By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, March
31 -- After a
month as president
of the UN
Security
Council in
which
Luxembourg's
Ambassador to
the UN Sylvie
Lucas did 14 question
and answer
stakeouts,
she hosted an
end of presidency
reception.
Along with shrimp,
champagne and
for some, soda,
there was talk
of Crimea on
the map, the
EU and Africa
and for April,
Western Sahara.
After an Arria
formula
meeting on
Crimea that
was closed to
the press,
video
here, a not-yet
Council member
recounted how
the UN Office
of Legal
Affairs has
opined that
the recent
General
Assembly vote,
despite the 58
abstentions, means
that Crimea
will remain
part of
Ukraine on all
UN maps. But
for how long?
Of the EU - African
Summit, there
was talk of South
Africa's Zuma
not going, and
of Robert Mugabe's
wife being
blocked. The
African Union
position on
Western Sahara
arose, as UN
peacekeeping
chief Herve
Ladsous
whispered with
Morocco's
Ambassador.
Will Polisario
be banned
again from
even speaking
at the
stakeout?
The Free
UN Coalition
for Access
opposes such
restrictions
and abuses of
power.
This will be
decided in
April under
Nigeria's
presidency;
there will be
a Rwanda event
on April 16, and
earlier in the
month. And
what on North
Korea? Will
there be any
presidential
statement?
Earlier
on March 31
Ambassador
Lucas said
seven
resolutions
had been
adopted -- and
one, on
Ukraine and
Crimea, was
vetoed.
Inner City
Press had
earlier asked
the UN
Spokesperson
why the Crimea
"Arria
formula"
meeting was
not listed in
the UN Media
Alert, even
though meeting
organizer
Lithuania had
told the Free UN Coalition for Access there
would at least
be
a question and
answer
stakeout
afterward.
There was one
- but only of
Lithuania's
Deputy
Permanent
Representative.
Inner
City Press
asked about
Palestine and
also about the
Central
African
Republic.
During
March, the
Mission of the
Observer State
of Palestine
directed
letters to
Lucas as
Council
president, and
a delegation
of the OIC,
NAM and the
Arab League
met with her.
She said she
conveyed that
information,
and it was
discussed in
consultations.
But what
really
comes of it?
US Secretary
of State John
Kerry is in
Tel Aviv; the
UN's role in
these talks is
unclear or
non-existent.
In
the CAR, the
Chadian
special forces
killed
somewhere
between eight
and 30
civilians,
while not
being part of
the MISCA
peackeeping
force. Lucas
said she had
read the
reports, and
understood
that the
Chadians were
part of a team
to evacuate
other
Chadians.
So what
happened?
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon's 150
word statement
does not
answer. We aim
to have more
on this. Watch
this site.
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