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By Matthew Russell Lee, UN, CJR PFTracker

UNITED NATIONS GATE, November 19 – After leaving Singapore then Australia on his week-long Asia trip, US Vice President Mike Pence arrived in Papua New Guinea for the APEC Summit, sans Bolton. Inner City Press, trying to cover his speech, hit a paywall at CNN, selling the video pool. Audio was ultimately found, with Pence cautioning against debt presumably to China, praising ExxonMobil and teasing an upcoming announcement. As he left PNG, a pool report below. Now on November 19, this from US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert: "The United States congratulates Papua New Guinea for a successful year as host of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings.  We are proud of the work that we achieved together to break down barriers to trade and investment throughout the APEC region, supporting positive outcomes for our people and the region.

The United States was proud and fully prepared to join consensus on the draft APEC statements, agreeing to promote free and fair trade in the region and to combat unfair trade practices.  It is unfortunate that not all economies—despite their rhetoric—could support these positions.

Nevertheless, this year, working with our partners, the United States advanced priorities including on digital trade, services trade competitiveness, structural reform, trade facilitation, and women’s economic participation.  These areas are critical to all APEC economies as key drivers of future growth.

We remain committed to fighting unfair trade wherever it exists in the region.  APEC, as the premier economic forum in the region, should continue to advance the ideals of free, fair, and reciprocal trade, to level the playing field and unleash new opportunities for all of our workers and businesses.  The United States will continue to constructively engage in APEC to achieve those objectives." The pool report: "kicked off by speaking of a successful Asia swing and a “renewed American commitment to growing economies and security all across the indo-Pacific region”
WSJ – Is China trying to build an empire in the indo-Pacific?
“The United States is here to stay.”
“There is no place in this region for Empire or aggression.”
“We desire a better relationship with China and with all the nations across this region.”
“He said the United States is putting a priority on the indo-Pacfic”
WSJ – Exchange with Xi?
“I spoke to president Xi twice during the course of this conference. We had a candid conversation. I know he is looking forward to his meeting with President Trump at the G20, I know that President Trump is also looking forward to that meeting.”
Relationship goes back far, “but there are differences today. They begin with trade practices, with tariffs and quotas, forced technology transfers, the theft of intellectual property. It goes beyond that to freedom of navigation in the seas, concerns about human rights”
Said all those issues would be topics of discussion for Xi and POTUS.
Told Xi Americans interested in a better relationship “but there has to be change.”
WSJ – How did Xi respond?
“He thought that dialogue is important”
VOA – What is your response to evidence of Chinese influence in region, evidenced in PNG?
Said honored to be here “i understand that I'm the first vice president ever to visit.”
AFP – Is MbS a force for good?
Repeated same language as yesterday about Khashoggi “atrocity” but said he had received an “initial briefing” will review the full report.
“We're going to hold them all accountable. That being said I know that the president is going to make this decision in the context of an enormously important strategic relationship with Saudi Arabia.”
Bloomberg – Are there people in the WH you don't trust?
Repeated language about there always being change after an election. “Whatever changes will be made the president will be making those decisions”
“Couldn't be more proud to serve in this White House.”
NBC – Does DPRK need to denuke before peace treaty?
“No daylight” between ROK, Japan and US. Claimed “remarkable progress” on North Korea.
“We are absolutely committed to full, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. How we do that, the objective will not change. But we will not make the mistakes of the past.”
Wash Post – Is testing new weapon sign of a leader interested in peace?
“I saw those press reports and haven't been briefed yet.” said also saw reports of DPRK releasing an American.
POTUS “believes there is an opportunity here for peace.”
WashPost - Where is the summit going to be?
“I'll keep you posted.” Earlier in the trip from Pence's prepared remarks: "As we discussed today, we must continue to maintain the pressure campaign and enforce all U.N. sanctions until we achieve the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea.Mr. Prime Minister, we are grateful for Singapore’s support. The United States is currently making plans for another summit between President Trump and Chairman Kim after the first of the year, and we remain determined to have the commitments of the Singapore Declaration fulfilled." Then they headed to Cairns, Australia - as noted, sans Bolton... On November 16 Pence held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Here is the read-out from Pence's press secretary ALyssa Farah: "The Vice President and President Putin discussed the upcoming G20 Summit and touched on the issues that will be discussed when President Trump and President Putin are both in Argentina for the summit." Meanwhile Putin told reporters at the ASEAN summit that the two discussed the US plan to leave the INF treaty and relations with Iran. We'll have more on this - and this: it is worth noting that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on 3 July 2018 has critical Inner City Press roughed up by UN Lieutenant Ronald E. Dobbins as it covered the UN Budget Committee: UK Independent with video here.  Guterres and Dobbins had impunity: the UN has refused to lift (misused) legal immunity even for Dobbins.  Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric has said in public and private that entry into the UN is a privilege - even though the compound houses the General Assembly, the so called parliament of humanity. Now Trump's defense argues that he "and his staff have absolute discretion over which journalists they grant interviews to, as well as over which journalists they acknowledge at
press events. That broad discretion necessarily includes discretion over which journalists receive on-demand access to the White House grounds and special access during White House travel for the purpose of asking questions of the President or his staff. No journalist has a First Amendment right to enter the White House and the President need not survive First Amendment scrutiny whenever he exercises his discretion to deny an individual journalist one of the many hundreds of passes granting on-demand access to the White House complex." So - the argument now made by Trump was made first by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who pontificated elsewhere about freedom of the press. A difference? Guterres is not only banning Inner City Press 133 days from "his" Secretariat, but also the General Assembly and its committees. Could Trump ban Acosta from Congress? From events held in the Capitol? In Japan on the first step of the trip, Pence on November 13 held a rare (for protocol) joint press availability with Prime Minister Abe, see below. Also in Tokyo, according to Heather Nauert who, in a parallel world to cheese-slice Gate will hold an on camera briefing today, "Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan met today with Japanese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Takeo Akiba in Tokyo, Japan.  During the meeting, the two reaffirmed the importance of the U.S.-Japan Alliance as the cornerstone of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.  Deputy Secretary Sullivan and Vice Minister Akiba discussed how to further the strong security alliance and cooperate in new areas to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific. Deputy Secretary Sullivan and Vice Minister Akiba also pledged to work together toward achieving both countries’ shared goal of a final, fully verifiable denuclearized North Korea, including through trilateral cooperation with the Republic of Korea." Meanwhile, in the type of pool report never given by the UN about Antonio Guterres who is today in DC for deceased investor John Templeton's aware to Jordan's king, "Air Force Two touched down at Playa LeBar Air Base in Singapore at 8:22 p.m. after a seven hour flight from Tokyo. Illuminated by floodlights, the vice president and Mrs. Pence left the plane together at 8:32 and spent a few minutes shaking hands on the receiving line, where they were presented with flowers. It’s 82 degrees in the city-state, our home for three days while Mr. Pence attends the East Asia and Asean summits and takes part in a
stream of bi-lats. The motorcade wound through cleared streets, giving us an inspiring view of the Gardens by the Bay light show. We arrived at our hotel at 9 pm." Before that, with Abe in Toyko, Pence said,  "let me once again thank Japan for your close cooperation with the United States on our North Korea strategy. Japan has literally stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the United States in the pressure campaigns from the very beginning.  And you personally have played a pivotal role in policing illegal maritime shipments with Japan's naval operations.  Our joint actions, together with South Korea and the wider world, have brought North Korea to the negotiating table and opened the promise of peace on the Korean Peninsula.
President Trump believes his relationship with Chairman Kim is good.  And since their historic summit in Singapore in June we’ve made good progress on the agreement that's reached.  But more work remains.
As we speak, another summit is being arranged, but the President has made it clear that the time for implementing the agreement is not a driving factor.  And as I assured you, Mr. Prime Minister, the pressure campaign will continue, and the sanctions will remain in full force, until we achieve the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea.  The United States, Japan, and the world will accept nothing less." Before the last North Korea - US summit, US President Donald Trump on June 1 said, "you people are going to have to travel because you'll be in Singapore on June 12th." And on that day, after a 38 minute tete a tete (with interpreters) and wider meetings and a lunch, Trump held up the four point document and after that took questions, see below.  On June 22, the day the UN ousted Inner City Press from a speech by Secretary General Antonio Guterres in contravention of the Press' rights even under the UN's rules (CJR here), a set up for the UN's Chairman-style lifetime ban imposed on August 17. On November 8 after Russia called a closed door consultation on North Korea, US Nikki Haley emerged afterward and snarked that Russia said this was about humanitarian but what they REALLY want is to lift banking restriction and we're not going to do that. (See previous Inner City Press scoop, before being roughed up and banned by Antonio Guterres, credited here.) Just after midnight on November 6-7, this from US State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert: "Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo’s meeting with officials from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, scheduled for this week in New York, will now take place at a later date. We will reconvene when our respective schedules permit. Ongoing conversations continue to take place. The United States remains focused on fulfilling the commitments agreed to by President Trump and Chairman Kim at the Singapore Summit in June." Haley on November 8 said it was that the North Korea's "weren't ready."

Back on September 21, this from the US: "Secretary Michael R. Pompeo spoke by phone with Japanese Foreign Minister Kono yesterday.  They discussed the ongoing pressure campaign to achieve the final, fully verified denuclearization of the DPRK as agreed to by Chairman Kim Jong Un in Singapore.  They also talked about the upcoming UN General Assembly and global security issues of importance to the U.S.-Japan alliance." On September 19 Pompeo said, "The United States congratulates President Moon Jae-in and Chairman Kim Jong Un on the successful outcome of their summit meeting in Pyongyang. We welcome President Moon and Chairman Kim’s reaffirmation of the Singapore joint statement of complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, including the permanent dismantlement of all facilities at Yongbyon in the presence of U.S. and IAEA inspectors. We also welcome Chairman Kim’s decision to complete the previously announced dismantlement of the Tongchang-ri site in the presence of U.S. and international inspectors as a step toward the final fully verified denuclearization of North Korea, as agreed by Chairman Kim at the Singapore summit with President Trump. On the basis of these important commitments, the United States is prepared to engage immediately in negotiations to transform U.S.-DPRK relations. This morning, I invited my counterpart Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho to meet in New York City next week where we are both already scheduled to be in attendance at the United Nations General Assembly meeting.  Likewise, we have invited North Korean representatives to meet our Special Representative for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, in Vienna, Austria at the earliest opportunity.  This will mark the beginning of negotiations to transform U.S.-DPRK relations through the process of rapid denuclearization of North Korea, to be completed by January 2021, as committed by Chairman Kim, and to construct a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula." But will the Ri meeting be out of the UN, where Inner City Press can stake it out and cover it, or in the Guterres-censored UN where Inner City Press will cover, but only as excluded by Guterres and his Alison Smale? On September 13 the US made an addition to its North Korea sanctions list: "JONG, Song Hwa (Korean); DOB 05 Feb 1970; nationality Korea, North; Gender Male; Passport 927220230 (Korea, North) issued 11 May 2017 expires 11 May 2022 (individual) [DPRK4]. The following entities have been added to OFAC's SDN List:
 VOLASYS SILVER STAR, 41 Ulitsa Klary Tsetskin, Vladivostok, Russia [DPRK3] [DPRK4].
 YANBIAN SILVERSTAR NETWORK TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. (a.k.a. CHINA SILVER STAR INTERNET TECHNOLOGY COMPANY; a.k.a. SILVER STAR INTERNET TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION; a.k.a. UNSONG INTERNET TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION; a.k.a. YANBIAN SILVER STAR; a.k.a. YANBIAN SILVERSTAR), 20998B-26 Changbaishan East Road, Yanji, Jilin, China [DPRK3] [DPRK4]." On September 7 while Guterres dodged a letter from the Korean missions President Donald Trump, who may or may no be behind what the US is telling people is the US Mission's support of censorship of Press, said this on Air Force One: "I know that a letter is being delivered to me, a personal letter from Kim Jong Un to me, that was handed at the border, I don’t know if you know that, it was handed at the border yesterday. It’s an elegant way, the way it used to be many years ago before we had all the of new contraptions that we all use. I think it’s going to be a positive letter. We have to start that process.
On North Korea, it’s very interesting. It started off very rough. … You people thought I was too rough. We have our hostages back, I say it a hundred times, no missiles, no rockets, no nuclear testing. There’s been some rhetoric, let’s see what happens. Although the rhetoric between myself and him has been very good. He says I have respect for President Trump. Let’s see what happens. He did write me a letter. The letter is being delivered to me, probably I’ll have it, I think it’s being brought in by Mike Pompeo, who by the way is doing a fantastic job."  Guterres' censorship, which included a ban on entering and covering the stakeout of Pompeo and perhaps ironically Nikki Haley has now been covered not only in DC, Cameroon, the UK and Italy but also Japan, see August 24, 2018, “Who Banned Reporter Michuu Lee from the United Nations?” by Hirata Ichiko, NikkanBerita.com (Japan). Next stop South Korea, where Ban Ki-moon's in retrospect less abusive attempt to Inner City Press' coverage, by downgrading status but not roughing up and banning, was repeatedly covered: Jan 18, 2017: “Before trying to be president, Ban Ki-moon must address his sibling’s corruption,” Hankyoreh (South Korea); Jan 18, 2017, Korea Times, “Prosecutors say Ban Ki-moon was 'indeed on bribery list,'” Jan 18, 2017, Yonhap, “Ban aide denies new allegations surrounding his brother;” Jan 23, 2017, Sisa Journal:  (“a foreign reporter exposed it.” And at the UN, Stephane Dujarric, Hua Jiang, Maher Nasser and others throughout all this, never recusing themselves, censors. On August 24, President Trump  tweeted: "I have asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo not to go to North Korea, at this time, because I feel we are not making sufficient progress with respect to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula... Additionally, because of our much tougher Trading stance with China, I do not believe they are helping with the process of denuclearization as they once were (despite the UN Sanctions which are in place)....Secretary Pompeo looks forward to going to North Korea in the near future, most likely after our Trading relationship with China is resolved. In the meantime I would like to send my warmest regards and respect to Chairman Kim. I look forward to seeing him soon!" Less that two hours later a UN North Korea sanctions meeting Inner City is banned by Antonio Guterres and Alison Smale from staking out, at least from inside the UN. Guterres is headed to China, leaving the Press in the street. Today's UN is corrupt.

Inner City Press earlier asked UN spokesman Farhan Haq, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: it seems that North and South Korea have agreed to have at least temporary family reunifications sometime this summer, maybe in August,  since you said the Secretary-General is following this process, what does he think of that?  Does it have any implications for the nuclear side of the discussions?

Deputy Spokesman:  Well, we welcome all confidence-building measures that are taken between the parties on the Korean Peninsula and we certainly hope that the issue of family reunifications can move forward.  As you're aware, this has been a concern of many families for decades and anything that helps ease the sort of problems and pain that they've faced from separation is a welcome step." The UN just watches - and censors. On August 21 in Washington, "Secretary Pompeo spoke yesterday with New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters. Secretary Pompeo thanked Foreign Minister Peters for New Zealand’s continued support in working towards the final, fully verified denuclearization of the DPRK as agreed to by Chairman Kim Jong Un, including the implementation of UN Security Council sanctions. They discussed cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and joint efforts at strengthening the rules-based regional order." On August 17 Guterres' Global Censor Alison Smale issued a no due process order to ban Inner City Press for life, here. On August 20, without irony, Guterres issued this: "The Secretary-General welcomes the holding of an inter-Korean family reunion event that began today and is set to last until 26 August.  He hopes that such reunion events will become routine and include many more people, including affected Koreans worldwide, allow participants to meet privately, and to remain in contact after the meetings. The Secretary-General further welcomes the efforts by both Koreas to continue their engagement and to take steps to build confidence and trust.

 The Secretary-General looks forward to discussing how he can further support the parties in their diplomatic efforts to bring sustainable peace, security, and complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula during the upcoming high-level week of the United Nations General Assembly." (Guterres and Smale are, of course, trying to ban Inner City Press from covering this high level week, see PressFreedomTracker.us on Inner City Press, here.) This came after North Korea put out a statement slamming Guterres for saying, alongside Japan's Abe, that DPRK "can be a normal member of the international community" through denuclearization. North Korea says it is not for Guterres to determine which are and are not "normal" states.  Who's writing this material? And on August 9: "The spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic
of Korea made public the following press statement on August 9, 2018.
At the first historic DPRK-U.S. summit meeting and talks, the top leaders
committed to work together toward putting an end to the extremely hostile relations
through confidence building and establishing new DPRK-U.S. relations in favor of
the requirements and interests of the peoples of two countries and to make active
contribution to peace, security, and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and over
the world.
Whereas we already took such practical denuclearization steps as discontinuing
nuclear test and ICBM test fire, followed by dismantling the nuclear test ground
since the end of last year, the U.S. insisted on its unilateral demand of
"denuclearization first" at the first DPRK-U.S. high-level talks held in Pyongyang
in early July.
Nevertheless, for the sake of building confidence between the DRPK and the
U.S., a foremost and indispensable process for implementation of the joint
statement of the DPRK-U.S. summit, we took such broadminded measures as
repatriating POW/MIA remains.
We hoped that these goodwill measures would contribute to breaking down the
high barrier of mistrust existing between the DPRK and the U.S. and to establishing
mutual trust. However, the U.S. responded to our expectation by inciting
international sanctions and pressure against the DPRK.
The U.S. is attempting to invent a pretext for increased sanctions against the
DPRK by mobilizing all their servile mouthpieces and intelligence institutions to
fabricate all kinds of falsehoods on our nuclear issue. They made public the "North
Korea Sanctions and Enforcement Actions Advisory" and additional sanctions, and
called for collaboration in forcing sanctions and pressure upon us even at the
international meetings.
Worse still, the U.S. is resorting to such highly despicable actions as hindering
international organizations' cooperation with our country in the field of sports and
forcing other countries not to send high-level delegations to the celebrations of the
70th founding anniversary of the DPRK.
Now the issue in question is that, going against the intention of president Trump
to advance the DPRK-U.S. relations, who is expressing gratitude to our goodwill
measures for implementing the DPRK-U.S. joint statement, some high-level
officials within the U.S. administration are making baseless allegations against us
and making desperate attempts at intensifying the international sanctions and
pressure.
Expecting any result, while insulting the dialogue partner and throwing cold
water over our sincere efforts for building confidence which can be seen as a
precondition for implementing the DPRK-U.S. joint statement, is indeed a foolish
act that amounts to waiting to see a boiled egg hatch out.
The international society is struck by this shameless and impertinent behavior of
the U.S., and we also closely follow the U.S. behavior with high vigilance against
their intentions.
As long as the U.S. denies even the basic decorum for its dialogue partner and
clings to the outdated acting script which the previous administrations have all tried
and failed, one cannot expect any progress in the implementation of the DPRKU.
S. joint statement including the denuclearization, and furthermore, there is no
guarantee that the hard-won atmosphere of stability on the Korean Peninsula will
continue.
We remain unchanged in our will to uphold the intentions of the top leaders of
the DPRK and the U.S. and to build trust and implement in good faith the DPRK U.S. joint statement step by step. The U.S. should, even at this belated time,
respond to our sincere efforts in a corresponding manner." On August 3 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met his Chinese counterpart and Heather Nauert read it out: "Today, Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo met with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Singapore.  Secretary Pompeo underscored the importance of pursuing a constructive U.S.-China relationship that produces meaningful results.  He emphasized our shared commitment to the final, fully verified denuclearization of the DPRK, as agreed upon by Chairman Kim, as well as the importance of continued implementation of all related UN Security Council Resolutions.  Secretary Pompeo also discussed additional priorities in our bilateral relationship, such as U.S. concerns about China's ongoing militarization of the South China Sea." Earlier on August 3, the US Mission to the UN, silent on UN censorship to date, issued this: "The U.S. Mission to the United Nations submitted a list of designation proposals today to the UN Security Council’s 1718 North Korea Sanctions Committee as part of the U.S. government’s regular sanctions implementation activities. This action coincided with today’s Treasury Department actions and is part of a coordinated U.S. government effort to continue to implement existing sanctions, both domestic and multilateral, and cut off North Korea’s illicit financial activities. The United States has been clear that if the international community wants to achieve the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea, the best way to support that process is to remain vigilant in applying the current sanctions to their full extent." And now the proposed names, with comments (or not) solicited by 1718 chair van Oosterom until August 10 at 3 pm:  Ri Jong Won & 3 entities: Dandong Zhongsheng Industry andTrade Company Limited, Korea Ungum Corporation and the Agrosoyuz Commercial Bank. We'll have more on this. On July 3 the same rogue UN Security officer Ronald E. Dobbins and a partner roughed up Inner City Press as it covered Guterres' budget; on July 5 and 6, Guterres UN has banned Inner City Press five days now and counting from entering the UN pending a "review" - of Dobbins' brutality?  Fox News story here, GAP blogs I and II. Now on August 2 on their way to Malaysia a US State Department Official travel with Mike Pompeo answered questions about North Korea, including: " If he does meet with the North Korea foreign minister, would that be on Friday or Saturday, do you think?

SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:  Thank you for that question, Carol.  I’m not in a position to confirm any additional meetings of a bilateral nature beyond those meetings with Singapore, but I will simply note what happens at these annual gatherings is there are at least 27 – I think this year with guests of the chair there are approximately 30 – foreign ministers.  That provides a platform for a lot of interaction – some sit-down meetings, some side-bar meetings, some pull-asides, some chance encounters – to address challenges in the region or other business.  So I think it’s safe to say the Secretary will be seeing many of his counterparts.

MODERATOR:  We need to wrap it up.  A few more questions.

QUESTION:  You said last Tuesday that the Secretary will ask countries to continue implementing sanctions against North Korea, but what – can he do more than just ask implementing when there is a sense that they are not implementing them as – as they were doing before the summit and before this year?

SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:  Yeah, I think when it comes to North Korea and sanctions, it’s more than an ask; it’s a reminder of obligations.  All of the countries participating in these multilateral meetings are also members of the United Nations and are obligated to implement all UN Security Council resolutions.  And we do have concerns about North Korea bypassing some of those sanctions, not adhering to its own obligations, so the Secretary will use these opportunities to remind all of that obligation to stick to the sanctions as a means to get to the ultimate objective, the fully verified, finally fully verified, denuclearization of North Korea.

QUESTION:  But he already addressed this problem at the UN Security Council a few weeks ago.  What can he do more than just reminding them?  I mean, is this having some success in implementation?  Do you see some changes or not yet?

SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:  Well, in very general terms, we believe that the sanctions and the adherence to sanctions by countries around the world is a primary reason that North Korea has entered into dialogue, and those sanctions need to stay in place until the goals and objectives of the sanctions are achieved.  That’s a very important message, and it’s not one that the Secretary delivers lightly, I think he delivers on a regular basis, and we see a need to continue doing so." We'll have more on this - and, we hope, on the question we were able to ask the Dutch chair of the UN's North Korea sanctions committee Karel Von Oosterom, who has been informed in person at the Delegates' Entrance gate and then in writing: would travel ban waivers be needed if North Korea attends the UN's September high level week? The answer, from genial Dutch spokesman Frits Kemperman who knows of the UN's ouster of Inner City Press, was that Kim Jong Un is not on the travel ban list. But how about the rest of his possible delegation? How will we get this answer, while banned?  On June 28, restricted Inner City Press observed China's Permanent Representative and one staffer rushing, or trying to rush, in to the Security Council between 5:45 and 6 pm. But the door was locked. Exclusive Inner City Press Periscope video here. Later it was reported and China and Russia had a proposal to reduce UN sanctions on North Korea. We'll have more on this. On June 13 Inner City Press asked this month's President of the UN Security Council Vassily Nebenzia if his country, Russia, thinks the Singapore deal is essentially "freeze for freeze." Nebenzia replied, "There are elements of freeze for freeze, that is clear." Video here.
Inner City Press also asked the chair of the UN Security Council's 1718 Committee if the blanket sanctions exemptions were time bound and are now over. Seems so - Periscope video here, at end.  On June 12 Trump said the war games will not be resumed in North Korea complies, calling them provocative and expensive. A Japanese reporter asked about abductions, adding, when will Trump do interview with Japanese TV? Trump said abductions will be worked on, it's not in the document. Trump said that to verify - the word not in the document - there'll be a lot of people there. There was no mention of the UN or IAEA. Hours later UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres put out a canned statement "reiterat[ing] his readiness to fully support the ongoing process," below, after leaving problems at the IAEA unaddressed, taking few and onlyl handpicked questions, restricting the Press. On June 11 in New York with the UN effectively marginalized, its Secretary General Antonio Guterres wanly offered, "Relevant parts of the United Nations system stand ready to support this process. The International Atomic Energy Agency has a mandate to apply safeguards on all nuclear material in peaceful use, including all material removed from military programs." He took three pre-picked questions but has not answered on the IAEA portion of the UN system's cover up of sexual harassment charges under his watch. As Inner City Press has exclusively reported: "An abrupt resignation at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, of Tero Varjoranta, was by some like Reuters linked to Trump's pull out from the Iran JCPOA deal. Varjoranta was linked to the JCPOA - but his resignation, multiple whistleblowers tell Inner City Press, was more tied to a sexual harassment incident witnessed by many staff. Inner City Press' sources, understandably afraid of retaliation in Guterres' UN (which continues to restrict Inner City Press) now exclusively provide Inner City Press: it was a retreat held in October 2017 by one division within the Department of Safeguards, see below. On May 23, before the UN barred Inner City Press from the premises from 7-7:55 pm then had it escorted out, Inner City Press asked Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here." More here. With that entirely unaddress and the Press that exclusively reported and asked still restricted by Guterres, the UN put out this on June 12: "The Secretary-General welcomes the holding of the Summit between the leaders of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States as an important  milestone in the advancement of sustainable peace and the complete and verifiable denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. As the Secretary-General noted in letters to both leaders before the Summit, the road ahead requires cooperation, compromise and a common cause.  Implementing today’s and previous agreements reached, in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions, will require patience and support from the global community. The Secretary-General urges all concerned parties to seize this momentous opportunity and reiterates his readiness to fully support the ongoing process." At the UN on June 5, Inner City Press asked the chair of the UN's North Korea Sanctions Committee, Dutch Ambassador Karel van Oosterom, how many sanctions exemptions have been given for the talks. After not answering this question the last few times Inner City Press asked, on June 5 he said, "One," a blanket exemption. Inner City Press followed up, asking if and when North Korea will provide information like the names of those traveling: before the 12th or after the 12? Van Oosterom, walking away, said it's an open exemption. UN video here. What does this say about sanctions? Trump on May 29 tweeted, "Meetings are currently taking place concerning Summit, and more. Kim Young Chol, the Vice Chairman of North Korea, heading now to New York." On May 30 just before 7 pm Kim Yong Chol and security, as well as at least one staffer from the US Mission to the UN, exited the Millennium Hilton hotel on 44th Street across from the UN and piled into a series of black cars, pursued by media. See 2 minutes and 20 seconds of Inner City Press' Periscope feed, here. They drove to 330 East 38th Street, the Corinthian Condominium where many war crimes linked diplomats have lived and the US leases a condo for its deputy ambassador; they dined for 1 hour and 26 minutes on "American beef." On May 31 after a two and a half hour meeting at the Corinthian, Pompeo held a short press conference at the Lotte Palace Hotel at 2:15 pm. Inner City Press arrived as required at 1:15 pm; there was a full stand up by Fox then another cut short by someone's ring tone. Periscope video here. Pompeo took four questions (Bloomberg, WSJ, ABC and Fox) and was upbeat but declined to entirely confirm the June 12 talks are on. Why could he, if another statement like those on Bolton and Pence could get it called off again? Looks like it's a go. Will UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres (again out of town until May 31, when he canceled the press Q&A he had scheduled) try to make himself relevant? Seems not. On travel ban exemptions, the UN Security Council website as Inner City Press exclusively reported is to be run by the "self employed" husband of the chief of staff of the Department of Political Affairs. The Dutch have a role in this website, DPA whistleblowers tell Inner City Press. We'll have more on this. Back on May 24 Trump wrote to Kim Jong Un, "based on the tremendous anger and open hostility displayed in your most recent statement, I feel it is inappropriate, at this time, to have this long-planned meeting." Simultaneously, UN Secretary General put out a statement - praising North Korea for destruction of an already played out testing site. The UN under Guterres remains out of date, irrelevant and worse. But on the morning of Saturday May 26, Trump's spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, "The White House pre-advance team for Singapore will leave as scheduled in order to prepare should the summit take place." And just before 9 pm on May 26, in a White House event marking the release of a Utahan from Venezuela, Trump said:

“We're doing well on summit with North Korea.. there's a lot of good will... if we can be successful in de-nuclearization of the Korean peninsula. We're looking at June 12 in Singapore, that hasn't changed.”

  So the odds now change daily, and the UN remains marginal at best. While North Korea said it was inviting to witness its destruction of nuclear testing site at Punggye-ri from May 23 to 25 media from South Korea, the United States, China, Russia and the UK, it gave no response to South Korea's transmission of the names of journalists. Hope springs eternal: the South Korean journalists nevertheless took off for Beijing, intent in re-transmitting their names. From there a Unification Ministry official said, "We tried to convey the list through the Panmunjom communication channel at 9 a.m. today, but the North declined to accept it."  The South Korean journalists were left behind in Beijing by the others, then themselves left. Now this, from South Korea's Unificatin Ministry: We delivered a list of eight reporters from two outlets to the North today, and the North accepted it." Watch this site. Marginal UN's Secretary General Antonio Guterres, refusing on the record, had a lunch with his favored correspondents on May 21, with wine; nothing emerged and Guterres was reportedly not not asked about UN corruption, the China Energy Fund Committee bribery case, sexual harassment cover ups at UNAIDS, UNESCO and as is relevant here the IAEA or his continuing restriction on the Press which reports on them. Meanwhile Japanese media reach out to Inner City Press about its UN corruption exclusives, while slowest and most right wing Sankei Shimbun writes derivativesly about Santa Fe, Texas. Second tier. On US talk show Fox News Sunday, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham said “If they don't show up, it means diplomacy is over. If they do show up and try to play Trump, it means military conflict is the other way forward... One way or the other it's going to be over by 2020.” On May 18, Inner City Press asked the Chair of the UN Security Council's 1718 DPRK (North Korea) sanctions committee Karel van Oosterom if his Committee has received ay request for sanctions exemptions or waivers for the June 12 talks; he indicated No: "the members of the Committee have not received such a request." Vine video here. This was in a loud press gaggle after the Committee met with the UK's Ambassador to Pyongyang, after a similar meeting with Russia's ambassador there. (The UN is using a little known Russian correspondent bank, which self reportedly had the wrong people negotiate the arrangement, as Inner City Press exclusively reported). Those covering the meeting nearly entirely worked for Japanese media, see below. Inner City Press previously asked UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric if it would play any role - no answer - and on May 9 asked him if the UN had played any role at all in the release of the three American hostages by North Korea earlier in the day. No, Dujarric said, before laughing after a Press question about hindered humanitarian aid and calling Inner City Press "self-centered." Video here. On May 16, North Korea's first vice minister for foreign affairs Kim Kye Gwan issued a statement further calling the talks into question. Guterres, holding a press encounter in Brussels as he rarely does in New York, said he hopes common sense prevails. Inner City Press asked his deputy spokesman Farhan Haq, video here, UN transcript here: Inner City Press:  does he believe, it seems like the snags are based on a couple of things, one having to do with this Max Thunder military exercise, and that's the basis on which North Korea said the DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] cancelled the meeting with South Korea and more recently they focused on some comments by the new [United States] National Security Advisor analogizing North Korea to Libya.  So, I'm just wondering, particularly as to the military exercises, does he think this is the right time?  Does he think there should be some meeting halfway or is he just hoping that it works out?

Deputy Spokesman:  We believe that the parties involved know what their concerns are.  And, like the Secretary-General said, he believes that common sense will prevail.  He does regret that the inter-Korean meeting was cancelled, but he hopes the discussion will resume." The UN under Guterres is becoming ever more marginal.  On May 15, Kim's state media KCNA cited the joint US - South Korea military exercised somewhat absurdly called Max Thunder as an “exercise targeting us, which is being carried out across South Korea, is a flagrant challenge to the Panmunjom Declaration and an intentional military provocation running counter to the positive political development on the Korean Peninsula.The United States will also have to undertake careful deliberations about the fate of the planned North Korea-U.S. summit in light of this provocative military ruckus jointly conducted with the South Korean authorities.” At the UN Security Council stakeout on the afternoon of May 15, Sweden's Permanent Representative Olof B. Skoog said had yet to hear of this development; the Dutch chair of the Council's North Korea 1718 sanctions committee went into the Council's meetings, on Somalia and Abyei, without stopping to spek with the press. Back on May 12, KCNA announced that North Korea's "Nuclear Weapon Institute and other concerned institutions are taking technical measures for dismantling the northern nuclear test ground ... in order to ensure transparency of discontinuance of the nuclear test." Media from five countries - including the UK but not Japan - were invited. Japan's right wing Sankei Shimbun, which routinely misses North Korea news at the UN in favor of problematic fluff about Kanye West and its reporter Mayu Uetsuka's laundry and jogging in the park, snarked that "The dismantling of the nuclear test site may just be another theatrical performance to the outside world... It seems that North Korea wants foreign currency under the premise of inviting foreign media." But now an expert opines that "only four media (two US TV, one ROK TV, one ROK text) 100% confirmed going to North Korea to observe demolition of Pyungye-ri. Many media invited have had invites rescinded with no real reason given." So does Sankei stand by its statement this is all about getting foreign currency? Trump back on May 8 while withdrawing from the Iran Deal announced that Mike Pompeo was on his way to North Korea and would be there in an hour's time. Trump said he was hopeful the US hostages would be released and that withdrawal from the Iran Deal would make America safer. Meanwhile Kim Jong Un has flown to the Chinese city of Dalian and met Xi Jiping. Along with a seaside walk, the talk was of synchronized and mutual steps with the US, probably not what Trump wants to hear. South Korea's Yonhap and Chosun have both reported the talks will take place in Singapore in the June, most probably the third week in June. It is noted that Trump often reverses course - it could be earlier, in the DMZ in Panmunjom, or even not at all, depending on how the meeting is pre-spun. Either way, it seems the UN remains on the sidelines, despite intermittent claims of relevance from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and his yet to be seen new head of the Department of Political Affairs. Inner City Press, which previously shared a UN office with Chosun Ilbo prior to being evicted for exposing the UN's bribery by Ng Lap Seng and now Patrick Ho, was told she'd start on May 1. Also as the Trump - Kim talks approach, the constellation of those opposing or seeking to undercut them extends from self-styled diplomatic experts in Washington to decadent and ill-informed pro-Abe Japanese scribes in New York. The former include politicians who while first claiming diplomacy was being killed now say it it moving too fast. The latter published, in Sankei Shimbun alone, two separate stories about the May 3 event at the UN in which as Inner City Press reported amid other news a professor from Tufts University said Japan's colonial rule of Korea was better than that of the Kims. Of this, Sankei's Mayu Uetsuka who was not even there wrote that “Mr. Kaichiro Iizuka (41), the eldest son of Mr. Yaeko Taguchi (62) = Same (22) =, said the mother was one year old when she was kidnapped, "I have no memory of touching my mother ". While attention is being paid to nuclear and missile issues, he said, 'Do not forget the abduction issue that human beings are being threatened, human lives should not be lighter than nuclear weapons and missiles.'” Meanwhile the same Uetsuka, unconcerned with human lives other than her own, bragged about renting an apartment on the Upper West Side there is no washing machine in the room. At first I was looking for a property with "washing machine" at the rental site, but I could not find it in the desired area in the budget. New York has many old buildings, so there are no washing machines only about 30% of the property. Piping around the water is not in place, it is also difficult to purchase and install a washing machine yourself. There is a laundry room in the building and it will be shared with neighbors. From friends, I heard that there are some Americans who are washing shoes and they snatch, but they will have to get used to it. In the life of the United States, insensitive dullness which does not care a little is trained. The room I live in is also puzzled by the appearance of the next apartment from the window, but it gradually ceased to matter. Let's start a jog at Central Park for a diet.” No, it's time to be replaced, putting out for old reports, throwing away real information for a self-promoting bartender typist, on June 5 typing slews of quotes about the new President of the General Assembly seemingly not to be used: Kevin Pinner, claiming he “named products, generated slogans and ideas for marketing campaigns” for Chinavision. Oh for the days of Jun Kurosawa, who at least pursued the attempted censorship of Mr Tatsuya Kato (and Gaza). These days Pinner sits elsewhere in the UN, ordered to type information that Sankei will never publish. He shatterred a plate on June 28, before he's asked a single question in the UN.  Mayu Uetsuka  tried to promote New York ads for Hitachi, Panasonic, Shimizu Corporation, and Daikin Industries; now derivative on Facebook and GDPR. She sat in the back of the end of UNSC presidency press conference June 28, typically asking (and knowing, it seems) nothing. She was not present on May 17; no question about Sankei's dubious story about South Korean ship to ship transfers with DPRK ships was asked. Tellingly, even after sitting on the ground at the stakeout, Sankei's Gaza articles were by Mina Mina (or Mina Mitsui), Takao Sato in Jerusalem and in DC, Hiroyuki Kano still running interviews which while interesting are from April: more than two months before. To complain about media critique? Neither was even present at Guterres' North Korea stakeout on June 11. Now, without them asking any questions at all, it seems their docility is moving them up the UN's servile pecking order. Like the Sankei "foreign pool" reports for Abe's visit, and failure to ask anything when called on during an arms control press call with Inner City Press participating from outside the UN gate, while the robot mouthed an inane question in the Press-less UN noon press briefing, this is failure. We will have more on all this.

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