As
UN
Council Meets on Gaza Ship Raid, Obama, Ban and Justice Put in
Question
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
May 31-June 1, updated -- In the wake of Israel's commando raid on the
flotilla bound for Gaza,
the UN Security Council in New York went
into emergency session early Monday afternoon. Palestine's Permanent
Observer Riyad Mansour called it a massacre. Inner City Press asked
him what the Palestinian Authority expects from the Obama
administration, in light of their read out from Barack Obama's call
to Benyamin Netanyahu.
"It
was a
cautious statement," Mansour responded. Noting that Netanyahu
has canceled his trip to Washington, Mansour said this was out of
shame.
Non
Council
members also showed up. Sudan's Permanent Representative called Inner
City Press to the side. I have something to say, he insisted. "Israel
has written the communique of the International Criminal Court
meeting in Kampala," he said. Inner City Press pointed out that
Israel is not an ICC state party.
Spain's
Ambassador
went into the Council without speaking, as did U.S. Deputy Permanent
Representative Alejandro Wolff. A reporter shouted out, "will
you support a PRST?"
The
spokesperson
for a Permanent Five member of the Council predicted a Presidential
Statement by the Council, later on Sunday. One can imagine the
language being negotiated back and forth.
Ship, with Turkish flag, UNSC outcome not yet shown
It was said that the UN's
Department of Political Affairs might given a briefing. Based on
what? UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is in Kampala, after having
sent his two most senior envoys to Sudan to the inauguration of Omar
al Bashier, indicted by the ICC. Watch this space -- we will live
blog from the Council stakeout.
Update
of
1:41 p.m. -- a P-5 spokesperson emerges from the Council and says
the format has been decided on, 15 plus two, Israel and Palestine.
Update
of
1:44 p.m. -- Turkey's Ambassador emerges. On way on stairs he's
asked, is there a Turkish draft PRST? "The Minister should
speak first," he said, "in half an hour's time." A P-5
spokesperson says the text has been "seen."
Update
of
1:50 p.m. -- Turkey's Ahmet Davutoglu arrives with entourage. He
will do a stakeout for the Press after he speaks to the Council, a
staffer says.
Update
of
1:57 p.m. -- the UNSC meeting on Gaza is beginning, chaired by
Lebanon on the last day of its Presidency. Israel and Palestine are
seated, DSG Migiro is on the house. UN DPA's Taranco begins briefing.
Update
of
2:37 p.m. - as Davutoglu, UK & others speechify, search is on
for the PRST drafted this morning at the Egyptian mission, outside of
which the Ambassadors of Lebanon and Palestine emerged 1/2 hour
before the UNSC meeting.
Update
of
2:47 pm -- France's Araud calls for investigation, and access
"under the Vienna convention" to those from the flotilla
imprisoned now in Israel. Also calls for meeting of the Quartet, to
lift the blockade of Gaza. UN part time envoy Tony Blair, where are you?
Update
of
2:55 p.m. -- it has been noticed, by other journalists, that while
the UK and France are represented by their #1 Perm Reps, the U.S. #1
Susan Rice is not here. In DC, one reporter guesses, also noting her
May 27 speech at "Fleet Week" -- how about Flotilla Week?
Update
of 3:21 p.m. -- Turkey FM Ahmet Davutoglu
describes PRST. Inner City Press asks if US on board, any interplay
with Iran sanctions? "2 separate cases," FM Davutoglu says. We'll see.
Update
of
3:42 p.m.- Egypt's Ambassador calls for investigation, and action
"unlike on Goldstone report." But when asked about Egypt's
own blockage of Gaza, he says the Rafa crossing is not for
humanitarian aid, that is only up to Israel. Hmm...
Update
of
4:05 p.m. - Council breaking until 4:30. Inner City Press asked
Syria Amb if any link to Iran sanctions. He says, Israel wants to
divert from the NPT...
Update
of
4:30 p.m. -- beyond disputes about compensation, while the Turkish
draft, OIC and NAM call for international investigation, the US has
called for Israel to do the investigating -- not unlike
Ambassador Susan Rice and Hillar Clinton on Sri Lanka's self
investigation...
Then again, the NAM opposed any UN panel on Sri Lanka. Double
standards everywhere.
Update
of
4:38 p.m.-- in the consultations, it was said that a PRST would be
good, but that the way to proceed was "informal informals"-
that is, not even in the consultations room. So here we wait.
Update
of
5:17 p.m. -- As Turkey and the United States negotiate a UN
Security Council Presidential Statement about the Israeli assault on
the Gaza-bound flotilla, the language is getting watered down. From
the "strongly condemn" proposed by the Turks, the First
Revised draft now speaks of "deeply regret." And it is the
"use of force" that is regretted -- which can be read as,
both sides' use of force...
Update
of
5:36 p.m. - Also in US Rev 1 flotilla PRST, while investigation's
to be done in 30 days, it doesn't say #UN or non-Israeli
investigation. Can Turkey live with this?
Update
of
5:54 p.m. - here as a public service, h/t LouCharb, is a photo of
Rev 1 of the flotilla PRST - www.innercitypress.com/gazarev1.jpg
Update
of
6:46 p.m. -- inside the Council consultations, comparison is made
to last Western Sahara negotiations, which took 8 hours. This could
top it. Diplomats head out for food, reporters subsist on potato
chips from nearly empty vending machine.
Update
of
7:53 p.m. -- Now French Ambassador Araud announces, a break until
9:15! A break from the break... Palestine's Riyad Mansour speaks of
something "between Rev 2 and Rev 3." Separate Sudan story to follow.
Now here.
Update
of
9:15 p.m. -- this is the time that they said. So far, Perm Reps of
Mexico and Brazil have walked by and in, and Israel's Danny Carmone
has walked out. Inner City Press asks a well placed Council member
spokesman, "So it's Wolff and the Turks?" He nods. An
outgoing Chinese diplomat tells Inner City Press, "Strange, the
whole world is outraged, but one country isn't. Watch that country in
the next few days."
Update
of
9:45 p.m. -- Chinese dip to Inner City Press on #flotilla: "whole
world outraged, but one country isn't. Watch that country in next
days." And, they're waiting for call from DC, which is waiting
on another capital. Tel Aviv? He nods.
Update
of
9:58 p.m. - not looking good. Rev 2, on which there was
preliminary agreement is no longer the basis for discussions. Int'l
inquiry? Mexican midnight?
Update
of
10:35 p.m. -- Big lull on #flotilla PRST, & some dissing.
Visible in consultations room, UK Lyall Grant walking around like a
non-P5.
Update
of
11:17 a.m. -- Palestine's Mansour says, down to a few words, US on
phone to DC, maybe by midnight, maybe after w/ Mexicans. Maybe,
maybe. It's what passes for news at this point.
Update
of
11:21 -- a lot of interest in the effect of midnight on the UN.
They can "stop the clock" at 11:59, and just pretend that
it remains May. But that is unlikely, no reason to play with them
when a PRST is from the Council as a whole. Some UN TV staffers
reminisce that Perez de Cuellar was allowed to stay on some extra
hours to conduct a peace deal while Dick Clark was in Times Square.
There there's no news, there... history.
Update
of
11:31 -- UK Lyall Grant leaves. "It doesn't seem to be very
close yet," he says. Going to bed? "I'll be back if
something happens." Put a fork in it?
Update
of
11:56 p.m. -- Mexico UNSC Presidency minus four minutes and
counting. Will the ball or #flotilla PRST drop? Where is Dick Clark?
Update
of
11:59 p.m. -- Palestine Mansour says we might see white smoke on
#flotilla PRST. 2 dips go for cigarettes. Lost in translation?
Update
of
12:05 a.m. -- No action on #flotilla PRST, but Mexico's nameplate
and flag has been moved into position. UN efficiency.
Update
of
12:30 a.m. -- Bosnia's Ambassador stares into space as if in an
airport, waiting for a flight delayed by an Icelandic volcano. The
political coordinator of another P-5 country has left for the night.
It's down to the P-1 Plus 1. 30 minutes into the Mexican president
and still no solution.
Update
of
1:19 a.m. -- A Turkish journalist gets a text message from the
Mission inside: "there is still some hope." An American
indicates the same. Could it be?
Update
of
1:23 a.m. - News flash (!) the doors to Council are closed. "They
are going into formal consultations and then they will come out."
Condemning or regreting? Israeli investigation? Watch this space.
Update
of
1:28 a.m. -- UN DPI staff go in, who transcribe formal meetings.
Looks like the deal is done. But what is it? Watch this space.
Update
of
1:35 p.m. -- a Lebanese journalist rushes out with the text,
shares only with Al Jazeera. "Condemns," he tells Press.
"Those acts." We'll see.
Update
of
1:40 a.m. -- They are setting up in the Chamber, Amb Heller is
ready, bleary eyed journalists ready for questions after PRST is read
out, we'll see.
Update
of 1:44 onward -- things moving too fast for blogging (!) turn to http://twitter.com/innercitypress
- for text and Q&A, 10-4
Update
of 2:38 a.m. -- final PRST and analysis here
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