After
Pause in Syria
Talks, ICP
Asks UK Wilson
of "Petty
Procedural
Issues"
By Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
February 4 --
When the UN
pulled the
plug on the
Intra-Syrian
Talks, or
merely as
envoy Staffan
de Mistura
said pushed
them back to
February 25,
de Mistura
said that the
UN "is not
prepared to
hold talks for
the sake of
talks" and
concluded,
"Mr. de
Mistura will
leave tomorrow
to attend the
London
conference."
On
February 4 in
front of the
UN Security
Council, Inner
City Press
asked UK
Deputy
Ambassador
Peter Wilson
what Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon meant
by "petty
procedural"
and other
issues
stalling the
talks. Video
here, and
see below.
Wilson
said the
London
Conference is
"our" (UK)
focus, and to
pay attention
to the speech
Ban gave. On
that way to
the UN
Security
Council
stakeout,
another
country's
diplomat told
Inner City
Press there
would be a
session with
de Mistura on
February 5.
As
Inner City
Press was
filming the
Q&A with
Wilson, the
correspondent
from Voice of
America took
two
photographs...
of Inner City
Press' phone.
The gola, we
surmise for past and
recent
experience,
may be to Ban
filming and
whole
technologies
at the UN
Security
Council
stakeout and
even elsewhere
in the UN,
which the old
UN
Correspondents
Association
has tried to
do in the
past.
The new
Free
UN Coalition
for Access
(FUNCA) would
oppose that -
watch this
site, and note
that many
Security
Council
delegations
use Periscope,
and the UN
itself
purports to
promote social
media.
Notably, de
Mistura's
statement did
not cast blame
for the
failure - but
hours later,
Reuters
channeled a
"senior UN
official" it
allowed to
remain
unnamed:
"A senior U.N.
official told
Reuters on
condition of
anonymity that
de Mistura
called a halt
to the talks
after Russia
increased air
strikes to
help the
government of
Syrian
President
Bashar
al-Assad,
undermining
the
negotiating
process. 'I
think the
special envoy
decided to
suspend the
talks because
the (United
Nations) did
not want to be
associated
with the
Russian
escalation in
Syria, which
risks
undermining
the talks
completely,'
the official
said."
Reuters
did not
explain WHY it
granted
anonymity to
this described
"senior UN
official." But
since even
this source
said he or she
"thinks" de
Mistura
decided, it
called into
question, what
kind of source
is this? UN
Political
chief Feltman,
whom Reuters
UN bureau
chief has
previously
used,
would not
"think" what
de Mistura
decided.
But now
Ban Ki-moon
has said, or
read, what the
unnamed senior
UN official
said, albeit
without naming
any country,
see below.
Does
Reuters grant
(more)
anonymity to
Ban Ki-moon?
At the
UN in New York
on February 3,
Reuters'
correspondent
actively cut
off Inner City
Press
questioning
about UN
corruption,
saying "you're
grasping at
straws." Vine
here, story
here.
"It is deeply
disturbing
that the
initial steps
of the talks
have been
undermined by
the continuous
lack of
sufficient
humanitarian
access, and by
a sudden
increase of
aerial
bombings and
military
activities
within
Syria.
The focus on
the people of
Syria is also
being lost
amid petty
procedural
matters."
Ban
Ki-moon and
petty? Say it
ain't so.
Back on
January 25 de
Mistura
started his
press
conference in
Geneva on a 15
minute delay,
he apologized
then said,
"Due to the
intense
disagreements
frankly, and
different
opinions on
who should be
on the list,
the actual
beginning of
the talks,
which was
meant to be
today, have
been delayed.
Today,
therefore,
instead of
announcing the
beginning of
the talks, I’m
in a position
of still
announcing to
you the date
in which, in
my opinion, we
will be in a
position to
send
invitations:
tomorrow. And
the date which
we’ll be
aiming at
having
the beginning
of
intra-Syrian
talks: 29th
January.."
Why will that
work any
better? There
will be no
photos, de
Mistura said.
Then, taking
over the
picking of
question, he
took one on..
how many
rooms?
de Mistura:
The issue
about rooms,
and
delegations,
will be part
of the
creativity of
the proximity
talks. There
will be a lot
of shuttling,
because there
is not only
diff
delegations
but also vicil
society,
women, and
others who
deserve to be
heard…you
could have
quite a lot of
simultanrous
meetings
taking place.
Q: Are you
expecting a
general
ceasefire?
A "Every party
has a right to
decide when it
wishes to
come. Our main
principle is,
no
preconditions
We will be
pushing, and I
think from the
American and
Russian side
there’s also
an interest in
this: at the
beginning we
will be
discussing a
ceasefire. So
the choice is
whether to
talk about
that before or
during.
…I think the
Syrians are
telling us
something,
they say we
want something
concrete, when
you start
talks give us
something
concrete. So
we will be
pushing the
ceasefire
talk…the
condition
should be that
it is a real
ceasefire and
not just
local. This is
not what we
want. We want
something that
will put an
end to the
fighting."
Back on
January 18
when after
closed door
consultation
with UN Syria
envoy de
Mistura the
Security
Council's
president for
January Elbio
Rosselli was
asked if there
will be a
delay in the
talks past
January 25, he
replied, "I
would only say
that no
different date
was considered
today.”
But de
Mistura has
yet to send
out any
invitations;
who will be
invited has
not yet been
agreed, as the
UN announced
in its noon
briefing held
as Rosselli
spoke. Here's
what Rosselli
said at the
stakeout:
"“The Security
Council heard
today the
first oral
report by Mr.
de Mistura
who's been
working very,
very actively
following on
the different
aspects of
Resolution
2254 of 18
December last
year. As you
all know, Mr.
de Mistura has
had a very,
very active
and hectic
agenda,
visiting most
of the
capitals of
the concerned
states,
traveling from
Riyadh to
Damascus, to
Amman, back to
Geneva, moving
to Tehran,
moving
everywhere.
“There has
been since the
very first
days of
January
concern about
whether the
situation that
erupted
between Saudi
Arabia and
Iran could
affect the
course of the
process. Mr.
de Mistura has
made very
clear
references
that he got
directly from
the ministers
of foreign
affairs of
both Iran and
Saudi Arabia
assurances
that that
would not be
the case, and
that that
incident is
completely
isolated from
the
consideration
of the agenda
of 2254.
“We the
Council
reiterated its
very strong
unanimous
support for
the role that
Mr. de Mistura
is playing,
has played and
will continue
to play and
the central
aspect of the
process in the
the terms of
resolution
2254. This is
as much as I
would be in a
position to
transmit to
you.”
Meaning, it
seems, that
these were the
Council's
agreed-to
Press
Elements.
We'll have
more on this.
Back on
December 18 in
the Lotte New
York Palace
Hotel,
ministers
Lavrov and
Gentiloni,
Fabius and
Kerry passed
through with
entourages; UN
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon left
early
typically
without
answering any
questions, as
Inner City
Press
Periscoped and
reported.
Hours later,
the draft
resolution was
agreed to,
then adopted
15-0 by the UN
Security
Council, here.
On
December 26,
the UN issued
this for its
envoy Staffan
de Mistura:
"Further to
resolution
2254 (2015) of
the Security
Council,
unanimously
adopted on 18
December 2015,
United Nations
Special Envoy
for Syria, Mr.
Staffan de
Mistura, has
intensified
efforts
towards
convening
representatives
of the Syrian
Government and
the broadest
possible
spectrum of
the Syrian
opposition and
others to
engage in a
political
process
leading
towards
implementation
of the
objectives and
principles for
a political
solution to
the Syrian
conflict as
contained in
the Geneva
Communique of
30 June 2012,
and the Vienna
Statements of
30 October and
14 November
2015.
"In line with
the clear
parameters
outlined in
Security
Council
resolution
2254 (2015),
the Special
Envoy intends
to complete
his
consultations
in early
January, with
a view to
initiating
intra-Syrian
talks on a
target date of
25 January
2016 in
Geneva. He
counts on full
cooperation of
all the
relevant
Syrian parties
in this
process.
Continuing
developments
on the ground
should not be
allowed to
derail it. The
Special Envoy
also relies on
the continued
crucial
support of the
International
Syria Support
Group.
The people of
Syria have
suffered
enough. Their
tragedy is now
felt
throughout the
region and
beyond. They
deserve the
full attention
and commitment
from all their
Syrian
representatives,
who should now
show
leadership and
vision to
overcome
differences
for the sake
of Syria."
The day
before, on
December 25,
on Syria
UNRWA's
spokesman
Chris Gunness
said:
"UNRWA
welcomes any
developments
that could end
the armed
conflict in
and around
Yarmouk, and
ease the
inhuman
conditions
that Palestine
refugees and
other
civilians are
in Yarmouk
continue to
endure. Over
the past three
months, there
have been
persistent
reports of
negotiations
for some form
of truce or
evacuation
arrangement in
Yarmouk.
These reports
are credible
and UNRWA is
taking them
seriously,
although they
have not been
officially or
formally
confirmed, and
details have
been vague.
There are
several
thousands of
civilians
living in
deeply abject
conditions in
Yarmouk. As
UNRWA is
deeply
concerned
about their
well-being,
the Agency is
seeking from
the Syrian
government
further
details of any
negotiated
arrangements
that will
affect the
humanitarian
situation of
civilians in
Yarmouk. In
particular,
UNRWA demands
that any
arrangements
being
negotiated in
and around
Yarmouk must
include
guarantees for
a durable
cessation of
hostilities,
for the
protection of
civilians, and
for safe,
uninterrupted
humanitarian
access for
UNRWA and
other
humanitarian
actors. UNRWA
is redoubling
its strong
appeals to the
Government of
Syria and
relevant
actors to
allow and
facilitate
humanitarian
access to
Yarmouk.
This is
urgently
needed to
enable UNRWA
to
deliver food,
clean water,
winter
supplies,
healthcare,
and other
humanitarian
assistance and
services to
civilians in
Yarmouk. UNRWA
stands ready
immediately to
respond to the
humanitarian
needs of the
entire
civilian
population of
Yarmouk."
Meanwhile the
head of Jaysh
al Islam
Zahran Alloush
was killed al
Ghouta.
Kerry
and Lavrov,
joined by UN
envoy Staffan
de Mistura,
held this
three-question
press
conference.
Kerry said the
negotiations
should begin
in mid to late
January (in
contrast to
the early
January in the
resolution).
Lavrov said
only the
“patriotic
opposition”
should be
involved in
negotiations.
Staffan de
Mistura said
very little.
That
Kerry's
spokesman John
Kirby, who ran
the press
conference,
gave the
second
question to
the Washington
Post, and the
third to
Russian media,
was perhaps
understandable.
But the first
question,
Kirby set
aside for “Al
Arabiya.”
The question
quickly turned
into three,
after being
branded for
“UNCA,” now
the UN
Corruption
Association, a
group which
sold seats
with UN
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon for
$6000 only
earlier this
week.
We now
add: UNCA gave
one of its
prizes, a free
trip to
Turkey, to one
of its Vice
Presidents,
from Agence
France Presse.
Even Kellogg's
prohibits its
employees from
competing for
its prizes.
But not UNCA,
which ignoring
the Iraq -
Turkey meeting
in the
Security
Council was
trying to buy
people with
Prosecco on
December 18,
after selling
seats with Ban
for $6,000.
Several
other UN-based
journalists --
not (only)
this one --
complained
afterward that
the first
question and
attempted
follow up were
a “Saudi
circus” which
made the UN
press corps
look bad -- as
did attempt to
throw out
certain
journalists,
photographers,
from the front
row at the
beginning.
Afterward a
photo spray of
a meeting
between Kerry
and Iran's
Zarif was
declared “by
invitation
only” and then
canceled. In
the Security
Council, with
very few
journalists
still at the
stakeout, the
US presidency
began the
meeting on
Iraq's
complaint
against Turkey
being in its
territory.
We'll have
more on this.
After the vote
inside the
Council Lavrov
said, “The
unanimous
adoption today
on the Council
has created a
broad front on
the basis of
the UN
Charter, on
the basis of
all of those
who are
pushing back
against
terror,
including the
Syrian army,
[some] armed
militias,
parts of the
Syrian
opposition,
and the
Russian air
forces, in
response to
the legitimate
request of the
Syrian
government."
Inside as
Nasser Judeh
of Jordan
spoke, UN TV
cut repeatedly
to Syria's
Bashar
Ja'afari,
looking more
and more
skeptical.
France's
Fabius spoke
briefly and
left. Outside
at the
stakeout, talk
turned to a
Kerry press
conference,
open to all.
Italy's
Paolo
Gentiloni, by
contrast,
scheduled a
press
availability
only for
Italian media.
A wag from the
Free UN
Coalition for
Access asked,
Isn't
Gentiloni the
foreign and
not interior
minister?
Isn't he
running for a
Security
Council seat?
We'll have
more on this.
In the
hotel lobby in
the late
morning a
Permanent Five
member of the
Security
Council's
spokesperson
briefed a
gaggle of
journalists in
the lobby amid
hissed that it
was “off the
record.”
There
was a
gingerbread
model of the
NY Palace
hotel which,
the sign said,
took 300 hours
to make. All
that was
lacking, one
wag - this one
- snarked on
Twitter, was a
little
gingerbread
Laurent
Fabuis.
Back
that UN, the 1
pm stakeout by
the EU's
Mogherini was
postponed and
then canceled.
The Security
Council
scheduled for
3 pm got
pushed back to
4. Inner
City Press
asked Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric if
Ban had
spoken, what
would he have
said? Vine
here.
On December
17, the day
before Syria
talks resumed
at the New
York Palace
Hotel in
Manhattan,
finance
ministers
spoke in the
UN Security
Council about
cutting off
financing for
ISIS. French
finance
minister
Michel Sapin
spoke darkly
of the use of
pre-paid cards
for the
November 13
Paris attacks;
Russia's
Ambassador
Churkin named
two Turkish
companies as
involved in
ISIS oil sale.
Inner
City Press
asked Syria's
Ambassador
Bashar
Ja'afari, who
came to take
questions at
the Council
stakeout,
about ISIS'
oil. He named
Turkey, then
want on to
name Qatar and
Saudi Arabia,
slamming its
“Sunni
coalition”
recently
announced.
When US
Treasury
Secretary
Jacob Lew,
along with
Sapin and the
UK's George
Osborne held a
short press
conference in
the UN
briefing room,
Inner City
Press hoped to
asked Sapin
about pre-paid
cards, and Lew
and Osborne
about Bitcoin.
But the
question, just
four, were
limited to
Reuters, the
Wall Street
Journal, the
New York and
Financial
Times. So it
goes.
It seems there
will be no
Press access
at the New
York Palace;
Ja'afari has
said he will
speak, at the
UN, and
whatever ISSG
press
availability
there is
should be at
the UN, with a
3 pm meeting
on December 18
scheduled.
Watch this
site.
Back on
December 8,
Inner City
Press put thee
questions
to
Turkey's
Ambassador
Cevic. Video
here.
Here's fast
transcript by
InnerCityPro.com:
Inner City
Press: On
Syria, do you
think the
Vienna process
meeting should
take place in
New York on
the 18th? Are
you satisfied
with the Saudi
process for
choosing the
opposition?
Amb Cevik: The
plans, I don’t
know how
fixed, I mean
how clear it
is, but we are
making our
preparations
for the
meeting.
Inner City
Press: Are
there any
groups invited
to Saudi
Arabia that
you think
shouldn’t be
part of the
opposition
delegation?
Amb Cevik: I
think so far,
in our view,
they are
working on the
right concept.
Let’s see if
they succeed.
Having a
coalition
group that
would be able
to take part
in the process
is one of the
most important
things.
Inner City
Press:
[Russia] said
the group that
killed their
pilot should
be put on the
terror list.
Do you have
any view on
that?
Amb Cevik: If
they know the
specifics, I
don’t know.
But to our
knowledge,
there was no
terrorist
organization,
no extreme
Daesh, Nusra,
in that area.
They are the
Turkomens, and
we know them,
they are
moderate
people.
This
may be an
issue. Watch
this site.