Cablegate: Rwanda Supports Pierre-Richard Prosper Candidacy

VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLGB #1083 3271157
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 231157Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4936
INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0278
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0093

UNCLAS KIGALI 001083

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR IO/RHS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: UNGA PHUM PREL RW
SUBJECT: RWANDA SUPPORTS PIERRE-RICHARD PROSPER CANDIDACY
FOR UN POST

REF: STATE 157655

(SBU) On November 20 DCM delivered reftel demarche on
Pierre-Richard Prosper's candidacy for the UN Committee on
the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to Ben Rutsinga,
Director of International Organizations as the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. Rutsinga agreed that Prosper would make a
strong candidate for the position, and said that Prosper was
well-known and well-liked by the Rwandan government, due to
his years of involvement with the International Criminal
Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). Rutsinga noted that no other
nation had yet approached Rwanda on this issue (three other
nations presenting candidates, Russia, Tanzania and China,
have embassies in Kigali). "I think we can support Prosper,"
said Rutsinga, saying that at this point in the process,
Rwanda was "Seventy-five percent sure" to vote for Prosper.
Rutsinga added, however, that the Rwandan Cabinet has the
final say-so on who Rwanda votes for in UN elections.
Finally, he noted he will endeavor to ensure the Rwanda
Mission, which his often stretched thin trying to cover
multiple UN meetings, is present for the vote.

ARIETTI

ARIETTI

© Scoop Media