Ambassador Ivan Barbalic, Permanent Representative of Bosnia & Herzegovina, concluded his first week as Bosnia & Herzegovina’s President of the UN Security Council. He faces critical issues in Sudan with its scheduled Referendum this Sunday and potential spillover, as well
as chain-reaction in much of Africa, including the Ivory Coast.

Despite his intense week, Ambassador Barbalic met Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbey late this afternoon for an interview at UN TV Studio. Questions to be posed include Sudan and what happens following Sunday’s referendum. At the time of my “News” Blog, the interview had not been concluded. However, DiplomaticallyIncorrect.org hopes to present this interview to you by late weekend. --By, Susan Sacirbey



WATCH New Film Report re BOSNIA’s PRESIDENCY of UN SECURITY COUNCIL: diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/bosnia-president-of-un-security-council/23944
About Bosnia President of UN Security Council
It was a historic moment as Ambassador Ivan Barbalic assumed the presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of January. Surviving the devastation of war and genocide, Bosnia-Herzegovina has not only survived but flourished, coming full circle, once, petitioning the world and the Council to come to its aid in its fight for survival, to assuming the presidency of the council. In his capacity as president, Ambassdor Barbalic addressed reporters at UN headquarters in New York on the wide-ranging program of work of the council for the month.

As the historic referendum in the Sudan approaches, Ambassador Barbalic expressed cautious optimism:

"In regards to the situation in Sudan, I would say there is a cautious optimism, right now in the Council. We are all aware of the visit of President Bashir to Juba and his statements that were constructive. Together with other elements that we are aware of, we believe that the process can go without problems. And there is a substantial amount of cautious optimism at this point. For that reason it will be important that Council members are permanently focused on this matter and are ready to react if something goes wrong," he said.

The Council is closely monitoring the upcoming referendum in Sudan which will determine unity or secession. The vote will start Sunday, 9 January with close to 3.7 million Sudanese already registered to vote. The referendum is one of the milestones of the agreements which paved way to a comprehensive peace agreement signed on January 2005, ending Africa’s longest running civil war.

Ambassador Barbalic reported that Council members also received an update on the situation in Côte d’Ivoire from Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy. Le Roy visited the country and its UN Mission last week. The Ambassador informed reporters that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon had been in contact with both the Economic Community of West African States, known as Ecowas, and the African Union, hoping to find a diplomatic solution to the contested election there. The Ambassador reported that the Secretary General had reaffirmed support for President-elect Alassane Ouattara.

Ambassador Barbalic said it was important to give support to the efforts of ecowas to reach a diplomatic solution:

"we have to give all the support to current efforts of ECOWAS in terms of trying to use all the resorts for diplomatic solutions and this is where we stand right now."

Meanwhile, UN agencies continue to aid refugees from among both Ouattara's and defeated president Laurent Gbagbo's followers, who have fled the rising tension to neighbouring Liberia. The UN reports there are approximately 22,000 refugees, mostly women and children, in Liberia's Nimba County in urgent need of food, shelter and water.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is serving its second and final year as a non-permanent member in the Security Council.

Related Information:
READ “NEWS” Update by Ambassador mo: “Volatile Time Awaits Bosnia as President of UN Security Council” (Film videos included)
diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/blog_post/volatile-time-awaits-bosnia-as-president-of-un-security-council-by-ambassador-mo/17380