UN chief’s embarrassing moments at Khartoum airport
By Wasil Ali
September 8, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his entourage faced a chaotic situation at Khartoum airport during his visit to Sudan last week.
The UN Chief toured Southern Sudan and refugee camps in the troubled region of Darfur.
Salah Al-Maleeh, a reporter with the daily Al-Sudani newspaper, reported that before Ban Ki-Moon traveled to Juba, capital of South Sudan, he was due to hold a press conference at Khartoum airport upon his request, to brief reporters on his meeting with the Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir.
Reporters and cameramen filled the area around the VIP lounge at the airport waiting for the UN chief to come out.
However Ali Karti, Sudanese Minister of State at the Sudanese Foreign Ministry, who was the ranking Sudanese official at the airport, asked the protocol officer to clear the area from reporters.
But the reporters supported by UN officers, refused to comply with Karti’s orders. The protocol officer then notified Karti and came back to tell reporters that Ban Ki-Moon will be moved to a different lounge and will then proceed immediately to the plane.
“You will take pictures of the wall” the protocol officer said before locking the reporters up and closing the door leading to the VIP lounge. The UN Chief was seen through the glass walls walking along with Sudanese officials being escorted to a different lounge.
UN officers assured reporters that Ban Ki-Moon will hold the press conference as planned despite Sudanese officials’ refusal. The UN officers then called members of UN leader’s delegation by cell phone to confirm the press conference.
Around five minutes later Ban Ki-Moon was seen walking towards the reporters and then he tried to open the door separating him from the press with no success. The UN Chief stood in front of the door for about a minute while his security detail attempted to unlock the door.
Later the protocol officer came and unlocked the door and the UN chief held his press conference in which he announced Sudan’s acceptance to release Sudan Liberation Army Humanitarian Coordinator Suleiman Jamous.
(ST)