Inner City Press -- Investigative Reporting From the Inner City to Wall Street to the United Nations

On Sudans, China Got Change to Sanctions Only "If Necessary," Russia to Vote Yes

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 2 -- After the US put its Sudans draft resolution "into blue" on April 30, even on May 1 there were further consultations and changes.

  On May 2 in front of the Security Council, Chinese Permanent Representative Li Baodong told the Press that a change had been made -- Article 41 sanctions only "if necessary." With that, he said, China would vote yes.

  Inner City Press asked US Ambassador Susan Rice if the draft resolution in blue had been modified. She nodded and answered, "Very little, it's a good text."

  Unanimous adoption has been brought about. Russia's Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told the press that he would be voting yes, "because of the African Union" and its request. He said Russia would make a statement expressing reservations.

  South Sudan representative Agnes Oswaha told Inner City Press that Article 41 is still in "but not explicitly." She entered the Security Council with her ministerial delegation including Deng Alor, who has said that the negotiations with Khartoum have to go beyond the Thabo Mbeki process and have more teeth.

Sudan's Permanent Representative walked into the Council in a bright white suit. One expects another round of dueling stakeouts after the vote. What about the damage at Heglig?

  Separately -- or not -- the buzz in front of the Security Council Wednesday morning was that the proposed lists of 40 new entities to be put on the North Korea sanctions list, whittled by China down to two, was now up to three, with a silence procedure running until noon on Wednesday. Questions were posed to entering Ambassadors but those asked, did not answer.

Footnote: Azerbaijan, May's President of the Security Council, had a press conference on May's program of work scheduled for 12:30, the normal time. But then it was listed as "canceled." One wonders if that means postponed until the Sudan resolution dust settles. Every other recent president has done such a presser. Watch this site.