Obama
at
US Mission Says UN Words Must Have Meaning, Arms Embargo Excluded?
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
March 29 -- As the US administration suggests it could arm
Libya rebels despite UN Security Council arms embargo, President
Obama on Tuesday came near but not into the UN.
Before
heading to
a $30,000 a plate fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee at
the Red Rooster restaurant in Harlem, Obama praised Ron Brown, for
whom the new US Mission to the UN building is named, at the
suggestion of Charlie Rangel, also present.
Obama
said that UN
words “must have meaning.” Some wondered if that applied to the
arms embargo on all sides in Libya in Council Resolution 1970.
The
US is arguing
that a “notwithstanding” clause in Resolution 1973 about
protecting civilians means they could give offensive weapons to the
rebels. The Permanent Representatives of Russia and India have told
Inner City Press they disagree.
Inner
City Press
has asked the US Mission to the UN to explain their argument, and “If
the US were to move to fund the rebels, would it inform (and,
separately, seek guidance or approval from) the UNSC Sanctions
committee first?” So far answers have not been provided.
Susan Rice, Obama and Clinton, negotiation of
Paragraph 4 and new position not shown
In
fairness, the US
Mission to the UN did answer an Inner City Press question about if
anti-Gaddafi dipomats Ibrahim Dabbashi and Shalgam are invited and
present at President Obama's dedication of the Mission's new
building.
“Shalgam is
here,” the Mission informed Inner City
Press, adding in response to a follow up there there is no list of
attendees, at least not one what would be provided.
China
said that
its Permanent Representative Li Baodong would attend, and on the NY1
broadcast is appeared that Hardeep Singh Puri of India was there. He
also told Inner City Press that the Libya resolutions do not permit
arming the rebels, “and you can quote me,” he said.
The
dedication
began with Susan Rice introducing the “incomparable” Patti
Labelle, who sung a creative version of the National Anthem.
Susan
Rice spoke
about traveling to Africa with Ron Brown in 1995, when he said the US
would never again concede African markets to former colonial powers.
She did not
mention Rwanda and its genocide the year before, which
the Clinton Administration blocked discussion of, or at least action
on, in the Security Council.
The
middle speaker
was Bill Clinton himself, who also thanked Charlie Rangel, referring
to his Clinton Foundation office in Harlem.
That's were
Obama is
headed, to the Red Rooster restaurant at $30,000 a plate to benefit
the Democratic National Committee. Inner City Press is informed that
there are protests planned, including on the issue of gentrification. Watch this site.
* * *
On
Libya, As Russia & India Say Can't Arm Rebels, Ban
Punts, Obama & Shalgam
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
March 29 -- While the chairman of the UN's Libya Sanctions
committee says that arming the
rebels would be impermissible, and the
Permanent Representatives of Russia and India told Inner City Press
just that on the morning of March 29, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
apparently, or conveniently, takes no position.
Inner
City Press
at the noon briefing asked Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky for if it
is Ban's understanding that the arms embargo of Resolution 1970 still
prohibits arming the rebels, despite the protection of civilians
“notwithstanding” clause of Resolution 1973.
“I think that's
for the Security Council to determine,” said Nesirky, who had just
said that “the ceasefire means what is says,” a ceasefire on both
side.
Why
would Ban
opine on one portion of the resolutions and not another? Inner City
Press pointed out to Nesirky that Ban's predecessor was willing, at
least once, to opine on the legality of a Permanent Council member's
action.
The
US, notably,
is now arguing that the resolutions give the “flexibility” to arm
the rebels, and France is saying it is ready to talk about it,
seemingly not through the UN Security Council.
It's
a battle
among the Permanent Five members of the Security Council, for now
with US and Russia with directly opposite positions.
On
March 29 Inner
City Press asked Russian Permanent Representative Vitaly Churkin of
the resolutions permit arming the rebels. “No,” Churkin, noting
that the US had asked for the arms embargo.
Minutes
later,
Inner City Press quoted Churkin's response to US Permanent
Representative Susan Rice, who had earlier on “Good Morning America
said that
“the
United States would maintain financial and diplomatic pressure on the
Libyan government until Gaddafi leaves and hinted that new steps
could be in the offing, including the arming of Libyan rebels. 'We
have not made that decision, but we’ve not certainly ruled that
out,' she said on ABC’s 'Good Morning America' program.”
Ambassador
Rice said thanks for the information about what Churkin had said. Inner
City Press
has asked the US Mission to the UN to explain their argument, and “If
the US were to move to fund the rebels, would it inform (and,
separately, seek guidance or approval from) the UNSC Sanctions
committee first?” So far answers have not been provided.
But,
in fairness,
the US Mission to the UN did answer an Inner City Press question
about if anti-Gaddafi dipomats Ibrahim Dabbashi and Shalgam are
invited and present at President Obama's dedication of the Mission's
new building. “Shalgam is here,” the Mission has informed Inner
City Press.
Later,
Obama is
headed uptown for a $30,000 a plate Democratic National Commitee
fundraiser at Red Rooster. Inner City Press is told there will be
protests. Watch this site.
* * *
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