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By Matthew Russell Lee, CJR PFT NY Post List

UNITED NATIONS GATE, January 31 – UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on March 27 lavished praised on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman now accused with respect to Jamal Khashoggi, accepting a $930 million check from the Saudis and UAE, with not a word of the Saudi led bombing campaign that has killed civilians and caused cholera in Yemen. On January 31 the UN Security Council held a meeting on Yemen, but it was closed-door and afterward only pro-Coalition Kuwait spoke on camera. Later, from US State Department deputy spokesperson Robert Palladino, this: "Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke today with UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen Martin Griffiths.  The Secretary thanked the Special Envoy for his continued dedication and conveyed strong U.S. support for progress made following consultations between the parties in Sweden.  The Secretary and the Special Envoy discussed the latest efforts by the Republic of Yemen government and the Houthis to implement agreements made in Sweden, as well as next steps in the political process.  The Secretary and the Special Envoy agreed that the release of prisoners by the Saudi-led Coalition and the Houthis was a positive step and hoped this would lead to swift implementation of the prisoner exchange agreement discussed in Sweden.  The Secretary and the Special Envoy reaffirmed that parties must transition from conflict to compromise in order for all Yemenis to achieve a brighter future." On January 29 not Guterres' murky UN but the Saudi Press Agency announced that “The Secretary-General of the United Nations expressed his gratitude for the Kingdom’s support in pushing for positive results in the dialogue between the Yemeni parties." Meanwhile, from Washington DC on January 30, the day after Sen Jeff Merkley against raised the Saudis' activities in Oregon, this: "Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) renewed their efforts in the Senate and House Wednesday to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen pursuant to the War Powers Resolution.  As a result of the Saudi-led war, 14 million Yemenis are at risk of starvation and some 85,000 children have already starved to death.  The Senate passed the war powers resolution last Congress in an historic vote, but the bill did not receive a vote in the House. Khanna and Pocan’s new push has the backing of House leadership, and the resolution is expected to come up for a vote in February.  “With the first-ever passage of a War Powers Resolution last month, the United States Senate said in no uncertain terms that we will not continue to have our military posture dictated by a despotic, murderous regime in Saudi Arabia. We look forward to quickly passing this resolution to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. We are going to send a strong signal to the president that the U.S. Congress is prepared to play the role designed for us by the framers of the Constitution,” Sanders said.  “The Founders specifically gave Congress – the branch closest to the people – the power to declare war. Yet we’ve been participating in war actions in the Yemeni Civil War since 2015 without the go-ahead from Congress. It was unconstitutional then, and it’s unconstitutional now. Today we are reintroducing the same resolution this body passed just last month and we look forward to swift action here in the Senate and the House,” Lee said.  “For years, I have been sounding the alarm about the disastrous U.S. involvement in the civil war in Yemen. Late last year, Democrats and Republicans in the Senate woke up and came together to pass our War Powers Resolution. We sent a strong message to Saudi Arabia that they can no longer expect a blank check from the United States. With the new Democratic majority in the House, I am optimistic that Congress will once again sound the alarm over the atrocities committed in Yemen and end U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition that is killing thousands of civilians, blocking humanitarian aid, and arming radical militias,” Murphy said.  “The U.S.-Saudi military campaign in Yemen has triggered the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. More than 14 million Yemenis—half the country—are on the brink of famine, and at least 85,000 children have already died from hunger and disease as a result of the war. I’m proud to partner with colleagues and work to end U.S. military participation in the Saudi regime’s war in Yemen by reasserting Congress’ constitutional role on matters of war and peace. I am confident this will pass in the House when brought for a vote,” Khanna said.  “As the Saudi-led coalition continues to use famine as a weapon of war, starving millions of innocent Yemenis to near death, the United States is actively participating in the regime’s military campaign, providing targeting and logistical assistance for Saudi airstrikes. For far too long, Congress has refused to carry out its constitutional responsibility to make decisions regarding military engagement—we can longer stay silent on matters of war and peace. I’m grateful to my colleagues for joining us in introducing this resolution, and for House Leadership’s commitment to removing U.S. forces from this senseless conflict and bringing the world’s worst humanitarian crisis to a swift end,” Pocan said.  “The conflict in Yemen has gone on for far too long, leaving a permanent stain on the conscience of the world,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  “Congress has the responsibility to provide oversight of America’s use of military force and support to international conflicts. Chairman Adam Smith and Congressman Ro Khanna are to be commended for their leadership in introducing this resolution to limit U.S. engagement in the war in Yemen.  The United States must also work to advance a peaceful, enduring political solution to the conflict and end the humanitarian crisis.”  “The Yemeni people are facing the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophe that has been exacerbated by the ongoing civil war. Instead of choosing sides in this conflict, the U.S. must be squarely focused on urging a peaceful resolution and alleviating the humanitarian crisis. I am proud to join colleagues in supporting this resolution to send a strong message that oversight regarding Yemen is a key priority this Congress,” said Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), chair of the House Armed Services Committee." Watch this site. When Guterres named Patrick Cammaert to head to Hodeidah as Coordinator, Inner City Press which Guterres has banned for 204 days and counting amid its reporting quickly noted how Cammaert had done a cover up for the UN in South Sudan, omitting its role as journalist John Gatluak was murdered in Terrain Hotel, and had not been viewed as credible for that reason. Now, confirmed in a January 28 letter from Guterres who couldn't even be bothered to leave his mention Saturday morning for the "urgent" UNSC meeting on Venezuela, Cammaert is on his way out, to be replaced by Denmark's Michael Lollesgaard, who ran MINUSMA in 2015 and 2016. Will he be more credible? Among the insiders there is virtue signaling about crediting a Saudi mouthpiece - sleazy Reuters doesn't even do this - while the UN services them all to not mention the failure of Guterres, his censorship and corruption. On December 21 the UN Security Council approved 15-0 a stripped down Yemen resolution. Inner City Press put it online here on Scribd.  Guterres  proposed and has now on January 16 gotten rubber stamped 15-0 in the Security Council (resolution here) sending and spending on a "nimble" 75-monitor team to Yemen, saying it would include "appropriate resources and assets will also be required to ensure the safety and security of U.N. personnel, including armored vehicles, communications infrastructure, aircraft and appropriate medical support." Sound good - until you consider that, as Inner City Press has exclusively reported, Guterres' UN relocated UN staff out of Somalia after a single attack on its compound in Mogadishu, see here. Before the January 16 vote, UK Ambassador Karen Pierce stopped at the stakeout to service the correspondents NOT thrown out by Guterres and his UK Global Censor Alison Smale. Pierce in essence trolled the Houthis, citing provocative actions by one parties. Surely she wasn't referring to Saudi Arabia to which the UK sells so many weapons, while the UK mission is withholding most records Inner City Press requested under FOIA about Yemen, ALL records about Cameroon and the mission's role in Smale's ghoulish lifetime ban on Inner City Press. The head of the putative UHMHA mission, Patrick Cammaert, is already being rejected by one of the parties. It's no surprise - Cammaert for example functioned as a cover up man in South Sudan, concealing the UN's failure in the Terrain Hotel including inaction on the murder of journalist John Gatluak. So on January 16 the Security Council will authorize 75 monitors, but with the UN's current mis-management under Guterres, who is also a censor, the outcome in not only unsure, but not in good faith. It's a shame, this UNMHA for an initial period of six months with the following four-point mandate:  to lead, and support the functioning of, the RCC, assisted by a secretariat staffed by UN personnel, to oversee the governorate-wide ceasefire, redeployment of forces, and mine action operations; to monitor the compliance of the parties to the ceasefire in Hodeidah governorate and the mutual redeployment of forces from the city of Hodeidah and the ports of Hodeidah, Salif and Ras Issa; to work with the parties so that the security of the city of Hodeidah and the ports of Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Issa is assured by local security forces in accordance with Yemeni law; and to facilitate and coordinate UN support to assist the parties to fully implement the Hodediah Agreement. UNMHA will report to the Secretary-General through the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Yemen and the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs - that is, Lacroix whose peacekeepers in CAR hauled casualties on which the UN refuses to answer.... On January 9 before the UN Security Council met, at the UN gate, banned Inner City Press asked the UK's Stephen Hickey where the monitors would come from and he politely answers.... "we're working on it."  Covering of the meeting was hindered by the broken "Audio Now" link (not) maintained by the UN Department of Global Communications under Alison Smale; Inner City Press uploaded the statement of envoy Martin Griffiths. After a closed door session UK Permanent Representative Karen Pierce told correspondents whom Guterres and Smale have NOT banned that Cammaert said the amount of armor needed depended on the tasks the monitors due and that the draft would be circulated "shortly" to non P3 members who she expects to quickly approve the technical resolution. We'll see - what this site. Inner City Press asked, in writing, "January 9-4: On Yemen, please state where the 75 monitors proposed by the SG would come from - other missions? and whether there are any Program Budget Implications." There's been no answer, despite the promise of Alison Smale to UNSR David Kaye there would be answers. Is it any wonder today's UN solves so few problems, while creating more, when it is so corrupt and unresponsive, unaccountable? There's been a detailed NYT report of how Guterres' smiling Saudi friends used child soldiers (paid through Faisal Islamic Bank of Sudan, partly owned by Saudis) from Darfur in Sudan, where Guterres remains quiet on Omar al Bashir's crackdown on the protests against him. Inner City Press has previously reported on the UN's fraudulent use of the Bank of Khartoum. The UN cannot be believed. On 20 December 2018, banned Inner City Press asked Guterres and his spokesman Stephane Dujarric and Farhan Haq, "December 20-2: On Sudan, what is the SG's comment and action on the anti-government protests that started on Wednesday in northern Sudan and have been spreading to other cities?" Even now with more journalists arrested in Sudan, for example Ahmed Younes from Al-Sharq Alowsat newspaper and Maha Al-Tilib from Attayar newspaper, both just for reporting on the protests in Wad Nubawi, Omdurman, there has been no answer at all for eight days, nor to 46 other questions Inner City Press has submitted including on conflicts of interest by Guterres. It turns out the UN has become so corrupt under Guterres that one of lead Spokesman Stephane Dujarric's Associate Spokespeople Ms Keishamaza Rukikaire who actually seems to care or at least re-tweet about Sudan has been ordered not to answer banned Inner City Press' written questions about Sudan, etc, see here. At the cusp of December 29 to 30 the UN sent out this: "The opening of the Hudaydah–Sana’a highway as a humanitarian corridor to deliver humanitarian assistance, as agreed during the first Joint meeting of the Redeployment Coordination Committee, did not take place today [29 December]. In a meeting with Houthi representatives to the RCC at the Hudaydah port, the UN appointed Chairman of the RCC, General Cammaert, expressed his disappointment at their missed opportunity to build confidence between the parties.
 
While at the port, the Houthi representatives of the RCC informed the Chair of redeployment measures at the port. He welcomed the effort to start implementation of the Stockholm Agreement. However, he noted that implementation of confidence-building measures and the Agreement should be concurrent and emphasized that any redeployment would only be credible if all parties and the United Nations are able to observe and verify that it is in line with the Stockholm Agreement.
 
The Chairman intends to convene on 1 January 2019, the next meeting of the RCC to discuss the redeployment plans of the parties and the liaison, monitoring and coordination mechanism that will be required to monitor the ceasefire and ensure that credible redeployment is achieved.

Stephane Dujarric
Spokesman for the Secretary-General
New York, 29 December 2018" On 20 December 2018, banned Inner City Press asked Guterres and his spokesman Stephane Dujarric and Farhan Haq, "December 20-2: On Sudan, what is the SG's comment and action on the anti-government protests that started on Wednesday in northern Sudan and have been spreading to other cities?" Even now with more journalists arrested in Sudan, for example Ahmed Younes from Al-Sharq Alowsat newspaper and Maha Al-Tilib from Attayar newspaper, both just for reporting on the protests in Wad Nubawi, Omdurman, there has been no answer at all for eight days, nor to 46 other questions Inner City Press has submitted including on conflicts of interest by Guterres. It turns out the UN has become so corrupt under Guterres that one of lead Spokesman Stephane Dujarric's Associate Spokespeople Ms Keishamaza Rukikaire who actually seems to care or at least re-tweet about Sudan has been ordered not to answer banned Inner City Press' written questions about Sudan, etc, see here. On December 26, after asking Guterres seemingly also absentee Spokesman Stephane Dujarric why even the day's UN "highlights" were not online as of 12:07 pm, Inner City Press in writing asked: "December 26-4: On Yemen, what is the SG's knowledge of, comment and action on report that clashes erupted Wednesday (Dec 26) in Yemen's Hodeida. The sound of heavy artillery could be heard to the east of the Red Sea city, with clashes stopping after a few hours. An official for the Saudi-led alliance said on Tuesday that 10 pro-government troops have been killed since the ceasefire went into force, accusing the Huthis of 183 violations. The rebels, in turn, said on the same day that they have recorded at least 31 violations in the past 24 hours by pro-government troops. What is the UN doing?" While still declining to answer any specific Inner City Press questions, including about Guterres' conflicts of interest, the Office of the Spokesperson now past noon on December 28 has put online this: "The first Joint meeting of the Redeployment Coordination Committee convened in Hudaydah City, from 26 to 28 December 2018. The committee discussed the first phase of the implementation of the Stockholm Agreement which is based on three priority areas: Ceasefire; confidence building measures to deliver Humanitarian Assistance; and redeployment.
The three-day meeting was carried out in a constructive and cordial manner and the Chair commended the parties for the goodwill demonstrated to implement the Stockholm agreement.
The parties are now preparing to provide the Chair with detailed plans for full redeployment which will be discussed at the next meeting of the RCC, scheduled for 1 January 2019, in Hudaydah. In the meantime, the implementation of the terms of the Stockholm Agreement are ongoing.
In the interim, as a confidence building measure, the parties have agreed to begin opening blocked humanitarian corridors, starting with the Hudaydah-Sana’a Road, followed by other routes, in a phased manner. A humanitarian convoy is expected to move from the Hudaydah port along the Hudaydah-Sana’a Road on 29 December.
The UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths today welcomed President Abed Rabbu Mansour Hadi's decision to instruct the payment of salaries for all civil servants in the Hodeidah governorate, starting this month. The Special Envoy said President Hadi's decision is an important step towards improving the economic situation, and alleviating the humanitarian suffering of the Yemeni people, adding that he hopes there will be more steps in this direction." Inner City Press has also twice now asked: "December 24-1: Beyond the 35 questions from Inner City Press you refused to answer last week, still set forth below for promised answer, this is a reiterated request past deadline that you (1) state when SG Guterres left his position on the Gulbenkian Foundation, (2) state why Gulbenkian was not listed on SG Guterres' public financial disclosure which covered 2016; (3) explain how it is not a conflict of interest for SG Guterres to have refused to start an audit of CEFC in the UN, as requested by Inner City Press in January 2018, given CEFC's bid for the oil business of Gulbenkian. Also, again, state why under SG Guterres there have been no updates to the UN public financial disclosures since those filed for 2016. Also, again, explain your refusal to answer any of Inner City Press' questions this week despite USG Smale's statements to GAP, me and UNSR David Kaye."

From December 23 email without location: "General Patrick Cammaert and his advance team arrived in Hudaydah this evening (23 December). Prior to his arrival in the city, he met with the Houthi appointees to the Redeployment Coordination Committee in Sana’a, where he was reassured of their commitment to the implementation of the Stockholm agreement. General Cammaert is encouraged by the general enthusiasm of both sides to get to work, immediately. One of the priorities in the coming days will be the organization of the first joint RCC meeting, which is projected for 26 December. Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General
23 December 2018." On December 22 from the same spokes- / hatchetman, still with a dateline - note that neither he nor Guterres has made even  canned comment on the Saturday night budget marathon that Guterres skipped but banned Inner City Press covered, here: "Retired General Patrick Cammaert, Chair of the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC), landed in Aden, Yemen, this afternoon (22 December), where he held a face-to-face meeting with the Government of Yemen appointees to the RCC mechanism.
During the discussion, General Cammaert stressed that the success or failure of the Stockholm Agreement rested solely with the parties. He urged the Government of Yemen and Coalition forces to uphold the ceasefire, which came into effect on 00:00 18 December, and sought their commitment and cooperation to secure the unhindered flow of humanitarian aid into and across the country as a matter of urgency. He also discussed modalities for the convening of the first joint RCC meeting in Hudaydah or environs as early as 26 December.
General Cammaert will travel to Sana'a tomorrow to meet with the Houthi appointees to the RCC to convey similar messages, after which he and his team will depart for Hudaydah.
New York, 22 December 2018.
New York, 22 December 2018.
Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General." This is the spokesman who did not answer a single one of Inner City Press' 35 written questions this week, including this one on Guterres' conflict(s) of interest. We'll have more on this.  after many more deaths it seems it will happen again - Guterres' UN is preparing to smiling take another $500 million and keeps partnering with MBS' MiSK Foundation. Now with the UK draft UN Security Council resolution on Yemen stalled like the African Union's, exclusive here, now on whether or not to include Iran in Operative Paragraph 9 as a violator of the arms embargo - US says yes, Russia says no -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met his counterpart from Oman on December 19, triggering this read out from his deputy spokesperson Robert Palladino: "Secretary Michael R. Pompeo met today with Omani Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah.  The Secretary thanked the Minister for Oman’s positive engagement on many regional issues, including its role in helping facilitate UN consultations on Yemen in Sweden.  The Secretary and the Minister agreed on the importance of parties building upon momentum from the consultations by implementing agreements, continuing engagement, de-escalating tensions, and ceasing ongoing hostilities.  The Secretary and the Minister underscored their support for UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths and the next round of Yemen consultations.  The Secretary and the Minister discussed the January 1 elimination of B-1 visa reciprocity fees and increased visa validities in A, B, and G classifications, which will benefit U.S. and Omani travelers, and promote trade and investment." UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on December 19 bragged to the Parliament "I have instructed our mission in New York to resume working on our draft Resolution with Security Council partners, with a view to adopting it later this week. We will ask the Security Council to vote on the draft within the next 48 hours... Britain has been able to play this role because of our network of friendships, including our partnership with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and because we are a country that steps up to its responsibilities." Not on FOIA - the UK mission has withheld from Inner City Press nearly all requested documents on Yemen, all on Cameroon and on the UK Mission's role in UK USG Alison Smale's now 168 day ban on Inner City Press. Asking about the UK Yemen draft at the UN Delegates Entrance gate, UK deputy Ambassador Jonathan Allen refused any answer to Inner City Press, as he hand slapped with UN official Mladenov. On December 19 at the UNSC stakeout Smale - and the UK? - ban Inner City Press from, Allen stopped and serviced Gulf media and waved away UNTV, a boom-mic man from a previous UN(CA) bribery vehicle, so that no one else would hear. This is today's UK, and UN. v. On De Watch this site.scl Mhnaer Despite Guterres' British envoy Martin Griffiths posting that the parties in Sweden agreed on "An immediate cease-fire shall enter into force in the city of Hodeidah" and publications like the Los Angeles Times reporting it as such, the air strikes continue. And not a peep out of Guterres, on a murky junket trip to Qatar.  On December 17, Inner City Press at the UN Delegater Cates Gate asked diplomats fs from Swedeen, Russia and Kaaazakstan about it. Periscope video here. Later after a noon briefing from which Inner City Press wwas banned, the UN sent this out: "Statement on the Implementation Of The Agreement On The City Of Hudayda And Ports Of Hudayda, Salif, And Ras Isa -  - Amman 17 December 2018 - The ceasefire in Hudayda shall enter into force at 00:00 on 18 December 2018, local time. The Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC), the joint committee in charge of implementing the Hudayda Agreement, is expected to start its work swiftly to translate the momentum built up in Sweden into achievements on the ground." by GuterresWe'll see - watch this site." say On December 14 Griffiths told the UN Security Council that Guterres had success with MBS at the G20 in Argentina; UK Ambassador Karen Pierce thanked MBS by name. Griffiths said that long time UN insider Patrick Cammaert will go as head of verification. But as Inner City Press reported before Guterres had it roughed up and banned, Cammaert when sent to investigate the UN's failure at the Terrain Hotel in South Sudan ignored or covered up the murder of journalist John Gatluak, amid UN negligence. Will it be different here? Guterres has banned Inner City Press from entering the UN to ask, and his spokesmen have not answered any of Inner City Press' written questions in days. Today's UN is corrupt. 

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