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

UNITED NATIONS GATE, January 4 – With civilians still being killed in Yemen despite the Sweden talks (and the UN of Antonio Guterres refusing to answer Press questions about it), now US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is setting out this month on a tour around the region. Here is the itinerary, which Inner City Press will be following: "Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo will travel to Amman, Jordan; Cairo, Egypt; Manama, Bahrain; Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Doha, Qatar; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Muscat, Oman; and Kuwait City, Kuwait January 8-15.  The Secretary will begin his trip in Amman, where he will meet with Jordanian leaders to discuss areas of bilateral cooperation, as well as ways to expand the strategic U.S.-Jordan partnership.  The Secretary will engage with Jordanian leaders on critical regional issues including Syria and Jordan’s future trade relations with Iraq.  The Secretary will then travel to Cairo, where he will meet with Egyptian leaders to discuss critical regional issues, including Iran, Gaza, and counterterrorism, as well as economic and energy cooperation.  The Secretary also will deliver a speech on the United States’ commitment to peace, prosperity, stability, and security in the Middle East.  In Manama, the Secretary will meet with Bahraini leaders to discuss areas of bilateral cooperation, as well as ways to expand the strategic U.S.-Bahraini partnership.  The Secretary and Bahraini leaders will engage on critical regional issues, including counterterrorism and working together through the Middle East Strategic Alliance to counter the Iranian regime’s dangerous activities.  In Abu Dhabi, the Secretary will meet with leaders of the United Arab Emirates to discuss regional and bilateral issues, including ways to further expand ties in areas such as trade and investment.  The Secretary also will discuss the need for all parties to adhere to the agreements made at the Yemen talks in Sweden, particularly the cease-fire and redeployment of forces in Hudaydah, in support of the efforts of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen.  The Secretary will lead the U.S. delegation at the second U.S.-Qatar Strategic Dialogue in Doha, which will further enhance bilateral cooperation in military, energy, counterterrorism, labor, education, culture, and commercial matters.  He also will meet with Qatari leaders to discuss regional issues, such as Afghanistan and the importance of a united Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in standing against the Iranian regime’s destabilizing activity and advancing peace, prosperity, and security in the region.  In Riyadh, the Secretary will meet with Saudi leaders to discuss key bilateral and regional priorities, including Yemen, Iran, and Syria.  The Secretary and Saudi leaders will discuss ways to continue bolstering UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths as he works toward a comprehensive political agreement among parties to end the conflict and realize a brighter future for Yemen.  The Secretary also will seek an update on the status of the investigation into the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.   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.  The Secretary will conclude his trip in Kuwait City, where he will lead the U.S. delegation at the third U.S.-Kuwait Strategic Dialogue, which will focus on many new areas of cooperation, including defense, cybersecurity, and strengthening economic ties.  The Secretary also will meet with Kuwaiti leaders to discuss important regional issues, including the need for GCC unity and supporting UN-led efforts toward a comprehensive political agreement among parties to end the conflict in Yemen." 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.  On July 19 first Rosenberg argued that under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, if Patrick Ho is a "domestic concern" some counts of the indictment must be dropped. The prosecution called the argument absurd -- Ho is a national of China and a resident of Hong Kong who acted for the "Energy NGO" China Energy Fund Committee in allegedly bribing UN President of the General Assembly Sam Kutesa, as well as Chad's President Idriss Deby - and the judge agreed. Next they argued that even a series of transfers from HSBC in Hong Kong to HSBC in New York to Mashreq Bank in NY to Mashreq Bank in Dubai did not fall under the money laundering statute. The judge, citing the the Daccarett case and Julius Baer cases from DC, disagreed. Periscope video here. The motions to dismiss were denied, and Inner City Press left the court to deal with the UN, where Guterres even has Inner City Press banned from covering his July 20 meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Pompeo's press remarks with Nikki Haley, UNwisely held inside the UN. We'll have more on this. Inner City Press made this connection: the president of ECOSOC is Marie Chatardová, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the UN. Her president, in Prague Castle, is Miloš Zeman -- who, like Uganda's Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa when he was UN President of the General Assembly, made Ye Jianming an official adviser. (Inner City Press' CEFC investigative covered has been picked up in the Czech media, for example here.) Now on April 17, Zeman is set to meet this week with another Chinese state owned firm, CITIC and its chairman, Chang Zhenming. CITIC is reportedly seeking to buy a stake in CEFC's Czech-based unit CEFC Europe. So Inner City Press asks, would CITIC buy its way into China Energy Fund Group's consultative status with ECOSOC, presided over by the Czech Republic? The Czech Mission to the UN, and ECOSOC's supposed spokesperson Paul Simon, have yet to answer any of Inner City Press' written questions. This is today's UN, under Antonio Guterres.

Earlier, Zeman sent two officials to Chinese to inquire into the status or, or help, Ye Jianming: chancellor Vratislav Mynár and economic advisor Martin Nejedlý flew to Shanghai on March 13, along with CEFC  European division head Jaroslav Tvrdik, and have now returned. They said Ye “is being investigated for a suspicion of breaking the law,” after meeting CEFC President Chan Chauto. CEFC’s Czech-based unit CEFC Europe said: “CEFC Europe has been informed about the planned change in the shareholder structure in which Mr Ye Jienming will no longer be active as a shareholder nor in the company’s leadership. NOW might Zeman's Representative Chatardová belatedly take action in the UN ECOSOC of which she is President? 

 Inner City Press has repeatedly written to the Czech Mission to the UN, to the attention of
Marie Chatardová as President of ECOSOC, asking how China Energy Fund Committee given all of the above can remain in special consultative status with ECOSOC. The Czech Mission has not answered, including when the question is raised at the UN's televised noon briefing, as Inner City Press asked again on March 19, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: Deputy SG Amina J. Mohammed is going to the Czech Republic about ECOSOC [Economic and Social Council].  So, I was going to and may still ask Brenden [Varma] this, but I wanted to ask you this.  It has arisen that the China Energy Fund Committee, the ultimate owner in Shanghai has purportedly been brought in for questioning, and it turns out he was not only an adviser to Sam Kutesa as PGA [President of the General Assembly], but also an adviser of the Czech Republic President.  The Czech Republic has sent people to sort of look into his situation, but the Czech Republic also has the presidency of ECOSOC.  So, noting that I haven't gotten any answer from the Czech Mission, my question is…

Spokesman:  I think those are questions that you should address to the Presidency of ECOSOC.

Inner City Press: I guess but my question is an overall UN question.  Is there… is there any… it seems like it might be a conflict of interest if your President has a business relationship with an NGO to be in charge of the committee that is either… how do we get an answer if…?

Spokesman:  That is a question for the… that’s a question for Member States.  Member States elect the Presidency of ECOSOC.  They elect the bureau.  Those are Member State questions.  I struggle to answer the questions directed to the Secretary-General.  I think Member States need to answer other questions."  But again, the Czech Mission has not answered repeated written questions. For example:

"Hello - this concerned ECOSOC, reiterating Inner City Press' question from November 28: yesterday in US Federal Court, China Energy Fund Committee was described as a front for bribes paid to former PGA Kutesa and others.

See, e.g.,  HlidacipPes.org, Czech Republic: “Global corruption scandal. The CEFC scrap, which the Czech Republic does not notice much, though it should” [citing Inner City Press' UN corruption coverage]

The US has executed search warrants on this NGO's offices. But it is still saying it is in "special consultative status" with ECOSOC.

What action has been taken by ECOSOC and/or its NGO Committee? How is the months-long inaction consistent with the principles of the UN and ECOSOC?

I asked again yesterday at the UN noon briefing, but am told the Secretariat has or will take no role. So I am asking you again. Please confirm receipt. Thank you in advance."

  The Czech Mission, like Antonio Guterres' Secretariat's spokesperson for ECOSOC, has refused to answer. As to the Czech Republic, the reason for inaction and stonewalling of the Press may now be clear - alongside Antonio Guterres' Secretariat. We'll have more on this.

Nor was the UN even mentioned in the New York Times' story about CEFC - Kutesa was, but not that he was PGA. This is propaganda. This comes while the UN, embroiled in a second corruption case involving Ng Lap Seng whose assistant Jeffrey Yim was sentenced to seven months in prison on February 28 (Inner City Press coverage here), has yet to even remove CEFC from its "special consultative status" to the UN Economic and Social Council. Now with the Chinese government taking action, for whatever its reason, will the UN belatedly move? Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric on March 1, video here, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: this China Energy Fund Committee (CEFC) case, the head of the whole organization in China has been called in for questioning, Mr. Ye Jianming.  And I wanted to know, because it seems like since that indictment in November, China Energy Fund Committee has remained with special consultative status… Spokesman:  We've… I've answered that question already.  That is an issue… the Member States… a Member State committee grants that special consultative status to the NGO.  That Member State committee needs to act if they want to withdraw that status. Inner City Press: António Guterres is the head of the UN system.  Does he have… does he have… has he taken note that there are two separate developing UN corruption cases involving briberies taking place at the UN and what’s his response…? Spokesman:  We're very much aware of the issue and our legal counsel… our legal office is cooperating on these cases with the national authorities." We'll have more on this claim. Tellingly, Reuters which barely covers the UN corruption cases - in fact, it has a board seat on the UN Correspondents Association which accepted $50,000 from Ng Lap Seng's South South News - "reports" on the question of  Ye Jianming and CEFC's business in the Czech Republic, Russia (last year's deal for a 14 percent stake in  Rosneft PJSC for $9 billion) and Kazakhstan without even MENTIONING the indictment of Ho of CEFC, and the clear reference to Ye Jianming in the indictment, in connection with Sam Kutesa and the Uganda scheme. We'll have more on this. Ho was denied bail on February 5, in a lengthy oral order that found the weight of evidence against him substantial. On November 20, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York issued an indictment against the head of the UN ECOSOC accredited China Energy Fund Committee (CEFC) Patrick Ho and former Senegal foreign minister Cheikh Gadio, accused together of bribing Chad's President Idriss Deby -- as well as, for Ho, of bribing former UN President of the General Assembly Sam Kutesa, now as then the foreign minister of Uganda, since 2005, allegedly for the benefit of President Yoweri Museveni. On February 5, Inner City Press asked the UN Spokesman why CEFC is still in "special consultative status" with ECOSOC, transcript here (video here) and below, than ran to the courthouse. There, US District Court Judge Katherine Forrest asked Prosecutor Daniel C. Richenthal to describe the weight of the evidence. "How strong is your case?" she asked, to some laughter. Very strong, he said, adding that Ho has been emailing the "Shanghai-based Energy Company" (that would be CEFC China Energy) from MCC detention, to launch a public relations campaign. It may be backfiring: Judge Forrest in her ruling denying bail noted that if Chinese government press is describing the case as political, it would make fleeing and remaining in China all the easier. Richenthal said that Ho could travel to other places - he listed Chad, Uganda, Iran and Russia. The continued home detention of UN bribery convictee was raised by Richenthal and Judge Forrest, and not favorably. Gadio was alluded to as not yet indicted - he'd said to be talking about a plea - and Judge Forrest emphasized November 5 as the trial date. She said there was leave to re-apply for bail but said such an application should include what Ho's lawyer Mr Kim called the "context" of the payments. Kim said they including country-wide charitable and military aid. From a Chinese energy company? From the UN's February 5 transcript: Inner City Press: Patrick Ho, who is the head of the China Energy Fund Committee, is arguing again for bail today.  And the US, in opposing it, put it in writing that they've executed a search warrant at China Energy Fund Committee, the NGO's (non-governmental organization) offices in Virginia.  It seems the China Energy Fund Committee is still in special consultative status with ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council) even as its offices are being raided and… and its head is in jail.  What are the procedures for… for…? Spokesman:  As far as I'm aware… you know, the consultative status of ECOSOC, as opposed to the DPI (Department of Public Information) status, is one that is managed by the Member States.  There is a committee of ECOSOC that is made up of Member States.  They give… they grant or deny consultative status to various NGOs.  I think we'll have to look… you can contact ECOSOC to see what the exact rules are, but my assumption would be that, if Member States grant, only Member States can take away." So, Guterres is doing nothing. On February 6, after another non-response by ECOSOC's chair, Inner City Press asked Guterres' and Dujarric's Deputy Farhan Haq, video here, UN transcript here: Inner City Press:  yesterday, the… Patrick Ho, the head of the China Energy Fund Committee here, was denied bail.  And in the… in the hearing, basically, the prosecution said and the judge said that she found weight to be given to the evidence that basically the NGO [non-governmental organization] was a front for bribery to Sam Kutesa and others.  So, given that… how this trial is going, I'm wondering, again, Stéphane [Dujarric] had said that the Secretariat plays no role in sort of following through and making sure that China Energy Fund Committee can't continue to say it's a… in special consultative status with ECOSOC [Economic and Social Council].  I've written to the ECOSOC chair now twice, 28 November 2017 and today, but I don't have anything back.  Is there any spokesperson for ECOSOC that can at least say what the process is? Deputy Spokesman:  There is a spokesperson for the President of the Economic and Social [Council], and I can give you that contact afterwards. Inner City Press: Because… because Brenden… oh.  Yeah.  Anyways, I'd written before to that same individual, and there was no response.  I'm just… guess I'm wondering, what is their… what is the… does the Secretary-General… given that trial that's now moving forward and what's coming out in it, does he believe in the same way that he has… asserting himself as to agencies on other issues, that he should maybe get involved to ensure that there's not a… a named briber saying that they're in consultative status with the UN? Deputy Spokesman:  "Well, UN bodies themselves have been dealing with the problems created by the China Energy Fund Committee in their own ways, but what you're talking about is consultative status that's granted by Member States through the Economic and Social Council, and that decision would have to be taken by Member States." Then Inner City Press emailed the alluded to spokesman, one Paul Simon. Hours later, nothing. In advance of the February 5, the prosecution in writing asserted that "since the Complaint was signed and Ho was arrested, the evidence of his guilt has only become stronger, as the Government has interviewed witnesses, executed search warrants (including for the Virginia office of the Energy NGO), and obtained documents from third parties." Tellingly, this Energy NGO, China Energy Fund Committee, is *still* in special consultative status with the UN's Economic and Social Council - and Guterres met with Uganda's Museveni, who is in the complaint, at the same AU summit where Guterres met Sudan's Omar al Bashir, without issuing any read-out. The prosecution's letter cites the "President of the UN General Assembly (the “Ugandan Foreign Minister”). Ho also provided the Ugandan Foreign Minister, as well as the President of Uganda (who is the Ugandan Foreign Minister’s relative), with gifts and promises of future benefits, including offering to let both officials share in the profits of a potential joint venture in Uganda involving the Energy Company and the officials’ family businesses." On January 27, after belatedly dropping CEFC from the UN Global Compact, Guterres in Addis Ababa met Museveni, with Kutesa himself in Addis as well. Museveni tweeted a photo and read out -- "Met UN Secretary General @antonioguterres on the sidelines of the 30th AU Ordinary Summit in Addis Ababa. We discussed regional peace, UN reforms and support for refugees." Meanwhile, consistent his declining transparency, Guterres did not issue any read out. Did the UN bribery scandal come up? Or get further covered up? As Inner City Press pursues this story and others, Guterres and his "Global Communicator" Alison Smale, seen January 26 in South Carolina praising a Chinese airline while mis-allocating funds meant for Kiswahili radio, keep Inner City Press more restricted in the UN than no-show state media. This is censorship for corruption.

Inner City Press has covered the Ho / Gadio, Kutesa / Museveni case and repeatedly asked the UN Spokesman why Secretary General Antonio Guterres has not even started an audit based on the indictment, including of how CEFC got its UN status and even remains in the UN Global Compact espousing anti-corruption goals. On January 16, Inner City Press put the question directly to Antonio Guterres, video here, UN transcript here, and below. Guterres said "I will look into it... We don't want the Compact to have companies that do not abide by the set of principles." But a week passed, and nothing. On January 24, Inner City Press asked again. And on January 25, Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric announced, Matthew you've asked once or twice, the Global Compact has suspended China Energy Fund Committee (CEFC China Energy). But, Inner City Press notes, China Energy Fund Committee is *still* in special consultative status with UN ECOSOC. And there has been no audit of the other connections. We'll have more on this. From the UN's January 16 transcript: Q: Matthew Lee, Inner City Press, on behalf of the Free UN Coalition for Access, hoping for more question and answer in 2018, as you said. In November, there there was an indictment announced in Federal Court downtown of the head of an ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council)-accredited NGO for bribing, allegedly bribing, the President of the General Assembly, Sam Kutesa, to benefit the China Energy Fund Committee. And I wanted to ask you, that remains still in the Global Compact, and there hasn't been even an audit or anything created. Why haven't you started an audit in that case? Why is the beneficiary of what's described as bribery in the UN still in the Global Compact? And how do your reforms preclude or make impossible this type of bribery that's now happened twice under John Ashe, may he rest in peace, and under Sam Kutesa?  SG Guterres: "In relation to other cases, I would like to say that I'm not aware of presence in the Compact or whatever. I will have to look into it. I will look into it. What is clear for me is that we don't want the Compact to have companies that do not abide by the set of principles that were defined in the constitution of the Compact. There is a code of conduct that is there, and that should be respected. So, I don't know exactly what happened in the compact in that regard. I will look into that." We'll see. Ho's lawyers said in court filing he would be asking to be released on bail in connection with his arraignment on January 8, and his argument included that he is the head of "UN recognized" NGO similar, Ho's brief argued, to the American Bar Association, the Salvation Army and the World Jewish Congress.

But when Ho pleaded not guilty to the eight counts against him on January 8, his lawyers did not in fact pursue bail, and declined to comment after. (Sidewalk stakeout photo here, h/t) So, Ho remains in jail. His lawyers' filing, dated January 5, says Ho is "the leader of a non-governmental organization recognized by the United Nations....After leaving government service, Dr. Ho became the Deputy Chairman and Secretary General of the China Energy Fund Committee (“CEFC”), a Hong Kong based non governmental organization that has Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Other organizations with Special Consultative Status include the American Bar Association, the Salvation Army, and the World Jewish Congress." The proposal was for Ho to be released on $10 million bond secured by $2 million in cash, into home detention in Manhattan with electronic monitoring.

We'll have more on this - and this: continuing a trend of under-reporting the UN elements of the Ho / Gadio case, as they did the prior Ng Lap Seng case, Reuters "reports" that Sam Kutesa, who previously served as president of the U.N. General Assembly, has been Uganda’s foreign minister since 2015." Well, no. Kutesa remained foreign minister of Uganda WHILE he was President of the UN General Assembly; cursory research could have shown he began as foreign minister in 2005, not 2015.

The initial complaint has been turned in a full-fledged indictment, signed by the foreperson, that Ho offered bribed to the presidents of Chad and Uganda, and the foreign minister of the latter, Sam Kutesa, who was President of the General Assembly, to benefit the Energy Company. And yet that benefited Energy Company - CEFC China Energy - remains in Antonio Guterres' UN Global Compact, and Guterres has yet to order even an audit. On December 20, before Guterres went on vacation until at least January 2, Inner City Press asked his spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here: Inner City Press:  there's now been, by a grand jury in the Southern District of New York, a formal indictment brought back against Patrick Ho, and I wanted to read you… they say in it the… the… the… now a grand jury has given its imprimatur on the claim that the bribes paid… allegedly paid were to obtain business for the energy company, the energy company being CEFC, China Energy [Fund Committee], which remains a U… a member of the UN Global Compact.  I'm just wondering if there's any update… seems like the… it's not… maybe the distinction was between the NGO and the group, but if the bribes were paid specifically for the groups to get energy contracts… Spokesman:  I'm sure colleagues at Global Compact are following up. Inner City Press:  And is the Secretary-General any closer to… to ordering what would seem to be a pretty easy call to have an audit of how… of… of the UN's involvement in this and what it can learn from this? Spokesman:  As I said, when I have something to announce, I will share it with you." After January 2? Today's UN is corrupt. On December 1, Patrick Ho appeared in the Arraignment Part, Courtroom 5A at 500 Pearl Street in Lower Manhattan and applied for bail, which Gadio had gotten on November 27. But this time, following a Pre-Trial Services recommendation that bail be denied and Ho continue in detention, Ho was denied bail. At the UN, there are photos of Ho with the Secretary General, the Under Secretary General of DESA, and many others. There's more. On December 4, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, Periscope video here (2d half), UN transcript here: Inner City Press: So on Friday in federal court, he was held over.  Bail was denied based on the seriousness of the charges.  Since then, you've… there's been some back and forth on why there's no audit.  But it appears that he was put onto something called the UN High Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport (see here), was a member of that.  I've seen an interview he did in the building with UN Radio about presenting a report, that report, I believe, in October 2016 to Ban Ki-moon.  So it seems like he had much greater UN penetration even than Ng Lap Seng did, which triggered an audit.  So I'm wondering, has the UN, whether audit or not, can it say how many times, for example, one issue that came up in the bail hearing was how many times he was in the US in 2017.  So have you… has the UN determined the extent of this now-indicted briber's contact inside the UN, and was he, in fact, on an UN High Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport? Spokesman:  "I will check on that.  If I have more to share, I will." This is called a cover up. Where does the US decided to cut off the prosecution? Inner City Press has submitted a Freedom of Information Act request, on which the government has at least for now denied expedited processing, stating only "Your request for Expedited Processing for the FOIA request EOUSA-2018-000784 has been denied. Expedited Disposition Reason: Does not meet standard." This is substantially less detailed that the reasoning, even on the disposition sheet, for Ho's denial of bail. We'll have more on this. During the December 1 hearing Prosecutor Daniel Richenthal said, Google the press coverage of this case and from Hong Kong you'll find articles saying it's political. Inner City Press has covered the case daily since November 20, and asked the UN Spokesman on each business day (it did a TV interview after the court decision, and Periscope video here) - but it is the UN connection which the UN tries to hide. Ho's lawyer said he's been to the US seven times this years. The prosecution said, five times. But how many times has Ho come into the UN? The UN keeps track of this. But will they disclose? Ho's defense lawyer, after a long oral decision against him, said he will appeal. Watch this site. Hhours before Patrick Ho's bail hearing, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric about Gadio's bail being paid, in part, by his spouse the UN's Resident Coordinator in Equatorial Guinea. Dujarric bristled that he hoped his spouse would pay his bail, but then when Inner City Press asked how Gadio got into the UN building for the bribe moves described in the indictment, whether it involved his wife's position as a senior UN official, Dujarric said it would be looked into. Really? Then why has Antonio Guterres not even commissioned an audit, as Ban Ki-moon did after the indictment of Ng Lap Seng? We'll have more on this. Inner City Press has zeroed in on a November 21 event, after the indictment, in which UN DESA used $1 million from CEFC. On November 30, after many rounds of questions from Inner City Press, UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric answered that DESA has suspended work with CEFC pending the outcome of the U.S. case(s). Periscope here, video forthcoming. He could not, however, explain why the $1 million went out the door on November 21 nor why there is yet to be a UN audit. On November 21, Inner City Press had already asked about the indictment, and Antonio Guterres in a typical half-way measure canceled his photo op about the event, but the money was still used. Deputy SG Amina Mohammed never changed her schedule, but the UN now insists she did not speak. The UN also on November 29 declined to confirm to Inner City Press Patrick Ho's role on the steering board picking the winner of the UN DESA Energy Grant. But now even as of November 30 Ho is still listed and pictured on the UN DESA Energy Prize Steering Board, along with former UN official Warren Sach and current UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner, who refused to answer Inner City Press' questions about any post-John Ashe indictment reforms at UNDP ostensibly out of respect for the dead. Reform at the UN is a dead letter. We'll have more on this. After Inner City Press on November 29 asked the spokesman for the President of the General Assembly, this: "The Spokesperson was asked if the President had attended an award ceremony entitled “Powering the Future We Want/UN DESA Energy Grant” on 21 November.
The Spokesperson replied that the President had not attended or participated in any way." But it was still on his schedule as of noon on November 28. What happened? Who decided that backing away, but still taking the money, was OK? If the UN had a Freedom of Information Act, as it should, the answer would be easy. But we will get it nonetheless. Watch this site. UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric on November 27 insisted to Inner City Press that the indictment does not involve enough UN links for oft-traveling Antonio Guterres to order any UN audit, as even Ban Ki-moon did after Ng Lap Seng was indicted; Guterres' DESA even went forward with $1 million from CEFC after the indictment. But beyond other obvious UN links, "CEFC China Energy Company Limited" is a member of the UN Global Compact, click here to view, on which Guterres cannot pass the buck to ECOSOC or to member states generally. CEFC China Energy is the 100% funder of its namesake CEFC of Patrick Ho; signing its UN Global Compact letter was Ye Jianming, who Sam Kutesa made a Special Honorary Adviser to the UN President of the General Assembly, press release and photo here.  When will Guterres' evasions end? Watch this site. Dujarric on November 27 also insisted to Inner City Press that the case does not involve any UN staff member, that no audit (even of the kind done under Ban Ki-moon of Ng Lap Seng's Sun Kian Ip Foundation) is needed. But beyond CEFC's money used by Guterres' UN on November 21, after the indictment, consider this: Gadio is being bailed out by the UN Resident Coordinator in Equatorial Guinea. What did this UN staff member know about what is alleged in the indictment, and when did she know it? Gadio, after having not gotten bailed out on November 22, appeared on November 27 before Federal Judge William Pauley, represented by Debevoise and Plimpton, and obtained conditions for bail. It was Debevoise and Plimpton's counsel who in seeking to get Gadio released made a point of saying that the other Doctor Gadio is a senior UN official, in Equatorial Guinea. Inner City Press now reports: the Resident Coordinator in Equatorial Guinea, and listed owner of 4210 Sugar Pine Court in Burtonsville, Maryland, 20866: Coumba Mar Gadio. So why did Dujarric say so insistently and rudely, this involves no UN staff member? There is more, but we'll start with this -- watch for the UN to try to hide behind family values, as it uses and pollutes the sustainable development goals to cover up the illegal export of natural resources. This is today's UN. Pre-hearing Periscope video here. In the courtroom on November 27 was Senegal's Consul General, who shook his head when the prosecution said that a "Chinese energy conglomate" -- CEFC -- or paradoxically Uganda might help Gadio flee. It emerged that Mrs. Gadio, also a co-signer on the bond and on a $700,000 bank account with Cheikh Gadio, works for the UN in a high position in Equatorial Guinea. Still the UN claims this case has nothing to do with it, and that there is nothing for it to audit. This, from the UN, is a cover up. Post-hearing Periscope here. Earlier on November 27, Inner City Press asked the spokesman of both UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres - whose DESA used $1 million from CEFC after the indictment - and of President of the General Assembly Miroslav Lajcak what has been done at the UN in the week after the indictment. Nothing, it seems. Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric told Inner City Press that he did not read in the indictment anything for the UN to follow up on, contrary to the UN audit conducted under Dujarric's former boss Ban Ki-moon after the indictment of Ng Lap Seng. Lajcak spokesman Brenden Varma told Inner City Press to contact ECOSOC and so it has, with these questions: "Today the PGA spokesman Brenden Varma told me I can only asked ECOSOC. So here are Inner City Press' questions, on deadline: What vetting of CEFC was done before it gained the status is has with ECOSOC? What have been CEFC's activities and appearances with ECOSOC?  Following the indictment of Patrick Ho and the material in the indictment, what steps is the ECOSOC President or other listed on ESOSOC's contact page taking? On deadline." While Inner City Press was afterward told to also email one Paul Simon, this bounced back, slip-sliding away. The first went through, and ECOSOC is on notice, like Guterres and Deputy Amina J. Mohammed. Watch this site. Gadio's role, described in the indictment, was in bribing Chad's long time president Idriss Deby to the tune of $2 million. Now amid calls in Uganda for Kutesa to resign, see below, in Chad they have turned out 2,000 to chant in favor of Deby, channeled by Radio France International. Some ask, $2 million divided by 2,000 is how much, minus the vig? In the U.S. this is called Astro-turf, an artificial surface for a sports stadium, fake grassroots. Similar moves are afoot for Gadio. What is the French connection? We'll have more on this. Contrary to the indictment which says Kutesa stepped down as Foreign Minister during his year as UN PGA, Inner City Press asked him on September 14, 2015 and Kutesa said, "I am still foreign minister." Scoop here, video here. While the UN of Secretary General Antonio Guterres, even after the indictment and Inner City Press' public questions went forward on November 21 with CEFC's money, see below, in Kampala members of Parliament are calling for Kutesa to resign as foreign minister. "President Museveni and Kutesa should resign and give Ugandans a chance to cleanse their country,” Gerald Karuhanga, Ntungamo Municipality MP, said. Joining the call for resignation(s) are Lwemiyaga MP Theodore Ssekikubo, John Baptist Nambeshe (Manjiya County), Nabilah Nagayi (Kampala Woman Representative), Patrick Nsamba (Kassanda North), Monicah Amoding (Kumi Municality), Barnabas Tinkasiimire (Buyaga West) and James Kaberuka (Kinkizi West). Meanwhile the UN, implicated, canceled Guterres' photo op involving the CEFC money but went forward and used it, while the event remained on the schedule of Guterres' Deputy SG Amina J. Mohammed, embroiled in a scandal involving the signing of 4,000 certificates for rosewood illegal logged in Cameroon and Nigeria and already in China. Ironically, she will be delivering the "Nelson Mandela" address. We'll have more on this.   On Thanksgiving eve November 22 at 4 pm in an otherwise empty courthouse at 500 Pearl Street, bail was sought for Gadio, so he could spend Thanksgiving in Maryland. Federal Defender - assigned counsel - Sabrina Shroff lambasted the prosecutors for delaying. She said that unlike Ng Lap Seng, the billionaire Macau-based businessman now still under house arrest despite six guilty verdicts in connection with UN bribery, her client is not a billionaire. Notably, he has said he is financially unable to retain counsel. Judge Marrero did not set him free on bail, setting the matter over for Monday after Thanksgiving. On the elevator down the prosecution was accused of "white man-splaining;" reference was made to Daniel Richenthal, as prosecutor in the Ng Lap Seng trial as well, and to the UN International School. We'll have more on this - and another of Gadio's roles that brought him to the UN Press Briefing Room in October 2015, as "Special Envoy of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for the Central African Republic." The UN, increasingly, is corrupt.

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