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New York Times
Sept 26 2011
Scuffle at the United Nations Ends in an Apology to Turks
By NEIL MacFARQUHAR
Published: September 26, 2011
Resurgent Turkey has become a Middle East story to watch, and just how
perilous standing in its way can be became abundantly clear to a few
somewhat hapless United Nations security guards during the annual
General Assembly meeting of world leaders.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was apparently pushed by a United
Nations guard while demanding to enter the General Assembly hall
through the wrong entrance on Friday, according to diplomats and
United Nations officials. An ensuing melee sent one guard to the
hospital and Secretary General Ban Ki-moon scurrying over to the
Turkish mission to apologize, they said.
Details of the incident remain murky, despite Mr. Ban's often declared
commitment to `transparency.' The United Nations' spokesman, Martin
Nesirky, refused to clarify what happened beyond saying the
`unfortunate misunderstanding' had been `satisfactorily resolved.' The
Turks made no official comment.
But some particulars have emerged from diplomats and at least one
United Nations official who overheard the altercation.
Mr. Erdogan was having a tête-à-tête with President Jalal Talabani of
Iraq on the obscure fourth floor of the General Assembly hall - tiny
meeting spaces have been tucked into every nook and cranny because the
Secretariat Building is gutted for renovations.
Learning that the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, was making his
address demanding full United Nations membership for a state of
Palestine, Mr. Erdogan, a big fan, rushed to the nearest entrance to
take Turkey's seat on the main floor.
But the fourth floor is actually the visitors' gallery, with no access
to the main floor, and it was packed. So a United Nations security
guard refused to let the Turkish leader pass. When Mr. Erdogan pressed
forward, the guard pushed him (by most accounts), and then a fracas
erupted that was audible four flours below.
One United Nations guard was taken to the hospital with a rib injury,
and there were reports of bloodstains on the floor, although that
could not be confirmed.
Eventually, after senior United Nations officials rushed over to calm
the situation, Mr. Erdogan was directed to the proper entrance.
But by then the gauntlet had been thrown down, and minor scuffles
erupted wherever he went with his entourage around the United Nations.
(There had apparently been some grousing already about the number of
black limousines in the prime minister's entourage.)
Mr. Erdogan demanded an apology. Mr. Ban hurried over to the mission
to deliver one, and for good measure was said to have suspended around
half a dozen security guards.
What was clear, as one Western diplomat put it, was that `The Turks
were literally throwing their weight around.'
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/27/world/world-peace-still-elusive-as-un-guards-scuffle-with-turks.html?_r=2&src=tp
From: A. Papazian
Sept 26 2011
Scuffle at the United Nations Ends in an Apology to Turks
By NEIL MacFARQUHAR
Published: September 26, 2011
Resurgent Turkey has become a Middle East story to watch, and just how
perilous standing in its way can be became abundantly clear to a few
somewhat hapless United Nations security guards during the annual
General Assembly meeting of world leaders.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was apparently pushed by a United
Nations guard while demanding to enter the General Assembly hall
through the wrong entrance on Friday, according to diplomats and
United Nations officials. An ensuing melee sent one guard to the
hospital and Secretary General Ban Ki-moon scurrying over to the
Turkish mission to apologize, they said.
Details of the incident remain murky, despite Mr. Ban's often declared
commitment to `transparency.' The United Nations' spokesman, Martin
Nesirky, refused to clarify what happened beyond saying the
`unfortunate misunderstanding' had been `satisfactorily resolved.' The
Turks made no official comment.
But some particulars have emerged from diplomats and at least one
United Nations official who overheard the altercation.
Mr. Erdogan was having a tête-à-tête with President Jalal Talabani of
Iraq on the obscure fourth floor of the General Assembly hall - tiny
meeting spaces have been tucked into every nook and cranny because the
Secretariat Building is gutted for renovations.
Learning that the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, was making his
address demanding full United Nations membership for a state of
Palestine, Mr. Erdogan, a big fan, rushed to the nearest entrance to
take Turkey's seat on the main floor.
But the fourth floor is actually the visitors' gallery, with no access
to the main floor, and it was packed. So a United Nations security
guard refused to let the Turkish leader pass. When Mr. Erdogan pressed
forward, the guard pushed him (by most accounts), and then a fracas
erupted that was audible four flours below.
One United Nations guard was taken to the hospital with a rib injury,
and there were reports of bloodstains on the floor, although that
could not be confirmed.
Eventually, after senior United Nations officials rushed over to calm
the situation, Mr. Erdogan was directed to the proper entrance.
But by then the gauntlet had been thrown down, and minor scuffles
erupted wherever he went with his entourage around the United Nations.
(There had apparently been some grousing already about the number of
black limousines in the prime minister's entourage.)
Mr. Erdogan demanded an apology. Mr. Ban hurried over to the mission
to deliver one, and for good measure was said to have suspended around
half a dozen security guards.
What was clear, as one Western diplomat put it, was that `The Turks
were literally throwing their weight around.'
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/27/world/world-peace-still-elusive-as-un-guards-scuffle-with-turks.html?_r=2&src=tp
From: A. Papazian