For
Kim Jong-Il,
Moment of
Silence in
UNGA, Shot
Down in SC,
Ban No Comment
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
December 22 --
The UN General
Assembly held
a standing
moment of
silence in
"tribute" to
Kim Jong-Il on
Thursday
afternoon. In
front of the
GA a range of
diplomats,
most of them
not Permanent
Representatives
or lead
Ambassadors,
told Inner
City Press
they were
uncomfortable
with the
tribute.
Security
Council
president
Vitaly
Churkin, on
his way into
the Security
Council for
its 4 pm
meeting, said
that a request
had been
received for a
similar minute
of silence in
the Council,
it was
circulated but
there was no
consensus -
and hence, no
Council minute
of silence.
Moments
earlier Inner
City Press had
asked North
Korean
Permanent
Representative
Sin Son Ho if
there had been
a request to
the Security
Council for a
moment of
silence. He
said he didn't
know, and
gestured
upstairs where
the General
Assembly
minute had
just taken
place.
Downstairs,
a Deputy
Permanent
Representative
said that "one
country"
broken
consensus.
Another
responded,
more than one
- "there was
no consensus"
-- adding that
many countries
did not go to
the GA before
the moment of
silence.
(c) UN Photo
UN's Kim
Won-soo under
view of other
Kim, silence
Up
in front of
the GA French
diplomat
Beatrice Le
Fraper du
Hellen,
last
seen trying to
procure a
International
Criminal Court
judgeship for
Bruno Cathala
for whom a
vote trade
with an
unqualified
candidate was
offered,
walked into
the GA before
the moment of
silence. But
did she stay
inside for the
minute? Only
the shadow - l'ombre
-- knows.
Watch this
site.
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