At
UN
on Syria,
Annan Expected
in NY
Wednesday,
Stonewall on
How Paid,
Pensions
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
February 27 --
Last week the
UN announced
that former
Secretary
General Kofi
Annan would be
its special
envoy to Syria,
jointly with
the Arab
League. But on
Monday, UN
deputy
spokesman
Eduardo Del
Buey said he
had no
information
when Annan
might come to
New York, or
get started.
Minutes
later, Inner
City Press and
another media
were told by a
senior UN
official
that Annan is
expected on
Wednesday, and
appointments
are being set
up for him on
March 1 and 2.
There: was
that so
difficult?
Even
easier
for the UN to
have answer
was a question
Inner City
Press sent
to Del Buey
and lead
spokesman for
Ban Ki-moon
Martin Nesirky
on
Friday
morning:
What
will
Kofi Annan's
status be as
special envoy?
Will he
receive a UN
salary (on top
of his two
concurrent UN
pensions)? How
is Mr. Annan's
mission to be
funded? Will
payments be
made directly
to Annan or
through a
third party?
Inner
City
Press had
asked for an
answer before
Friday's noon
briefing, but
none came.
Then on
Monday, Inner
City Press
asked the
question
again, and
there was
still no
answer. And
this is the
transparent
UN? Watch this
site.
(c) UN Photo
Ban and Kofi,
stature and
stonewall
Footnote:
Likewise,
after Inner
City Press
asked Del Buey
on Friday
about
reported
attacks in
Darfur,
Del Buey
"inserted
into the
transcript,"
without any
other notice,
that "UNAMID
has
received
reports of
this incident
and has
dispatched a
verification
patrol to the
area. The
Spokesperson’s
Office is
awaiting
updates."
But on Monday,
three days
later -- work
days in Sudan
-- Del Buey
flipped
through his
thin folder
and said, "I
have
nothing on
that." When
Inner City
Press asked
about fighting
in Jau in
Southern
Kordofan, Del
Buey said, we
don't have
access to Jau,
so no comment.
But does the
UN, while
speaking, have
access to
Homs?
, 
