UN / RICE

Responding to criticism from the UN that the US was politicizing and restricting the entry of aid into southern Somalia, US Ambassador Susan Rice says that her country, "utterly rejects" that claim, calling it, "false and unfounded." UNTV

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:43
• Production Date: 19 February 2010
• Asset Language: Original
• Subject Topical: POLITICAL AFFAIRS; LAW; INTERNATIONAL LAW; POLITICAL CONDITIONS; INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS; PEACE AND SECURITY; DISARMAMENT
• Geographic Subject: SOMALIA; IRAN
• MAMS Id: U100219e

Description

STORY: UN / RICE
TRT: 1.43
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 19 FEBRUARY 2010, NEW YORK CITY

Shotlist

RECENT 2010, UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior, United Nations headquarters

19 FEBRUARY 2010, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, Ambassador Susan Rice approaches microphone
3.SOUNDBITE (English) Susan Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
“Iran continues to flout its international obligations and has demonstrated absolutely no readiness to take the steps that it could to try and demonstrate that it intends as it claims a peaceful nuclear program. On the contrary, what we see are more and more indications that this is indeed a nuclear weapons program with the purpose of evasion, and the IAEA report is an important element that underscores to the international community and the Security Council the urgency of making the choice real to Iran that it could engage and uphold its international obligations or on the contrary, face increased international pressure.”

FILE – UNTV – 2009, NEW YORK CITY

4. Cutaway, hands taking notes

19 FEBRUARY 2010, NEW YORK CITY

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Susan Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
“We utterly reject that claim. I think it’s false and unfounded. The reason why aid is not now proceeding to the people of southern Somalia is one reason alone and it’s quite clear and it’s Al-Shabaab’s attacks on WFP and other UN agencies. It’s kidnapping of innocent relief workers, extortion of funds which prompted WFP on January 5th to take the decision that it could not and would not continue to deliver life saving assistance in southern Somalia. It’s an unfortunate development but it is a direct consequence of Al-Shabaab’s attacks and efforts.”
6. Wide shot, Ambassador Rice walks away

Storyline

Commenting on the latest report from the IAEA on Iran, United States (US) Ambassador Susan Rice told journalists today at the United Nations in New York that the report plainly underscored that Iran continued to, “flout its international obligations.”

Rice added that Iran’s leadership had demonstrated no readiness to take the steps to demonstrate that it intends to pursue a peaceful nuclear program.

Responding to criticism from the UN that the US was politicizing and restricting the entry of aid into southern Somalia, Rice, “utterly rejected” the claim, describing it as unfounded.

She said that the reason why aid was not getting to the people was because of Al-Shabaab’s attacks on WFP (World Food Programme) and other UN agencies.
On Wednesday UN officials said that the US restrictions designed to stop the Al-Shabaab terrorist group in Somalia from diverting aid were affecting the humanitarian operations in the southern part of the country.
Al-Shabaab is presently the most active group targeting Somalia's transitional government.