On W.
Sahara, ICP
Asks State
Dept in DC, In
NY France
Talks Serene
Dialogue
By Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, March
18 -- Why
can't UN
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon go to
El Aaiun in
Western
Sahara, even
to visit the
headquarters
of the UN
Mission for
the Referendum
in Western
Sahara?
On
March 16,
Inner City
Press asked
the US State
Department
about Western
Sahara and can
now (from the
State
Department
briefing room)
publish this,
from Deputy
Spokesperson
Mark Toner:
"The United
States
continues to
support the
UN-led process
designed to
bring about a
peaceful,
sustainable,
and
mutually-agreed
solution to
the conflict
in the Western
Sahara, one in
which the
human rights
of all
individuals
are respected.
We support the
work of the UN
Secretary
General’s
Personal Envoy
for the
Western Sahara
and the
mandate of the
UN Mission for
the Referendum
on Western
Sahara
(MINURSO).
We encourage
all of the
parties to
remain fully
and actively
engaged in
pushing the
process toward
an effective
resolution."
On March
18, lead State
Department
spokesperson
John Kirby
said more:
"We’re aware
of those
reports that
they’ve asked
the UN mission
for the
referendum in
Western Sahara
to reduce the
size of its
mission – to
leave, as you
put it.
We reiterate
our support to
that UN
mission and to
its important
mission – to
the important
job that it’s
there to
do.
Yesterday the
United States
participated
in a closed
session of the
UN Security
Council, where
members
expressed
concern about
the
situation.
The United
States
encourages all
of the parties
to remain
fully and
actively
engaged in
seeking an
effective
resolution."
After the
Security
Council met on
March 18 about
Western
Sahara, the
Council's
President for
March,
Ambassador
Gaspar Martins
of Angola,
said the
members had
agreed to work
both
bilaterally
and as
Council. Which
is it? Left
solo, France
reflexively
defends
Morocco. French
Ambassador
Delattre on
his way in
said:
"With respect
to Western
Sahara, we, as
France, but
also as member
of the
Security
Council, are
having one
clear
objective,
which is to
appease the
tensions. And
that is why we
believe that,
at this stage,
an important
thing in order
to appease the
tensions, is
for Morocco
and the UN to
have a serene,
respectful,
and in-depth
dialogue. We
believe this
is absolutely
important in
order to,
again, appease
the tensions.
This is our
number one
priority, and
we will
continue on
this path."
Sounds
bilateral...
Watch this
site.
On
March 17 Inner
City Press
reported there
would be an
"emergency"
meeting, under
"Any Other
Business,"
about MINURSO
and Morocco's
decisions.
Since Ban's
Secretariat,
through USG of
DPI Cristina
Gallach, threw
Inner City
Press out of
the UN on two
hours notice
on February
19, covering
UN events has
been
significantly
more
difficult.
Nevertheless,
even for now
at this remove
we can report:
Ban's
Secretariat
says MINURSO
has 85
international
staff and 157
national
staff; it is
considering a
"family" duty
station, which
family members
in El Aaiun
and Las Palmas
-- for now.
The Security
Council did
not offer up
the support
Ban wanted.
Then again,
what has Ban
done on
injustice
perpetrated by
his
Administration?
On
March 13,
there was a
protest of Ban
Ki-moon in
Rabat, Morocco
that we
predict will
trigger a
canned
response (a
protest in
Jaffna, Sri
Lanka drew no
response at
all, despite
repeated
questions).
It was,
it now seems
clear, in a
ham-handed
attempt to
forestall such
protest that
the UN on
March 7
published UN
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric's
Q&A on
Western Sahara
only in its
English
transcript of
the day's noon
briefing, not
in the French
version.
Ham-handed and
UNtransparent.
On March 14,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric about
an upcoming
meeting it had
heard from
other sources
about. From
the UN
transcript:
Inner City
Press: Has
there been a
request by
Morocco's
Foreign
Minister to
meet with the
Secretary-General
this week?
Spokesman
Dujarric:
Yes.
Inner City
Press:
And will that
be an open
photo op?
Spokesman
Dujarric:
The meeting is
still… we're
still working
on the
scheduling of
the
meeting.
Obviously, it
will be a
photo op, as
it is usually
with every
Foreign
Minister that
comes to
town. Vine here.
And
then, despite
Inner City
Press'
question,
Dujarric's
office waited
until four
minutes before
the deadline
to go up to
photograph the
meeting to
announce it.
Some photo op.
Hours
afterward,
Ban's /
Dujarric's
Office issued
this, in
English only:
"Readout of
the
Secretary-General’s
meeting with
H.E. Mr.
Salaheddine
Mezouar,
Foreign
Minister of
the Kingdom of
Morocco
The
Secretary-General
met today with
H.E. Mr.
Salaheddine
Mezouar, the
Foreign
Minister of
the Kingdom of
Morocco, to
exchange views
on the state
of efforts to
settle the
Western Sahara
dispute, as
well as his
recent visit
to the region
to explore
ways to
intensify the
negotiating
process.
The
Secretary-General
took note of
the
misunderstanding
related to his
use of the
word
“occupation”
as his
personal
reaction to
the deplorable
humanitarian
conditions in
which the
Sahrawi
refugees have
lived in for
far too long.
The
Secretary-General
also conveyed
his
astonishment
at the recent
statement of
the Government
of Morocco and
expressed his
deep
disappointment
and anger
regarding the
demonstration
that was
mobilized on
Sunday, which
targeted him
in person. He
stressed that
such attacks
are
disrespectful
to him and to
the United
Nations.
He also
requested a
clarification
regarding the
reported
presence of
several
members of the
Moroccan
Government
among the
demonstrators.
The
Secretary-General
asked the
Foreign
Minister to
ensure that
the United
Nations enjoys
respect in
Morocco.
In choosing to
misrepresent
the purpose
and
progression of
the
Secretary-General’s
trip to the
region, the
demonstrators,
and their
sponsors,
deliberately
chose to
ignore that at
every stop on
his trip he
underlined his
personal
commitment to
encouraging
genuine
negotiations
between the
parties to
achieve “a
just, lasting
and mutually
acceptable
political
solution,
which will
provide for
the
self-determination
of the people
of Western
Sahara”, as
the Security
Council has
repeatedly
requested.
The
Secretary-General
underscored to
the Foreign
Minister that
he has adhered
closely to the
Security
Council’s
mandate.
The
Secretary-General
reiterated his
4 November
2015 call for
genuine and
serious
negotiations
without
preconditions
to make
progress
soonest."
On
February 29,
Inner City
Press directly
asked Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric, who
replied that
Ban's trip
will be in two
parts -- it's
just that when
the El Aaiun
portion will
happen is not
known.
On March 7,
Dujarric
called in to
the UN Noon
Briefing from
- where else
-- Paris and
made much of
Ban's visit to
part of the
MINURSO
mission but
not its
headquarters.
Dujarric said
there would be
a second stage
of the trip -
to Rabat.
Inner
City Press now
asks: why did
the English
language UN
transcription
of the March 7
briefing
include
Dujarric
Q&A on
Western
Sahara, here
-- while the UN's French
language
transcription,
here,
pointed did
not?
Inner City
Press: when
you called in
from Paris
about Western
Sahara, I've
looked at the
transcriptions,
the UN
transcriptions
of the noon
briefing that
day in English
and
French.
And in
English,
there's your
whole Q&A
about Western
Sahara, and in
French, it's
just not
there.
And I'm
wondering, is
there some
reasons?
They're both
working
languages, et
cetera.
What's the
reason for
that?
Spokesman
Dujarric:
I don't… I'm
not sure we
put out a
transcript in
French of my…
Inner City
Press:
No, in
English… in
the English
noon brief…
Spokesman
Dujarric:
I'm not sure
we put out a
transcript;
I'll check.
Twenty
five hours
later,
nothing. So on
March 11, even
as Dujarric
tried to deny
Inner City
Press any more
questions,
Inner City
Press asked,
UN transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: on
Western
Sahara, do you
have an answer
on the two
press
statements,
English and
French?
Spokesman
Dujarric:
No. But
I… we're
working on it.
Vine
here. Then
Dujarric
abruptly
walked out of
the UN Press
Briefing Room,
from which he
ousted Inner
City Press
directly on
January 29,
and indirectly
through
another on
February 19.
Working
on it? How
hard can it
be? At 6 pm on
March 11
Dujarric's
office called
"lid," end of
day, still
without
answering;
Dujarric said
something
about "two
weeks." Watch
this site.
On
March 7, Inner
City Press
asked Dujarric
if Ban had
even tried to
get to
MINURSO's
headquarters
in El Aaiun --
Dujarric
didn't answer
that -- and if
Ban hadn't in
his comment
distributed on
March 6 given
Morocco a veto
over the
referendum
promises even
in the name of
the MINURSO
mission.
On March 6,
Ban Ki-moon
(provided by
the UN in
French only)
"j’ai aussi
rencontré les
membres du
personnel de
la MINURSO,
qui font
preuve d’un
grand
dévouement.
Ils sont pręts
ŕ aider ŕ
organiser un
référendum
s’il y a un
accord entre
les parties.
Je me suis
rendu dans
plusieurs
sites, et je
compte aller
prochainement
au quartier
général de la
mission, ŕ
Laayoune, au
Sahara
occidental."
Ban met
staff of
MINURSO - but
not at its
headquarters
in El Aaiun -
and said they
are ready,
after decades,
to help
organize a
referendum IF
there is an
agreement
between the
parties. So
Morocco has a
veto?
Dujarric
dodged this
too, saying
that Envoy
Christopher
Ross should
visit Rabat in
late March.
Inner City
Press asked if
Ban, now in
his final year
as SG, will at
least ask the
"Group of
Friends" on
Western
Sahara,
including
France with
its implicit
or secret
veto, to allow
the promised
referendum.
Dujarric said
he does not
agree France
wields a
secret veto --
again, no
surprise there
- but to watch
Ban's report
to the
Security
Council in
April. We
will.
Still,
many long
suffering
Saharawis say
even this
half-visit by
Ban Ki-moon is
better than
nothing. We'll
see.
On March 5,
Ban Ki-moon
said he was in
the regin "to
visit the
United Nations
Mission for
the Referendum
in Western
Sahara
(MINURSO). I
will visit the
team site in
Bir Lahlou, as
well as
personnel
performing
vital demining
activities. I
saw the
remarkable and
demanding work
the Mission is
doing in harsh
conditions of
the Hammada. I
also expect to
visit the
headquarters
of MINURSO in
Laayoune,
Western
Sahara, soon."
When?
And why not
say when he's
not doing in
now? And why
he canceled in
November (on
the off chance
he could go to
North Korea.
Priorities.)
Ban also said,
"I have been
heartened by
the faith
Sahrawis
people put in
the UN, its
principles,
and
international
law." If true,
has the faith
paid off?
Back on March
2, Inner City
Press asked
Dujarric's
deputy Farhan
Haq why Ban is
not going,
while wanly
claiming he
has the right
to do. UN
transcript
here.
Ban was
supposed to go
in November
2015 but he
canceled it,
thinking he
could get more
political -
read, South
Korea
electoral --
play by going
to North
Korea. But
then North
Korea turned
him down.
On
February 25,
Inner City
Press asked
Dujarric about
issues
including
Western
Sahara, after
three days
reporting on
the UN from
outside after
Ban's head of
Communications
Cristina
Gallach threw
Inner City
Press out
without due
process: petition
here; weird
pro Morocco
spin on the
ouster, here.
Now
ahead of Ban's
March 1 stop
in Spain -
will Gallach
be there? -
there is pick
up of the
fact that
Gallach is
Spain's
highest UN
official, and
that she
ousted the
Press from the
UN.
Will it be
resolved by,
or come to
head on, March
1? In defense
of Ban and
Gallach,
anonymous
troll account
has taken to
tweeting, now
at Spanish
journalists,
that Gallach
is fine and
didn't throw
Inner City
Press out of
the UN on two
hours notice
without once
speaking to
it. But those
are the fact.
Among the new
troll
account's
followers are
Ban Ki-moon's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric and
four UNCA
board members,
plus Reuters
bureau chief
Louis
Charbonneau,
who has a
history with
this, see
here.
On February
26, Dujarric
said, "the
Secretary-General's
right to visit
any
peacekeeping
mission, but
there is the
de facto
authorities in
that area
would need to
provide the
clearance for
the plane to
land."
So, he really
DOESN'T have
the right, and
isn't really
pushing for
it. Inner City
Press on
February 26
asked
Dujarric, UN transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: I
wanted to ask
what the
Secretary-General's
goals are for
this Western
Sahara
trip.
What is he
seeking to
come out of
it? Does
he… would he
like to see a
referendum
with
independence
as a
goal?
What's he go
into it
looking
at?
Thanks.
Spokesman
Dujarric:
Obviously,
the… you know,
a lot… a large
focus will be
on the
humanitarian
situation.
He'll be
visiting the
camps near
Tindouf, and
it is also
part of his
preparation,
obviously… he
will report on
the trip in
his upcoming
report, which
is scheduled
for April.
Humanitarian,?
We'll have
more on this.
We'll
see. UN
President of
the General
Assembly
Mogens
Lykketoft
announced a
trip to Europe
and Morocco;
particularly
as the bribery
case against
former PGA
John Ashe
proceeds, with
two guilty
pleas and also
indicted
former
Dominican
Republic
Deputy
Permanent
Representative
(and South
South News
executive) Francis
Lorenzo found
to NOT have
immunity,
taking
Moroccon
government
funding for a
trip to
Morocco with a
Morocco-provided
staffer,
particularly
(but not only)
if not
addressing the
obvious issue
of Western
Sahara, seems
ill-advised.
We'll have
more on this.
Mogen
Lykketoft,
meanwhile,
couldn't bring
himself to say
Ashe's name,
only referring
to the
President of
the 68th
General
Assembly
session.
Lykketoft, who
allowed his
Office to be
used for
fellow Dane
Helle
Thorning-Schmidt
to campaign
for the top
spot in the
UN's refugee
agency UNHCR,
said he will
be making
reform
proposals. We
will be there
- with
questions for
Lykketoft.
Ban
again
mentioned what
he told Inner
City Press at
his last
stakeout, a
task force
under his chef
of staff
Susana
Malcorra. But
as Inner City
Press asked
Ban's
spokesman
Dujarric, with
all due
respect, Malcorra
accepted one
of Ng's South
South Awards,
for Ban.
And as note,
Gallach went.
We'll have
more on this.
, 
