UN Goes
Saturday Night Live on Gaza, Resolution on Iran Gets Inter-Linked Like
Tony Blair
Byline:
Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN: News Analysis
UNITED NATIONS, March 1,
updated 10:48 pm
-- Ambassadors
streamed into the Security Council on Saturday evening, some in casual
clothes, for an emergency meeting called by Libya on the situation in
Gaza. It will be very difficult, said Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin,
president for the month of March. The Arab League representative
predicted that the U.S. mission would claim to have no instructions to
vote on any text on Saturday. While reporters groaned at the prospect of
returning on Sunday, another scenario came into view. The draft
resolution imposing sanctions on Iran, the vote on which was postponed
until Monday, may now get inter-connected with one on Gaza. "I'm afraid
it might," Amb. Churkin told Inner City Press at 8:20 p.m., before the
arrival of Ban Ki-moon, jogging with an entourage of four, at 8:26 p.m..
By 8:39, Ban
was finished. He began by condemning the rockets, then what he called
Israel's disproportionate response. He called for utmost restraint, and
said that "accountability must be ensured." He said he'd spoken with
President Abbas, Foreign Minister Livni, and with Amr Moussa. One of the
three journalists at the Council stakeout asked, but who is speaking
with Hamas?
More
journalists gathered at the stakeout when Ban Ki-moon's personal music
stand microphone was wheeled out. Inner City Press asked who had asked
for it, and was told, the Spokesperson's office. But then an Associate
Spokesperson said that no, he wouldn't speak. UN TV staff were told to
be ready to wheel the music stand away, so that no one else could use
it. Mr. Ban and his now-larger entourage left the Council after 9. "One
question, Mr. Ban Ki-moon," an Al-Jazeera reporter called out. "No, he
will not," Ban's spokesperson said. "He will have a
statement
out soon." And in the background, the music stand was pulled over the
railing and out of dangers way.
An Iranian representative rushing into the
Council Saturday at 7:45 said that "they rushed to take unnecessary
action on Iran, but they will delay on Gaza?" The proponents of the Iran
text have been trying to win to their side the delegations of South
Africa, Indonesia, Libya and Vietnam. If the U.S. delayed or vetoed a
text about Gaza, could Libya vote other than no on the Iran resolution?
South African Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo said he remained hopeful a
response to Gaza would issue from the Council Saturday night. Asked for
the basis of his hope, he said he is a perpetual optimist.
France, too, indicated it would
like to see some Council action on Saturday night. The Syrian
Ambassador, calling the situation in Gaza a genocide, said that the UN's
Robert Serry, who briefed the Council in the week, had virtually
predicted the current escalation.
At 7:54 p.m., a format was agreed
on: a briefing by the Secretary-General, following by statements by
Palestine and Israel, then "further consultations." The spokeswoman of
the Russian mission said, "Everything tonight." Saturday Night Live,
then. We'll see.
At 10:48, various
missions' spokespeople primed reporters for a statement by Amb. Churkin,
an "oral summary" of the discussions. Inner City Press asked, does that
mean a Press Statement? "Those don't have to be in writing," a Permanent
Five spokesperson replied. Then, there will be "experts consultations"
on the Gaza resolution, and ostensibly no connection to the pending Iran
draft. Only at the UN ....
At 11:35, Syria's
Ambassador emerged to say that the still-forthcoming "aural summary" is
"less than a press statement." Inner City Press asked if there has been
any linkage to the pending resolution on Iran. "Double standards," he
said. "This Security Council is no longer about peace and security." He
also criticized Ban Ki-moon's description of the rockets from Gaza as
terrorist, "when the UN doesn't even have a definition of terrorism." He
said "the Secretary-General is supposed to be neutral."
UN in Gaza, 1967. Plus ca change
UN-noted: Journalists at Serry's
three-question stakeout had a different view of his stance. He declined
to explain his report's reference to outside forces now in Gaza. Inner
City Press only caught up to him after he left the stakeout, in order to
ask about the questioned work of Tony Blair, the Quartet's development
envoy. He comes to Jerusalem, Serry said. His office is open nearly 24
hours a day. For what they're paying, it should be. Why isn't JPMorgan Chase
paying for it? Serry himself may have a conflict. A question posed days
ago to the UN Spokesperson's office in this regard remains pending. The
clock is ticking. Watch this site.
* * *
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Reuters
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Reuters AlertNet
piece about the Somali National Reconciliation Congress, and the UN's
$200,000 contribution from an undefined trust fund.
Video
Analysis here
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