UNITED NATIONS, November 30 -- After a "highly charged" Security Council
consultation on when and how to vote on Eritrea sanctions, US Ambassador
Susan Rice emerged Wednesday afternoon. She told Inner City Press
exclusively, "I think the Gabonese were incredibly generous, to give all
members time to get to instructions, I think going to Monday is the latest
reasonable."
The US and Gabon, which put the draft resolution "into blue" late Tuesday,
had been pushing for a fast vote on Wednesday. But among others, Russia said
that was too fast.
Chinese Permanent Representative Li Baodong, on his way into the
consultations, told Inner City Press, "We reject any effort to push for
action." He added, "Let the President of Eritrea come to present his
statement."
Inner City Press asked Rice about Afwerki coming, which the US had put a
block on (Rice earlier explained her reasons to Inner City Press). Now Rice
said, "this was discussed formally for the first time today since October.
No member state until today raised any interest in pushing Isaias' request."
Earlier on Wednesday, Inner City Press asked Russian Ambassador Vitaly
Churkin why no procedural vote had been called for after Ambassador Rice
blocked granting Afkerki's request to address the Council. Churkin
explained, "if we were told a vote is going to take place a week from now,
we will go for procedural vote... Maybe this is why they rushed into blue,
not to let him come. I think it is a ridiculous thing."
Rice said, "the US as host country is obliged to issue a visa, let's see if
he comes." She reiterated her view that it is "redundant to have a spectacle
in the Security Council... an emotional presentation on same day as a vote."
(A more detailed transcript is expected from the US Mission to the UN.)
The outgoing Portuguese presidency told Inner City Press they are figuring
out how to make the invitation. Eritrean representatives told Inner City
Press it is a "short turnaround time." Given the stakes, one expected
Afwerki to come -- and others from the region.
There is a larger regional dynamic at issue: whether Jean Ping will get a
second term as head of the African Union, or be replaced by for example
Jacob Zuma of South Africa.
A representative of one of Eritrea's neighbors came to complain to Inner
City Press that "South Africa is pressuring us to vote for Zuma, and now
it's just sour grapes on their part. They need to decide if they are with
the BRICS or with Africa." Others would say it's not either / or.
(c) UN Photo
Sudan Rice in the Council, flexible Gabonese not shown
Inner City Press asked Rice to respond to what
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/usun5eritrea113011.html> Eritrea's UN
Ambassador Araya Desta told it, that "It is crazy to penalize the Eritrean
people in order to get a second term for Jean Ping as commissioner of the
African Union... Meles [Zenawi] tells him, I'll help you get a second term,
if you help" put more sanctions on Eritrea.
Rice paused and called this "weird speculation... Jean Ping is running for a
second term, South Africans have a candidate."
Some wonder, how much of this is about the AU race?
Rice concluded that the vote will take place Monday and again, "the Gabonese
were very flexible and generous." And so it goes at the UN.
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Received on Wed Nov 30 2011 - 17:08:19 EST