game of Thrones / "Sanctions Are Coming" tweet. Another was from Qatar funded Al Jazeera English's UN correspondent, who traveled down from New York to ask how Iran is worse than Saudi Arabia. (Typically, the word blockade was not used. The UN of SG Antonio Guterres fastened on Inner City Press' June 19 criticism of Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric spoonfeeding to Al Jazeera a private briefing about the US leaving the Human Rights Council as a basis to have Inner City Press roughed up and still banned). Later on November 5 Iran sent a letter to Guterres concluding, "The irresponsible conduct of the United States necessitates a collective response by the international community in order to uphold the rule of law, to prevent undermining diplomacy and to protect multilateralism. The United Nations and its Member States, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the international law, should resist against these wrongful acts and hold the United States accountable for such acts. It shall be reiterated that the Security Council in the resolution 2231, that was adopted unanimously, called upon all Member States, regional organizations and international organizations to support the implementation of the JCPOA and to refrain from actions that undermine it.
I should be grateful if you would have the present letter circulated as a document of the Security Council as well as a document of the General Assembly under Agenda items 66, 72 and 86.
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.                                                                           Gholamali Khoshroo, Permanent Representative
H.E. Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General."  Back on November 2 much of the talk was about what the SWIFT messaging system can and cannot do under the sanctions. Mnuchin, who used to preside over OneWest Bank, said that SWIFT should be very careful. He predicted the European Union's work-around will not do any significant transactions; it was clarified that none of the eight jurisdictions getting waivers on Monday is the EU overall and its 28 members. Pompeo, asked of regime change, cited Qasem Soleimani and said the goal is to change Iran's behavior. There will be 700 names put on the sanctions list on Monday: 400 old and 300 new. And what if anything will the UN Security Council, headed this month by China's Ma Zhaoxu, do? Even hindered by UNSG Antonio Guterres, Inner City Press will be covering it all. Watch this site. Following the extradition from Germany to Belgium of Asadollah Assadi, "an Iranian official working under diplomatic cover," US Secretary of State Pompeo issued a statement, while still no action from his US Mission to the UN on the revelation to imprisoned UN bribery suspect Patrick Ho of China Energy Fund Committee also worked to evade Iran sanctions, see below.  Here is Pompeo's statement: "Authorities in Germany announced yesterday the extradition of Asadollah Assadi, an Iranian official working under diplomatic cover, to Belgium for his role in the disrupted Iranian terrorist plot to bomb a political rally near Paris, France on June 30.  The scale of this plot, which involved arrests of numerous suspects across Europe – including in Belgium, France, and Germany – reminds us that Iran remains the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism.  This plot also lays bare Iran’s continued support of terrorism throughout Europe.  We support our European allies in exposing and countering the threat that Iranian-backed terrorism poses around the world.  The United States will continue working with our partners and allies to confront the threat posed by the Iranian regime." Four months after the arrest for UN bribery of former Senegalese foreign minister Cheik Gadio and Patrick Ho, the head of China Energy Fund Committee full funded by CEFC China Energy, his ultimate boss at CEFC Ye Jianming was brought in for questioning in China. Now in October 2018 court filings in the prosecution make it clear how corrupt the UN is, and why it has banned Inner City Press which reports on it: Ho bribed not one but two Presidents of the General Assembly, and brokered weapons not only to Chad but also Qatar, whose Al Jazeera got the exclusive of Guterres' selection as SG and after getting spoonfed by Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric on June 19 collaborated to get Inner City Press roughed up and banned since by Guterres' corrupt UN. And STILL  Guterres, whose son does UNdisclosed business in Angola, Namibia, Sao Tomo and Cabo Verde, has not even started an audit, only roughed up the Press and banned it now for 93 days. From this week's filing: "Evidence of Transactions with Iran The evidence of the defendant’s interest in and willingness to broker transactions in or with Iran principally consists of emails, spanning a multiple-year period. To choose a few examples: In October 2014, the defendant sent his assistant an email stating, “I am going to BJ [i.e., Beijing] this Friday to see [the Chairman of CEFC NGO and CEFC China] on Sat afternoon. The documents I want to send him before hand in separate items are: . . . 7. Iranian connection (brief).”4 On the same date, the defendant sent his assistant another email, attaching a document, which stated, in pertinent part: 7) Iranian Connection . . . Iran has money in a Bank in china which s under sanction. Iran wishes to purchase precious metal with this money. The precious metal is available through a Bank in HK which cannot accept money from the Bank in China which holds the money but is under sanction. The Iranian agent is looking for a Chinese company acting as a middle man in such transactions and will pay commission. (details to be presented orally) The Iranian connection has strong urge to establish trading relationship with us in oil and products . . . . The following year, in June 2015, the defendant received an email that stated, in pertinent part: “The Iranian team will arrive in BJ . . . . See the attached.” The attachment referenced in the email was a PowerPoint presentation entitled “Presentation to Potential Partners Iran Petroleum Investments.” The next day, the defendant forwarded the email to his assistant, stating, “For writing report to [the Chairman of CEFC NGO and CEFC China].”
The following year, in June 2016, the defendant emailed another individual, blindcopying
his assistant, and stated, in pertinent part, “Will get [two executives of CEFC China] to
meet with [oil executive at company with operations in Iran] in BJ, and [another individual] also on another occasion if he comes. You can start organizing these. . . . Other matters ftf [i.e., face to face].” And also "an email exchange in which Gadio asked the defendant: “Do you think CEFC can intervene with the Chinese state to get an urgent, extremely confidential and significant military weapon assistance to our friend [the President of Chad] who has engaged in the battle of his life against the devils of Bokko Haram?,” to which the defendant replied, “Your important message has been forwarded. It is being given the highest level of consideration. Will inform you once I hear back.”
The defendant also sought to and did broker arms transactions unrelated to the Chad and
Uganda schemes charged in this case. For example: In March 2015, an individual sent the defendant an email, stating, “I have the list and end user agreement. Pls advise next step.” On the same day, the defendant replied, in pertinent part, “Find a way to pass them onto me and we can execute that right away[].” The individual replied, “Attached. [W]e have the funding and processing mechanisms in place. If it works nice there will be much more. Also for S. Sudan.” The attachment to this email was a document entitled “End User Certificate,” certifying that the user of the goods in question would be the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Libya. The goods listed on the document included numerous arms. The following month, the defendant sent an email that stated in pertinent part: “It so turns out Qatar also needs urgently a list of toys from us. But for the same reason we had for Libya, we cannot sell directly to them. Is there a way you could act as an intermediary in both cases?” The person whom the defendant emailed replied: “Qatar good chance bc there is no embargo. Libya is another case bc going against an embargo is tricky.” The defendant responded: “Qatar needs new toys quite urgently. Their chief is coming to China and we hope to give them a piece of good news. Please confirm soonest.” This is outrageous, that an NGO still accredited under Guterres was selling weapons into South South, Libya and Qatar. Resign. And, on multiple PGAs: "among the individuals whom the defendant [Patrick Ho] is charged with bribing is Sam Kutesa, the Ugandan Foreign Minister. The Government expects that the evidence will show that the corrupt relationship between the defendant and Kutesa developed between in or about September 2014 and September 2015, when Kutesa was serving as the PGA (specifically, the PGA for the 69th session of the UN General Assembly). The evidence, in both the form of emails and a recorded phone call, also shows that, just
as he did with respect to Kutesa when he was the PGA, the defendant sought to cultivate a
business relationship with Kutesa’s predecessor, John Ashe, who served as the PGA between in
or about September 2013 and September 2014. As he did with Kutesa, the defendant began by introducing himself to Ashe as the Secretary-General of CEFC NGO. And just as he did with
Kutesa when he served as the PGA, the defendant invited Ashe to visit CEFC NGO in Hong Kong and to speak at various events.
In mid-April 2014, Ashe traveled to Hong Kong and met with the defendant and others.
After the trip, Ashe’s aide sent a letter to the defendant thanking the Chairman of CEFC NGO (who was also the Chairman of CEFC China) for the contribution of $50,000 to support the PGA. The aide had solicited the contribution from the defendant prior to the Hong Kong trip, and the defendant had confirmed that CEFC NGO would make the contribution.
In or about early June 2014, the defendant requested that Ashe officiate over a forum that
CEFC NGO was planning to hold at the UN, and also attend and officiate over a luncheon at the UN the following day. (The defendant made virtually the same request of Kutesa once he
became the PGA.) The day before the forum (July 6, 2014), the defendant emailed two business associates of Ashe, who assisted him in raising funds, to invite them to the forum and luncheon and to request their assistance in “urg[ing] the PGA to grace the occasion with his presence and to deliver a short remark.”
On or about the same day, the defendant and one of these associates (“Associate-1”)
spoke by phone. (See Ex. A (draft transcript).) During the call, which was recorded, the
defendant confirmed that he wanted Ashe to attend his event. The following conversation then took place:
Associate-1: So the last question, so sorry if I ask too direct. . . . [H]ave you, made some
contribution to him . . . ?
The defendant: Yeah, we already paid.
Associate-1: Oh you did? OkayThe defendant: Well, not a whole lot but it’s—it’s okay. On a couple of occasions. But I
think the major contribution will come in after we talk about what he can—what he can
help us with.
Associate-1: What you—what you mean major contribution? It’s after he return uh—
leave the job?
The defendant: Yes, yes.
. . .
Associate-1: Wonderful . . . okay.
The defendant: That’s not a—that’s not a problem. The problem is—uh, it’s give and
take.
Associate-1: Give and take. That’s—of course. This is the—this is business, right?
The defendant: Yeah, right.
 2 These two business associates subsequently pleaded guilty to bribing Ashe, based on
conduct unrelated to the defendant and CEFC. Ashe was charged with tax offenses arising from
his allegedly failing to disclose bribe payments as income. He passed away before trial, and the
charges against him were therefore dismissed." We'll have more on this. On July 19, the lawyers for Patrick Ho, led by Benjamin Rosenberg of Dechert LLP, argued before U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska that count after count of the indicts should be dismissed. Edward Kim of Krieger Kim & Lewin LLP tried to get Ho's emails and text messages suppressed, without success. On August 9, Ho's appeal to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals to get out on bail was again denied. Now the prosecution, opposing yet another Ho bail application, has written: "Gadio has been meeting with the Government for some time and he is expected to testify at trial pursuant to a recently executed non-prosecution agreement.  And far from weakening the case, Gadio’s testimony will provide substantial evidence of the defendant’s guilt. As the defendant is well-aware from a written disclosure made by the Government more than four months ago, Gadio is expected to testify, in sum and among other things, that (i) the defendant provided $2 million in cash, concealed within a gift box, to the President of Chad in connection with a business meeting in Chad in or about December 2014, (ii) the President refused to accept this obvious bribe, which Gadio understood was connected to the defendant’s interest in business opportunities in Chad, and (iii) the defendant thereafter drafted a letter to the President, purporting to pledge this $2 million to charitable causes, but the defendant appeared to have no interest in doing charitable works in Chad, and indeed, the defendant never asked Gadio about the status of the purported “donation” or made any other reference to the subject. (See Def. Ltr. Ex. A.) This expected testimony considerably strengthens the Government’s proof beyond the
already-strong case reflected in the detailed Complaint. The Complaint explained that, following a December 2014 business meeting in Chad, the defendant drafted a letter pledging a $2 million so-called “donation” to “the people of Chad at [the President of Chad’s] personal disposal to support [his] social and other programs as [he] see[s] fit.” (Compl. ¶ 28(a).) The Complaint did not, however, explain whether—and at what point—any money was actually paid. Gadio’s expected testimony makes clear that, in fact, the defendant provided $2 million in cash directly to the President, concealed within a gift box, and that the pledge letter was drafted after the bribe had already been offered. Thus, the evidence of the defendant’s intent to bribe the President of Chad is, on the whole, much more robust in light of Gadio’s expected testimony." On September 24, a letter from May was disclosed: UN accredited executive of an NGO still in ECOSOC handed Deby of Chad $2 million in a box, for oil. This is the UN, which won't even audit this scandal. Guterres is corruption - and on September 26 even banned Inner City Press which reports on this from a human rights event. We'll have more on this. On September 15, the day after Ho's co-defendant Cheik Gadio had the case against him dropped by Prosecutor Douglas Zolkind, who ask worked to convict Ng Lap Seng using testimony of apparently still free Francis Lorenzo. Sean Hecker, a lawyer for Mr. Gadio said that “Dr. Gadio looks forward to continuing to cooperate with U.S. authorities." But when Agence France Presse reported it, as picked up in the media in Nigeria, it was "Gadio Is Cleared." Is that how they report, for example, Manafort? It is, you see, a serious UN bribery case, even as UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres not only does not start an audit of who else has been bribed by CEFC and Ho, but audaciously ousts, roughs up and imposes a ban on -- extended on August 17 to life or at least #UNGA73 when representatives of China and Chad, Uganda and Senegal will be in the UN -- the only media, Inner City Press, which asks him about it. Instead his team solicits the same trolls army as before, to monitor and leak files to try to post-facto justify Guterres' censorship. This is corruption, to the heart of the UN. The trial of the still incarcerated Ho begins in November. Somewhere, one imagines, UN PGA Sam Kutesa worries, Chadian head of state Idriss Deby less so. And the UN of Antonio Guterres, implicated, doesn't even audit who at the UN took CEFC's money, preferring instead to rough up, oust and ban the Press which asks. Fox News story here, GAP blogs I and II, Independent here. 

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