Belgrade Attacks as Chad Is Off the Map, With Iran Annexes and Timor Link, Eritrea Needs a Report, But Where's Somalia's?

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN: News Analysis

UNITED NATIONS, February 21 --  While in New York "the members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the mob attacks against embassies in Belgrade," in Serbia incidents triggered by the weekend's declaration of independence by Pristina continued. U.S. Permanent Representative to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad strode to the stakeout microphone and condemned the Serbian government for not stopping the attacks. Hours later, after an amendment proposed by Russia was accepted, the resulting press statement "welcomed the steps taken by the Serbian authorities to restore order."  As one reporter mused, if they can turn it off, did they turn it on?

            The UN had no comment on another mysterious on-and-off attack, that on the capital of Chad. With the Chadian foreign minister claiming to be in talks with the by-implication defeated rebels, and the rebels denying any talks, Inner City Press at the noon briefing on Thursday asked spokesperson Michele Montas if the UN can confirm talks. No, she said. There would be no comment. Who is monitoring Chad? That was not answered either.

            Thursday morning, the Council has to have heard from Timor Leste envoy Atul Khare by video hookup. Inner City Press had asked if journalists, too, could ask Mr. Khare questions, including about the accusation by Mr. Ramos Horta's brother that UN peacekeepers stood by after he was shot. But even for the Council, the video hookup did not happen. A Permanent Five ambassador told Inner City Press that the UN's technology did not work.

U.S. embassy in Belgrade

            The Council meeting Thursday afternoon was initially to have focused on Eritrea and the plight of UN peacekeepers there. This soon became an afterthought, to the "dropping" of the draft sanctions resolution on Iran, and the attacks on the Belgrade embassies. Inner City Press asked UK Ambassador John Sawers for the reasoning of withholding the annexes to the Iran resolution, which name the individuals and companies subject to the sanctions. Amb. Sawers responded that the annexes were given to the Council members. But why not to the press? Inner City Press has been told, off-camera, that this is so those on the list don't move their money before the resolution is voted on. But if so that should be said on the record.

            By days end, a press statement a copy of which was not even distributed by hand called on the Secretary-General to prepare a report. Unsaid was the delay in producing the overdue Somalia report. Inner City Press at noon on Thursday asked spokesperson Michele Montas to explain the delay in the report, which South African Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo said is in fact ready, but won't be released until March 10. Ms. Montas described to separate missions to Somalia, both in January, and said they are still being written up. We'll see.

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

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

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