Inner City Press -- Investigative Reporting From the Inner City to Wall Street to the United Nations

UNITED NATIONS, June 2, updated -- South Korea will meet with this month's UN Security Council president Claude Heller on the afternoon of June 2, about the sinking of the ship Cheonan. This was the news that emerged from Heller's 45 minute press conference earlier on June 2, describing the Council's program of work for June.

While Africa accounts for 70% of the items of the Council's agenda, no a single question about Africa was posed or taken at Wednesday's press conference. Afterward, two of Heller's aides put the onus on the press corps. "Africa is not news," a mainstream reporter told Inner City Press, when asked.

  But Heller, too, has his role. As chairman of the Somalia Sanctions Committee, he traveled to Yemen, Eritrea and other African nations recently. But he never briefed the Press upon his return. Inner City Press sought to ask about Somalia -- after, to be fair, asking two other questions -- but could not get the question in.

  After the press conference, Heller told Inner City Press he will belatedly brief the Council about his Somalia related trip "in July." By then, though, the news is stale. And what about getting food aid back into Somalia?

Claude Heller and his able spokesman, Somalia not shown

  The Council plans to travel to Afghanistan this month, but Heller wouldn't give the date, presumably for safety reasons. One assumes that Taliban will know about the trip if it happens.

 On June 14, all of the UN system's heavy hitters on Sudan will come to the Council: Ibrahim Gambari, Haile Menkerios, Djibril Bassole and Thabo Mbeki. What will they say, including about Sudanese president Omar al Bashir turning himself in to the International Criminal Court in The Hague?

 We'll have more on that topic, after clarification(s) from the Office of the Spokesperson for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon-- who will, it is now confirmed since the first Inner City Press report this morning, be speaking to the media at 5 p.m. on June 2, after meeting with the Permanent Five members of the Security Council. Watch this site.

Update of 3:42 p.m. -- And 40 minutes after the Press set up at stakeout, Heller and two aides walked into the Council suite of rooms. But where are the South Koreas?

Update of 3:52 p.m. -- As S.Korean minister enters with two aides, he's asked, "do you have a message" for the Council? We have "nothing yet," he replies as enters. Hmm.

Update of 3:58 p.m. -- Choi Young-jin, who among other things is Ban Ki-moon's representative to Cote d'Ivoire, rushes into the Council. It seems doubtful that Laurent Gbagbo is his topic. So who is Choi representing? Watch this site.

Update of 4:22 p.m. -- for the record Choi Young-jin, who among other things is Ban Ki-moon's representative to Cote d'Ivoire, tells the Press that he his business in the Council WAS Ivorian. "Tomorrow," he says. "The letter?" one reporter asks. Another says, "What a coincidence." Maybe it is.

Update of 4:31 p.m. -- Choi Young-jin has come back, and back into the Council. Is THIS trip about Cote d'Ivoire?

Update of 4:40 p.m. -- Vice minister Chun Yung-woo emerges from Council. He tells the Press South Korea is trying to find the right time for the Council members to begin deliberations. "That is not true!" one reporter yells. "You can bring your letter any time you want! Why don't you have your letter in your hand?"

Chun Yung-woo cracks a smile. South Korea's Deputy Permanent Representative leads him away. We have other appointments, he says. And just after, Choi Young-jin emerges from the Council. It's a wrap -- onward to Ban Ki-moon's 5 p.m. presser. Watch this site.