Japan's
Month Atop
UNSC Had W
Sahara Rifts,
Kishida, North
Korea Quotes
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, July
29 --
When Japan's
Ambassador
Koro Bessho,
at the end of
his presidency
of the UN
Security
Council, held
a press
conference
on July 29,
Inner City
Press asked
him about
complaints by
Uruguay and
Venezuela that
he had
misstated
their and the
Council's
positions on
Western
Sahara.
Both countries
said that 25
UN personnel
returning out
of the 83
Morocco
expelled is
NOT progress,
a word that
Bessho used.
He replied to
Inner City
Press that
while those
might have
thought him
too
optimistic,
others might
think the
opposite. But
there were not
complaints at
the Council
stakeout by
France or
Senegal.
Inner City
Press, after
thanking
Bessho for the
stakeout he
did during the
month, asked
about the
failing Yemen
talks in
Kuwait. Periscope
video here.
Bessho replied
that the
matter hadn't
been discussed
in the Council
for a few
days. Fair
enough. But
now the talks
have failed.
Inner
City Press
covered the
meeting /
photo op of
Ban Ki-moon
with Japan's
foreign
minister Fumio
Kishida, photos
here and here.
Bessho and
Japan have
focused on the
Council's
working
methods; on
July 29 he
announced that
the process to
select chairs
of the
subsidiary
bodies of the
Council will
be headed up
by the UK
and... Japan.
On North Korea
/ DPRK, Inner
City Press has
transcribed
this:
“As
President of
the Security
Council,
obviously the
Council
members are
very
interested in
this situation
developing in
non-proliferation.
Norht Korea
has conducted
a nuclear test
in January and
followed by
missile
launches.
We've had
discussion on
it and we have
tried to
respond to the
extent we can.
The Council
remains seized
of this issue
and as the
Council feels
it necessary
and
appropriate it
will respond.
In my national
capacity, we
are deeply
concerned
about the
situation. We
feel the DPRK
should refrain
from such
actions. We
hope that the
Security
Council can
act in unity
to send the
right message
to DPRK in the
appropriate
manner.
On timing, in
my national
capacity I'd
say as soon as
possible. As
President of
the Security
Council I can
only say, as
appropriate.”
On July 1 when
Japan's
then-new
Ambassador to
the UN Koro
Bessho held a
press
conference
about the July
program of
work of the
Security
Council, which
he'll preside
over for the
month, Inner
City Press
asked him
about the
Council's
working
methods. Video here, Tweeted
photo here.
Specifically,
should
non-Council
members such
as the chairs
of
Peacebuilding
configurations
be allowed
into
consultations?
Can the press
and public
have more
access?
Bessho said
the purpose of
the debate on
working
methods on
July 19 will
be to hear the
views of
non-Council
members. No
outcome
document is
planned.
Inner City
Press also
asked Bessho
about Western
Sahara, on the
schedule for
July 26, and
about Burundi,
not on the
schedule at
all. Bessho
called Western
Sahara, from
which Morocco
expelled more
than 80 UN
staff,
sensitive and
said he did
not want to
prejudge what
will happen.
On
Burundi, he
said he'd like
to see
progress, for
example on the
proposal of a
UN deployment
there, but
acknowledged
it is not on
the schedule.
Neither, we
note, is
Yemen.
Eritrea is
on the
schedule, on
July 20, but
only as a
matter of
sanctions.
Apparently the
letters of
June 14 and
June 23 sent
to French
Ambassador
Delattre when
he was
president were
not acted on.
On the
selection
process for
the Next SG,
Bessho said
there will be
a first “straw
poll” on July
21; he said
the results
will be
confidential.
We'll see. For
the Free
UN Coalition
for Access,
Inner City
Press asked
for stakeouts
after
consultations,
and more
access and
transparency.
We'll be
reviewing this
closely. Watch
this site.
, 
