At
UN,
Germany's Westerwelle Won't Answer on European- Iranian Trade
Bank
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
February 11 -- When German Foreign Minister Guido
Westerwelle took questions from the press at the UN on Friday, he
began with a statement and then two questions, in German, about Egypt
and Hosni Mubarak.
When
Inner City
Press asked him for Germany's response to demands that it close
the Hamburg-based European- Iranian Trade Bank AG (EIH), Westerwelle
refused to answer the question, saying that on this “historic day”
he would only speak about Egypt. Then, in German, he spoke about
Tunisia as well. Video here.
Westerwelle
is
not only or even mostly in the United States concerning Egypt. He
came to speak at a Security Council session on security and
development, and to lobby for a
permanent Council seat for Germany
along with the other three members of the so-called G-4 group.
Some say that
a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council should be able to speak
about one than one issue, particularly including questions about its
own policies.
Westerwelle with UN's Ban, answers on EIH Bank not shown
In
the US, a
“bipartisan group of 11 Senators issued a letter to Westerwelle
that:
“EIH
is one of Iran’s few remaining access points to the European
financial system,” the letter says. “The threat of a
nuclear-armed Iran is undeniable and we must make sanctions as strong
as possible to deny Iran the economic means to develop those weapons.
The bank has and continues to conduct transactions on behalf of
entities under US and EU sanctions, including Bank Mellat, a
designated supporter of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran...
Companies that continue to conduct trade with Iran via EIH also face
potential sanctions in the US, including restrictions on exports to
the US and access to US capital markets.”
One
would think,
even with his mind on Egypt including the reports that Germany
offered medical sanctuary to Mubarak, that Westerwelle provide his
response about EIH Bank. We'll see.
Footnote: since
Germany got its two year seat on the Council, the German Mission has
held more press availabilities than before. But unlike with the Indian
mission, most by the German mission are off the record, which is not
the way these questions should be answered. Watch this site.
* * *
As
India's
Krishna Pitches UN Council Membership, Discussions of
Nambiars
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
February 10 -- Alongside the UN Security Council's debate
Friday about security and development, the foreign ministers of India
and Brazil, Japan and Germany are getting
together to try to push for
permanent seats on the Council.
Thursday
night
high in the New York Palace Hotel, India's Ambassador to the UN
Hardeep Singh Puri told Inner City Press among other news
that he counted 120 countries as
supporting India for a permanent seat. He derided the so-called
United For Consensus grouping, saying he counted only six seats, and
not the 15 sometimes claimed.
India's
external
affairs minister S.M. Krishma arrived earlier Thursday in New York,
and after a 45 minute break went to a meeting of the L-69 group.
There, Jamaica's Permanent Representative told those assembled that
they shouldn't accept permanent seats without the veto power, so as
to not accept second class citizenship.
Jamaica led
opposition to the
European Union's drive for special rights, or citizenship, in the
General Assembly last year.
Hardeep
Singh Puri
described his Minister Krishna's program for February 11, including a
speech in the Security Council, a lunch along with many others with
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, a meeting and then press availability
with G-4 foreign ministers, and then an IPSA dinner.
Krishna (and Singhs) with Ban, previously, this time not shown
Inner
City Press
had asked about the treatment of Indian students at the closed down
Tri Valley University in California. Hardeen Singh Puri said that
India's consul general from San Francisco is coming to New York
Saturday to meet with Krishna, along with the country's ambassador to
Washington.
Indian
journalists
in attendance told Inner City Press that the Tri Valley University
situation is being resolved, with “ankle bracelets being removed
from some Indian students.” They also opined on India's highest
official in the UN system Vijay Nambiar, and his general brother
Satish Nambiar, who praised Sri Lanka's assault on Tamil areas in
2009. Of the Tamil fishermen from India being killed by Sri Lanka,
nothing has yet been said. Watch this site.
