Inner City Press: Investigative Reporting from the United Nations

At UN, EU Resolution Stalled, Africans Oppose or Want Special Powers of EU

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 13 -- The European Union had been so confident they would have consensus in the UN General Assembly on Monday for a resolution giving them special powers in the GA. As Inner City Press has reported, there are questions of why the African Union and Arab League would not get the same powers. The EU claimed it dealt with these bilaterally.

But once the item was called, the meeting was suspended for twenty minutes. Diplomats began to negotiate. Inner City Press set up on the green carpet in front of the GA and asked Permanent Representatives what was going on.

A Central African Perm Rep told Inner City Press that “the EU will have to come back tomorrow, and they won't be able to sponsor resolutions in the GA.”

The spokesman for a major European power scoffed when told this by Inner City Press. “We are only making a few small changes, so we can have consensus tomorrow.”

But an Asian Deputy Permanent Representative confirmed to Inner City Press the African view: the EU will have to work through member states in most instances.

EU's Ashton in GA: African Union and Arab League not shown

The AU and Arab League have leverage: while the GA will reconvene on this Tuesday at 10 am, if it is not approved by 1 p.m., two further resolutions would be required: to extend the 64th GA, and to push back the beginning of the 65th. Unlikely, a well placed UN staffer told Inner City Press.

“What's good for the goose is good for the gander,” one African Permanent Representative told Inner City Press as the GA hall was being locked up. Ancient African proverb? Watch this site.

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At UN, Treki Says AU & Arab League Will Have Powers like EU, KFC Dodge

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 13 -- “I want General Assembly resolutions to be binding and respected,” outgoing President of the GA Ali Treki told the Press on Monday. Inner City Press asked Treki if he supports the European Union's proposal to get more power than the African Union or Arab League have in the GA. Video here, from Minute 16:06.

Treki said the EU request should not be rejected, but that the African Union and Arab League should get the same powers -- in the future. But when?

Inner City Press asked Treki about the PGA Office's budget of $280,000 which supports only four professional posts. Should these posts be allowed to be doled out entirely or even mostly to the PGA's own national? Video here, from Minute 32:15.

Treki, seeming to misunderstand the question, launched into an answer praising member states for cooperating with him. The seeming hearing problem may, however, have been intentional: when Inner City Press asked if a Treki family member had invited in the KFC Colonel Sanders impersonator, which led to the suspension of two UN Security officers, Treki twice acted like he hadn't heard the question.

First, Inner City Press joked that the question was about a Colonel, not Qaddafi but Sanders -- was Treki satisfied with the suspension of the officers?

Treki on his way in, KFC, Swiss list and revitalized GA not shown

Since Inner City Press asked if Treki had been on a Swiss travel ban list of Libyan officials, Treki answered that question rather than KFC.

Treki said that was a thing of the past, that Libya and Switzerland have “now normalized their relations.” Inner City Press asked, have the UN and KFC normalized their relations? Video here at Minute 35:09.

Treki smiled and turned away. There are other issues. Watch this site.

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At UN, Of Elusive Security Council Reform, EU Special Powers & GA Revitalization

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 13 -- Libya's Ali Treki has overseen the past year's UN General Assembly, which in its concluding session this afternoon will consider a resolution to give special powers to the European Union, some GA revitalization and Security Council reform. What do these proposals mean?

The EU believes it deserves the right, in the GA, to propose resolutions and participate as if a member state. But then why allow each EU state to also participate? Why not give these rights to the African Union as well?

The EU says its Lisbon Treaty sets it apart from the AU. Ah, exceptionalism. Sources tell Inner City Press that while when the African Union goes as a group to the EU, they express opposition, African states are being picked off one by one. It's happened before.

The GA Revitalization resolution, in a provision little noticed except by Inner City Press, would require candidates for Secretary General to come to the GA and make their case, against competitors. Many hope it will apply to Ban Ki-moon, in his quest for a second term.

Security Council reform, as usual, is going nowhere. Each major candidate for a permanent seat has a natural enemy, and the Permanent Five are unlikely to ever give up power. They can say they support change, because they know it will never happen.

Ashton of EU, special powers not yet shown

The GA is supposed to orally direct that the SC reform process continue. Inner City Press previously asked the coordinator of the process, Afghanistan's Ambassador Tanin, who was paying his Danish staffer Jonas.

The answer given was murky, but now we can report: at first Jonas was paid directly by the Danes. Then he was made a JPO, a Junior Professional Officer, paid by the UN with Danish money. Tanin's other helper, it is less clear.

Questions are arising about the staffing practices of incoming GA President Joseph Deiss, including Inner City Press' initial scoop of Deis having to promise Finland a UN-funded post in order to squeak past Belgium's Louis Michel and get the Western Europe and Other Group nod for the PGA position. More on this to follow -- watch this site.

Footnote: Treki will hold a press conference at 12:30, billed as his final one. But he will stay on to co-chair the MDGs summit, and is expected to speak again at that time. There are questions...

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At Russian UN Mission, Serbia Makes Its Case, Somalia Forgotten, Churkin Serves Roast Beef

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, August 30 -- Serbia's Ambassador to the UN beamed at Russia's end of Security Council presidency reception Monday night, joking with the Ambassadors of the UK and Bosnia about his country's controversial General Assembly resolution condemning Kosovo's independence.

No other country, he told Inner City Press, broke away without consent and yet was welcomed by such powerful friends at the United States. Where it's done without permission -- he named Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Northern Cyprus and Taiwan -- the countries remain in limbo. We don't want to be the precedent.

Bosnia's 35 year old Ambassador joked that if it were just he and the Serb, they could work it out. The British Ambassador, also laughing, said not to count on his support in the GA. But the Serb persisted, blaming the presence on US President Obama's team of former Bill Clinton official for his country's troubles.

Who, asked Inner City Press. Hillary Clinton, he answered. Richard Holbrooke. But what about trying David Alexrod or Valerie Jarrett? He seemed not to know of them, and offered thanks.

Other talk turned to Ethiopia's incursions into Somalia. Many had read of it, none could confirm. US Ambassador Susan Rice walked away as fast as she could.

Churkin back in the day, Serbian resolution, roast beef and pilots not shown

Ambassador Rugunda of Uganda, whose country just lost four AMISOM peacekeepers to a grenade attack in Mogadishu, vowed to look into it.

The spokesman of another Council member predicted a Council statement on the killing, perhaps on Russia's last day.

Russian Ambassador Churkin played the host, offering dumplings and roast beef and mushrooms in small pots. He drank a toast with Susan Rice, and smiling worked the room. He told Inner City Press, regarding Russia's pilots taken in Darfur, that his job and that of Russia's envoy to Sudan was different. He is not a diplomat, said Churkin. He is doing his job, and I am doing mine. Good answer. Watch this site.

These reports are usually also available through Google News and on Lexis-Nexis.

Click here for a Reuters AlertNet piece by this correspondent about Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army. Click here for an earlier Reuters AlertNet piece about the Somali National Reconciliation Congress, and the UN's $200,000 contribution from an undefined trust fund. Video Analysis here

Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.

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