At
UN, DRC
Consultations
Deal with M23
& "Mrs
Malcorra's
Initiative"
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
December 18 --
With the talks
between
Congolese
authorities
and the M23
now extended
to the end of
the year, the
UN Security
Council put on
its agenda for
Tuesday
afternoon
"Consultations
(Closed),
DRC."
One
Council
diplomat
complained to
Inner City
Press, "They
didn't
even tell us
what it's
about."
So
Inner City
Press asked
French
Ambassador
Gerard Araud,
just outside
the Security
Council
consultations
Tuesday
morning on
Sudan. Araud
told Inner
City Press
that it is a
briefing
because of
"movements
of the M23."
Araud
then added,
"there is also
the initiative
of Mrs.
Malcorra,"
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon's
chief of
staff.
Previously,
Inner
City Press
exclusively
reported that
Araud was
critical of
Malcorra
having quietly
visited Goma
and met with
the M23.
(Then after
Inner City
Press asked,
the UN
mass confirmed
it.) When
Inner City
Press then
asked Araud about it,
he said, she
has already
done it.
But
does
Malcorra's
initiative
continue? And
if so, of what
does it
consist? Or is
this France's
say of
slamming a
figurative
nail in the
diplomatic
coffin, trying
to prohibit UN
political
talks with the
M23? Watch
this site.
Footnote:
some question
when the UNSC
will belatedly
ensure
appropriate
MONUSCO action
on the mass
rapes, by
Congolese
forces, in
Minova in late
November.
The Council,
including US
Ambassador
Susan Rice,
previously
spoke out
about MONUSCO
inaction
during militia
rapes in
Walikale. Here
the rapes were
by the UN's
own partners
in the FADRC,
and DPKO chief
Ladsous has
twice refused
to answer
about it, video here.
Here is a pre-Minova
profile of
Ladsous, by
Billets
d'Afrique.
Watch this
site.
, 
