ICJ ELECTIONS DEMARCHE: NEW ZEALAND RESPONSE

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000393

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR IO/UNP AND EAP/ANZ

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: NZ UNGA UNSC
SUBJECT: ICJ ELECTIONS DEMARCHE: NEW ZEALAND RESPONSE

REF: SECSTATE 80697


1. (SBU) Post provided reftel dipnote and background
information on Judge Buergenthal's International Court of
Justice (ICJ) nomination to the UN & Commonwealth Division at
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). On May 18,
an officer in the Division told Pol-Econ Counselor that MFAT
had already received the information through the New Zealand
mission in New York. While MFAT staff had not yet put the
candidacy to Ministers, the officer predicted it likely that
New Zealand officials would want to support Judge
Buergenthal's nomination since they believe it is important
that the United States maintains a presence on the Court.


2. (SBU) The officer also said New Zealand hopes that the
United States will support the candidacy of Sir Kenneth
Keith, New Zealand's first ever nominee to the ICJ. Sir
Kenneth has just returned from a lobbying trip to New York,
and on June 3 will make a similar trip to Washington. While
there, he will meet with IO A/S Holmes, members of the U.S.
National Group in the Permanent Court of Arbitration, and
possibly with Judge Buergenthal. A member of the New Zealand
National Group of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, Sir
Kenneth is a Judge on New Zealand's newly-established Supreme
Court. He is also a Judge of Appeal in Samoa, the Cook
Islands, and Nuie; as well as on the Supreme Court in Fiji.


Swindells