On
Ukraine at
UNSC, Russia
Makes 4 Point
Proposal, UN
Sidelined
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, July
11 -- Amid
fighting and
censorship in
Eastern
Ukraine, when
Russian
Ambassador
Vitaly Churkin
scheduled a
press stakeout
for 11:30 am
on July 11,
that seemed
sure to be the
topic.
But Churkin
went beyond
the usual
stakeout to
read out a
four point
plan or elements
for a
resolution
that he said
had just be
emailed to the
Council's
other 14
members. Inner
City Press
obtained a
hard copy, the
points are:
-Deep
concern about
the increasing
number of
casualties
among the
civilian
population,
including
women and
children, as a
result of
intensified
combat
operations as
well as about
the
destruction of
civilian
infrastructure.
-Support
for
international
proposals
aimed at the
settlement of
the domestic
crisis in
Ukraine,
namely the
Geneva
Statement of
April 17 and
the Berlin
Joint
Declaration of
July 2.
-Imperative
demand
addressed to
the Ukrainian
parties to the
conflict to
cease violence
and fully
implement the
provisions of
the
abovementioned
documents.
-Call
on the OSCE to
facilitate the
settlement of
the conflict
by means of
its Special
Monitoring
Mission in
Ukraine.
Inner City
Press asked
Churkin about
Kyiv
authorities
blocking
Russian or
even
pro-Russian
television
channels.
Churkin called
it an "adamant
campaign" and
noted the
killing of
journalists,
not only
Russian, in
the East of
Ukraine.
Moments later
at the day's
UN noon
briefing,
Inner City
Press asked UN
deputy
spokesperson
Farhan Haq for
the UN's
reaction to
the proposal -
there was none
- and about
the blocking
of television
channels. A
generic answer
about freedom
of expression
was given. But
where is the
follow-up?
Inner City
Press asked
Haq about the
UN, particularly
its Department
of Political
Affairs, being
marginalized
on Ukraine
(because it
was not seem
as impartial,
particularly
after leaked
telephone
calls on YouTube).
Haq said it is
all up to the
Security
Council. But
doesn't the UN
Secretariat
have some Good
Offices role?
Not in this
case, apparently.
So, where?
On the economic
front, in the
International
Monetary
Fund's Article
IV report on
Russia, out
from under
embargo on
July 1, the
IMF recounts
sanctions and
counter-sanctions
but not its
own role in
Ukraine
including
austerity
conditions
imposed.
The IMF
recites how
the US, EU,
Japan,
Switzerland,
and other
countries
“have adopted
sanctions
against
Ukrainian and
Russian
individuals
and entities
in response to
the unfolding
situation in
Ukraine, as
well as the
suspension of
bilateral
negotiations
on a variety
of topics.”
Then, the IMF
continues, “on
March 20 and
March 24,
Russia imposed
retaliatory
sanctions on
U.S. and
Canadian
government
officials.
Russia also
passed a bill
to create a
national
payment system
insulated from
foreign
companies’
influence, and
is considering
the creation
of a national
rating
agency.”
So is that a
good thing?
The IMF
doesn't say.
Watch this
site.
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