I'm leaving Turkey this evening. As I mentioned last week, this was a very politically significant time to be in Turkey. On Saturday, the foreign ministers of Turkey and Armenia (beneath the helpful gaze of Hillary Clinton) signed the Turkey-Armenia Protocols which pave the way for the opening of the Turkey-Armenia border and the restoration of full diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The World Food Program suffered a devastating loss last week in Pakistan. But their work continues elsewhere. Via the UN News Center, the WFP is still hard at work in one of the world's most dangerous places: Somalia.
The Secretary General made the following statement on Obama's Nobel Peace Prize:
The Secretary-General wholeheartedly congratulates U.S. President Barack Obama on winning the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009.
As you have probably heard, President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize. Some are already grumbling that the prize was undeserved because he has few accomplishments on which to base the award. They are missing the point.
The Security Council held a meeting yesterday to discuss a new report from the Secretary General on progress (or lack there of) of the peace process in Somalia. During the meeting, UK Ambassador John Sawers (who will be leaving the UK-UN mission to lead MI-5) recommended sanctions against Eritrea, which he accuses of destabilizing Somalia by sponsoring a militant group that is trying to overthrow the fragile Somali government. The United States seems to be on board. At the
Hillary Clinton says that the United States government is formulating a response the recent flare up of violence in Guinea in which government forces shot and raped hundreds of demonstrators gathered at a soccer stadium.
In March 2007, the Turkish government forced internet service providers to block access to YouTube. The ban has been holding strong since then, so it was a surprise to see the English language Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review report that Turkish censors lifted the ban for the IMF/World Bank meeting this week. The Hurriyet says that the website is only accessible at th