By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, October 5 -- Spain holds the Presidency of the UN Security Council for October; Inner City Press asked its Permanent Representative Roman Oyarzun Marchesi on October 5 about the pending Libya resolution, the still non-existent UN envoy to Burundi and why there's no Western Sahara briefing on the Program of Work, as there has been in previous Octobers.
Roman Oyarzun Marchesi acknowledged there have been “some difficulties” on the part of some members. We are trying to retune, the EU pushing forward, given authorization under Chapter 7 but only on the high seas. We hope it can be adopted soon. On Burundi, his Political Coordinator noted that it is up to the Secretary General. And on Western Sahara, Roman Oyarzun Marchesi noted that such consultations should involve envoy Christopher Ross but he is going to the region, the timing is up to him.
On the North Korean ship Mudubong, he said “with regard to the treatment of this vessel detained by the Mexican authorities under Resolution 1718 all I can say is what the Mexican authorities have done is in strict compliance with the Security Council resolution.”
Inner City Press on behalf of the new Free UN Coalition for Access, and in Spanish, asked Roman Oyarzun Marchesi to hold as many Q&A stakeouts as he can, after Council consultations. (He said as Council president one must speak more cautiously than when in national capacity.) The old UNCA, by contrast, asked only in English; its sidekick used the question it seemed to get meetings on Yemen and Somalia canceled in favor of a fundraising luncheon.
On the airstrikes on the MSF hospital in Kunduz in Afghanistan, Roman Oyarzun Marchesi said that US President Barack Obama has called for an investigation into the facts. (MSF has said that is not enough). On the new draft resolution on Syria, Roman Oyarzun Marchesi said it “ will have the normal process of consultations with members in the Security Council.” We'll be following all this: watch this site.