On
N.
Korea, Russia
Complains
Sanctions
Hinder Its
Embassy, Ban
to
Write DPRK
By
Matthew
Russell Lee,
Exclusive
UNITED
NATIONS,
December 20 --
As the death
of Kim Jong-Il
drew
signatures
in a
condolence
book in New
York including
from UN
Secretary
General
Ban Ki-moon's
Deputy, Asha
Rose Migiro,
after a quiet
Security
Council
meeting with
virtually no
media coverage
a critique was
made
of the
Council's
sanctions on
the Democratic
People's
Republic of
Korea.
Inner
City Press
has learned,
and confirmed,
that the
delegation of
Russia, this
month's
Security
Council
president,
complained
that the
sanctions are
impinging on
the work of
their "large"
embassy in
Pyongyang.
Citation
is made
to Paragraph
21 of the
Council's 2009
tightening of
sanctions in
Resolution
1874:
"Emphasizes
that
all Member
States should
comply with
the provisions
of
paragraphs 8
(a) (iii) and
8 (d) of
resolution
1718 (2006)
without
prejudice to
the activities
of the
diplomatic
missions in
the DPRK
pursuant to
the Vienna
Convention on
Diplomatic
Relations."
While
some other
members of the
Security
Council said
that the
sanctions
don't impact
on their
embassies,
Russia raised
the issue on
Tuesday at the
end of
a closed door
meeting about
the UNDOF
mission.
On
Monday Russian
Permanent
Representative
Vitaly
Churkin, when
asked about
Kim
Jong-Il's
death, said to
look for
statements
already made
from
Moscow. Beyond
those, the US,
China, UK,
France and
Germany had
all
already spoke
on Kim
Jong-Il's
death before
at noon on
Monday UN
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon issued
this:
"The
Secretary-General
has learned
that the
leader of the
Democratic
People’s
Republic of
Korea, Kim
Jong Il,
passed away.
The
Secretary-General
extends his
sympathy to
the people of
the DPRK at
this time of
their national
mourning. The
Secretary-General
reaffirms
his commitment
to peace and
security on
the Korean
peninsula. The
United Nations
system will
continue to
help the
people of the
DPRK. The
Secretary-General
is closely
following the
situation."
Following
up on the
statement,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's
Associate
Spokesman
Farhan
Haq
Inner
City
Press: one
more follow-up
on this, has
the
Secretary-General
made any phone
calls? I know
President
[Barack] Obama
spoke to
President Lee
[Myung-bak] of
South Korea;
has the
Secretary-General,
has he spoken
to any
regional
leaders? Does
he intend to
do so?
Associate
Spokesperson
Haq: Yes, I
expect he does
intend to do
so. We will
try to provide
you some
details of
those phone
calls as they
take
place. They
haven’t taken
place so far,
but I expect
that he will
be in touch
with people,
as needed.
But
at the next
day's noon
briefing, no
update on any
calls was
given by Ban's
spokesman
Martin
Nesirky. Inner
City Press is
informed by
Security
Council
members that
Ban told them
not only did
Migiro sign
the
condolence
book, but Ban
is going to
send a letter
to the DPRK
authorities.
What will be
in it?
(c) UN Photo
Ban's UN in
DPRK October
2011, Kim
Won-soo 2d
time in 5
years
One
wag joked
about offering
another
Kim, Ban's
senior adviser
of five years,
Kim Won-soo.
But that of
course was a
joke, and
there are said
to be enough
of those on
this.
Watch this
site.
, 
