VZCZCXYZ0007
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSJ #0167 0702359
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 112359Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0577
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 0338
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0821

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000167 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN AND IO/UNP JOSEPH FITZGERALD. 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: UNSC PREL PHUM CS
SUBJECT: COSTA RICA:  MFA PUBLICLY APPLAUDS ICC ARREST 
WARRANT FOR SUDANESE PRESIDENT 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 19213 
     ¶B. SAN JOSE 148 
 
¶1. (U) Further to reftel demarche and official response, on 
March 5, the MFA issued a press release "categorically 
supporting" the March 4 ICC arrest warrant for Sudanese 
President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir for what the GOCR called "war 
crimes and crimes against humanity."  The release went on to 
say that, for Costa Rica, the ICC's "exemplary measure feeds 
the hopes of the victims of Sudan, and of the international 
community in its aspiration for justice."  The GOCR 
reiterated its support of the ICC, and urged Sudan to 
cooperate with the ICC and the UN to protect Sudan's 
population. 
 
¶2. (U) The MFA noted Costa Rica's June 2008 negotiations to 
achieve a UNSC Presidential Statement that would "break the 
UNSC's silence" regarding crimes against humanity in Sudan. 
Quoting FonMin Stagno - who served on the ICC's Assembly of 
Member States from 2005-2008 -  the MFA relase also stated 
that Article 16 was never meant to be used in a case that the 
UNSC itself remitted to the ICC.  Therefore, the GOCR would 
not support such a measure. 
 
¶3. (SBU) COMMENT: Given the GOCR's role in co-founding the 
ICC, and Stagno's on-going, personal interest in Darfur 
developments, it is no wonder that the MFA issued a statement 
to "brag" a little abut this first-ever ICC arrest warrant 
issued against a head of state.  Although this statement 
generated no media coverage, it reiterates the Arias 
administration's interest in taking "principled" stances on 
UN issues important to Costa Rica. 
 
¶4. (U) Complete text of the MFA press release is available 
at:  www.rree.go.cr. 
CIANCHETTE