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U.S. Calls for End of
Myanmar For-Ex Rules After UN Admits Losses, UK Joins, France Silent
Byline:
Matthew Russell Lee of
Inner City Press at the UN: News Analysis
FEC/Burma Shave series - 1st (June 26), 2nd, 3rd, 4th, last
UNITED NATIONS,
July 29 -- The United States is
supporting a call that the Myanmar government eliminate currency
"exchange
rules and regulations" by which of Cyclone Nargis aid "twenty to
twenty five percent was diverted," U.S. Ambassador to the UN Zalmay
Khalilzad
told Inner City Press on Tuesday. "I looked into a little of what you
said," Ambassador Khalilad began, referring to Inner City
Press' reporting
since June 26 and questions to him last week and Monday
about UN aid losses to
government-required currency exchange in Myanmar.
"It's the
result of
rules and regulations of the Myanmar government," he said, "that a
significant portion, 20 to 25%, was diverted... We are looking further
into the
Myanmar government's diversion of aid." He did not say if the U.S. is
pushing for a return of the lost $10 million, but he said clearly that
the U.S.
supports the call, in which he included the UN, that Myanmar's currency
exchange rules and regulations that led to the loss be "eliminated."
Inner City
Press also asked the United Kingdom's Deputy Permanent Representative
Karen
Pierce about the 20 to 25% loss of aid funds in Myanmar, since as she
said the
UK has sent $92 million there. "It
is obviously very concerning," she said. "We're supporting the UN
efforts to get this resolved, rather than working through it
bilaterally
ourselves. We're in close touch with John Holmes' people about this."
Video here,
from Minute 4:12.
Amb. Khalilzad and Ban Ki-moon, concrete
solution of humanitarian haircut / aid losses yet to be seen
The third
of what some currently call the Security Council's three musketeers,
France, despite
having loudly threatened to invade Myanmar with food aid after the
March
cyclone, has not answered questions on the subject of 20 to 25% losses
of aid
funds. On July 28, while France's Deputy Permanent Representative
Jean-Pierre
Lacroix was taking questions at the Council stakeout microphone, Inner
City
Press sought to ask a question, but Amb. Lacroix walked away from the
microphone.
Video here,
from Minute 5:03.
Amb.
Lacroix's spokesperson, also the French Mission's deputy, it
being August, stood in the way when Inner City Press sought to follow
and ask
the question. Inner City Press emailed her questions about the issue,
stating
that they were "on deadline," and sent a text message summary of the
questions. By mid-afternoon the next day, there was no response from
the French
mission to the factual questions sent. When one it received, it will be
reported on this site.
Footnote: UN Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon, the day after his Humanitarian Coodinator John Holmes admitted
the 20 to 25% losses of aid funds on government-required currency
exchanges in Myanmar, is publicizing another contribution to Myanmar.
At Tuesday's noon briefing, his spokesperson would have been asked what
precautions Ban is taking that his contribution is not diverted in part
to the unqualified use of the Myanmar government. But no questions were
taken at Tuesday's noon briefing -- there was a farewell press
conference by outgoing UN Peacekeeping chief Jean-Marie Guehenno, which
will be reported elsewhere on this site. Into Ban Ki-moon's actions on
this issue, we will continue to inquire and report.
Watch this site.
And
this --
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