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