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UN's Invitation to Eritrea for Somalia Meeting Was Revoked at IGAD's Demand

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, September 26, 2010, updated -- The Somalia meeting at the UN on September 23 featured a little noticed last minute disinvitation. The UN's Department of Political Affairs had invited Eritrea, which has at least in the past been a member of the regional group IGAD which has hosted the leaders of the Alliance to Reliberate Somalia and detractor say supports the Al Shabab rebels.

But the other IGAD members wanted Eritrea excluded. They prepared a draft Communique which criticized the UN for inviting Eritrea. To avoid the criticism, the UN unceremoniously disinvited Eritrea, just before the meeting began.

Little was said about this. In fact, the political coordinator of a Security Council member told Inner City Press he had not heard about the disinvitation, but saw Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's chief of staff Vijay Nambiar whispering to Eritrean Permanent Representative Araya Desta, and then his disappearance from the meeting room.

This Security Council member told Inner City Press his country thinks excluding Eritrea was a bad idea. They are a player, he says. Not having them present makes resolution less likely.

  Analogy has been made, as it has with respect to most Security Council members other than the US, France and UK being willing to meet with Sudan's Omar al Bashir, to Slobodan Milosevic's participation in the Dayton peace process.

But several IGAD members told Inner City Press Eritrea is such a “spoiler” or troublemaker that it would be a “mockery” to have them present.

Eritrea's Perm Rep Desta, Nambiar whisper and disapprearance from meeting not shown

 Uganda's Permanent Representative Rugunda confirmed to Inner City Press, let's just say, Eritrea was not present when the meeting actually happened.

Whatever one thinks of the wisdom of disinviting Eritrea, it is surprisingly how little has been said or reported about it. Hence this exclusive report, and questions which will be forthcoming. Watch this site.

Update of September 28 -- for two days running, Inner City Press has asked UN spokesman Martin Nesirky for a UN explanation of their disinvitation of Eritrea. On September 27, Nesirky said he would look into it.

 But 24 hours later on September 28, he told Inner City Press he still had nothing. The disinvitation has been confirmed to Inner City Press from the highest levels. Shouldn't the UN have some stated reason for it, if nothing else then for the sake of transparency?