On UN's Gaza Statement, Now Libya's Against, As Iran Sanctions Annex Withheld from Non-Perm Ten

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN: News Analysis

UNITED NATIONS, January 25, 10:30 p.m. -- As Gazans continued for now streaming into Egypt, the fourth day of Security Council negotiations on issuing a Presidential Statement about Israel's blockade ended past 9 p.m. on Friday, with both the UK and the United States pointing the finger at Libya as being the obstructionists. That Libya did not deny that it stood alone was viewed as what passes these days for a diplomatic coup for the U.S. at the UN, turning the tables from being the one which fourteen members opposed, to being part of fourteen opposed only by Libya. The U.S. got into the text a reference to "terrorist rocket launches," although neither the kidnapped Israel soldiers, nor a denunciation of sniper fire which had been sought by the UK, made it in.

            Perhaps the strangest statement in Friday night's draft had the Council taking "note of Israel's decision to suspend the closure of the crossing points." Inner City Press asked U.S. Ambassador Alejandro Wolff if it is the Americans' understanding that Israel has, in fact, decided to suspend the closure." Wolff said that he didn't know, he had been caught up in the negotiations. Israel Ambassador Dan Gillerman stood to the side of the stakeout, but shook his head when asked if he would like to speak. Thursday he'd told Inner City Press that Israel's favored outcome was not pronouncement at all by the Security Council. And that, as of the weekend, was achieved.  Libya's Ambassador pointed out that Saturday is a holiday in Tripoli, then said that maybe "by Wednesday" he would have an answer. After some grumbling and even laughter from correspondents, he corrected himself. 

Libya's Giadalla Azzuz Belgassem Ettalhi: Tripoli on vacation until Wednesday?

            In the Council's politics, there is spill-over from this delay. A Presidential Statement on the most recent bombing in Lebanon, which normally would have been quick and easy to pass, was not yet taken up, until the Gaza process is over. A meeting on the proposed Iran sanctions resolution, which had been scheduled for Friday at 4 p.m. at the UK mission to distribute the "elements" agreed to by the Permanent Five member and Germany to the non-permanent ten was cancelled, and re-scheduled for Monday at 11:30. Now that is being cancelled, for more Gaza consultations.

    The elements were distributed, including to journalists -- but the "annexes" listing the individuals and companies to whom the sanctions and travel bans would apply were not distributed. Inner City Press asked U.S. Ambassador Wolff about this, but he did not reply. A Permanent Five staffer confirmed that the annexed exist, and that they had not share shared with the ten other Council members. The strategy seems to be to allow their input, and to get their agreement, only on the principles of punishment, not on the identities of those to be punished. How democratic.... To be continued next week.

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These reports are also available through Google News and on Lexis-Nexis.

Click here for a Reuters AlertNet piece by this correspondent about Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army. Click here for an earlier Reuters AlertNet piece about the Somali National Reconciliation Congress, and the UN's $200,000 contribution from an undefined trust fund.  Video Analysis here

  Because a number of Inner City Press' UN sources go out of their way to express commitment to serving the poor, and while it should be unnecessary, Inner City Press is compelled to conclude this installment in a necessarily-ongoing series by saluting the stated goals of the UN agencies and many of their staff. Keep those cards, letters and emails coming, and phone calls too, we apologize for any phone tag, but please continue trying, and keep the information flowing.

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Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.

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