<html>
<head>
<meta content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"
http-equiv="Content-Type">
</head>
<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">A news that needs to be read closely
for those discussing ICANN's internationalisation....<br>
<br>
parminder <br>
<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:mailman.3534.1397230857.1522.english@other-news.info"
type="cite">
<div><strong>Developing Nations Seek U.N. Retaliation on Bank
Cancellations</strong></div>
<div><strong></strong> </div>
<div><strong><em><font style="size: 2" size="2">By Thalif Deen</font></em></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div>UNITED NATIONS, Apr 2014 (IPS) - The 132-member Group of 77,
the largest single coalition of developing nations, has urged
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to provide, “as soon as
possible…alternative options for banking services” in New York
City following the mass cancellation of bank accounts of U.N.
missions and foreign diplomats.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The draft resolution, a copy of which was obtained by IPS, is
an “agreed text” which has the blessings of all 132 countries,
plus China.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Responding to a demand by member states for reciprocal
retaliation, the G77 requests the secretary-general to review
the “U.N. Secretariat’s financial relations with the JP Morgan
Chase Bank and consider alternatives to such financial
institutions and to report thereon, along with the information
requested.”</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Currently, the bank handles billions of dollars in the
accounts maintained by the United Nations and its agencies in
New York City.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The Group expresses “deep concern” over the decisions made by
several banking institutions, including JP Morgan Chase, in
closing bank accounts of mostly developing countries, and
diplomats accredited to the United Nations and their relatives.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The resolution, which is subject to amendments, cites the
1947 U.S.- U.N. headquarters agreement that “guarantees the
rights, obligations and the fulfillment of responsibilities by
member states towards the United Nations, under the United
Nations Charter and international law.”</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Additionally, it cites the 1961 Vienna Convention on
Diplomatic Relations as a regulatory framework for states and
international organisations, in particular the working
relationship between the United Nations and the City of New
York.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Citing the two agreements, the G77 is calling for all
“necessary measures to ensure permanent missions accredited to
the United Nations and their staff are granted equal, fair and
non-discriminatory treatment by the banking system.”</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Asked for an official response, U.N. Spokesperson Stephane
Dujarric told IPS: “We would not comment on a draft resolution.”</div>
<div> </div>
<div>At a closed-door meeting of the G77 last month, speaker after
speaker lambasted banks in the city for selectively cutting off
the banking system from the diplomatic community, describing the
action as “outrageous”.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Their anger was directed mostly at JP Morgan Chase (formerly
Chemical bank) which was once considered part of the U.N. family
– and a preferred bank by most diplomats – and at one time was
housed in the secretariat building.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The G77 is expected to hold consultations with member states
outside the Group, specifically Western nations, before tabling
the resolution with the 193-member General Assembly later this
month.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>If any proposed amendments are aimed at weakening the
resolution, the G77 will go for a vote in the Assembly with its
agreed text, a G77 diplomat told IPS Thursday.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>But with the Group having more than two-thirds majority in
the Assembly, the resolution is expected to be adopted either
with or without the support of Western nations.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>If adopted by a majority vote, the secretary-general is
expected to abide by the resolution and respond to its demands.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The draft resolution also requests the secretary-general to
review and report to the General Assembly, within 120 days of
its adoption, “of any obstacles or impediments observed in the
accounts of permanent missions or their staff at the JP Morgan
Chase Bank in the City of New York, and the impact these
impediments have on the adequate functioning of their offices.”</div>
<div> </div>
<div>And to this end, the G77 invites all members to provide the
secretary-general with relevant information that will facilitate
the elaboration of such report.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>In an appeal to the United States, the G77 has also
underscored the importance of the host country taking the
necessary measures to ensure that personal data and information
of persons affected by the closure of accounts is kept
confidential by banking institutions, and requests the
secretary-general to work with the host country in that regard
and to report to the General Assembly within 90 days.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The closure of accounts was triggered by a request from the
U.S. treasury, which wanted all banks to meticulously report
every single transaction of some 70 “blacklisted” U.N.
diplomatic missions, and individual diplomats – perhaps as part
of a monitoring system to prevent money laundering and terrorism
financing.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>But the banks have said such an elaborate exercise is
administratively expensive and cumbersome.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>And as a convenient alternative, they have closed down, or
are in the process of closing down, all accounts, shutting off
banks from the diplomatic community in New York.</div>
<div> </div>
</blockquote>
<br>
</body>
</html>