Article by Paolo G. Parovel, originally published on the paper edition of La Voce di Trieste, issue of September 24th, 2013: LINK
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Free Territory: RAI and “Il Piccolo” falsify the UN’s opinion once again
[Links, note, and unofficial translation: SV]
In Trieste, the minds behind the ongoing disinformation campaign against the rights of the people of the Free Territory of Trieste are once again attempting to falsify the UN’s opinion on the matter misusing its officer’s real or made-up claims.
On September 17th, local newspaper “Il Piccolo” used for the purpose false statements of an Italian UNRIC (Regional Information Center) officer and, upon our immediate notice, he confirmed not only to have never released such statements, but prepared the UNRIC’s official retraction for “Il Piccolo”.
So far, not only “Il Piccolo” failed to publish that retraction, but published more disinformation about the UN’s position joining forces with the regional RAI (state-owned television), in an operation that is less gross and therefore appears more credible.
Namely, they are widely circulating without authorization, and selling as the UN’s official opinion, a personal email received by a RAI journalist in response to his prior message to Ms. Morana Song, representative of the UN Department of Public Information. The RAI’s manipulation is HERE.
The officer, immediately called on the phone, confirmed that she has never authorized the journalist, who didn’t even contact her directly, to publish her email (this is why we aren’t publishing the UNRIC’s answers to out messages) which therefore is not an official opinion of any UN office.
This unilaterally published email contains the officer’s statement that the Secretariat «considers Trieste to be an integral part of Italy». Ms. Song said she obtained this from one of the UN’s legal consultant offices, however, there is no mention of the body itself.
The falsification of this unofficial message by both RAI and “Il Piccolo” consists in presenting it to uninformed general public as if it consisted in the United Nation’s official, decisive opinion, which that is not.
Indeed, general public doesn’t know that in diplomatic language the officer’s chosen formula is cautious: considers – does not have a declarative value. Furthermore, at the UN decisions on the matter don’t compete to the Secretary-General (that is an administrative and representative role), rather, they compete to the General Assembly, the Security Council, and the Trusteeship Council.
[Note: the UN Trusteeship Council is only in charge of ordinary trusteeship mandates. The special trusteeship mandate over the Free Territory is specifically under the UN Security Council’s authority].
Also, as we mentioned discussing the UNRIC case, UN protocols to not allow officers to intervene in such inopportune terms on political and legal questions that are outside their competences.
In short, “Il Piccolo” and the regional RAI are acting as information bandits, and this new deceit aims at fooling us all. This means, we’d better stay still and take a stand to make them lose that habit.
In the meantime, “La Voce di Trieste” is directly contacting the pertinent UN Offices to obtain the needed clarifications.
(Paolo G. Parovel)