NICARAGUA SEEKS USG SUPPORT FOR ITS CANDIDATE FOR

UNCLAS MANAGUA 000726 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN AND IO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL UNGA NU SUBJECT: NICARAGUA SEEKS USG SUPPORT FOR ITS CANDIDATE FOR UN INTERNATIONAL LAW COMMISSION ¶1. On March 23, post received a diplomatic note from the Foreign Ministry dated March 21 stating that the government of Nicaragua (GON) will present former Foreign Minister Alejandro Montiel Arguello as a candidate for the United Nations International Law Commission for the period 2007-2011 when voting for the Commission takes place in the U.N. General Assembly later this year. The note solicits USG support for Montiel's candidacy. Informal translation of the diplomatic note follows. The original Spanish-language version of the note, and a copy of Montiel Arguello's resume, have been faxed to WHA/CEN. ¶2. Informal translation of the GON diplomatic note: (Official Government Seal) Ministry of Foreign Relations MRE/DGOI/00723/03/06 The International Organizations Section of the Ministry of Foreign Relations of the Republic of Nicaragua presents its compliments to the Honorable Embassy of the United States of America and takes the opportunity to inform the Honorable Embassy that the Government of Nicaragua has decided to present the candidacy of Doctor Alejandro Montiel Arguello to be a member of the International Law Commission, for the period 2007-20011. Elections to the Commission will take place during the sixty-first session of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York in September 2006. Doctor Montiel Arguello, whose resume is attached, is the former Minister of Foreign Relations of the Republic of Nicaragua (1957-1961 and 1972-1978),and is a prominent lawyer with over six decades of experience in legal and political matters that has given him a deep understanding of international law. Additionally, on the hemispheric level, Doctor Montiel has been a member of the Inter-American Judicial Committee (1970-1972) and a judge on the Inter-American Human Rights Court (1991-1997),experience that, along with his extensive qualifications, would be useful in the International Law Commission to promote knowledge of Latin American legal and judicial norms as they relate to matters of international law. Nicaragua places great importance in the laudable work of the Commission in the development and codification of international law in the United Nations. Because of this, and taking into account the wide experience of Doctor Montiel Arguello, it expects that if the Nicaraguan candidate is elected, he will contribute to the strengthening of the rule of law in international relations. Taking into account the close ties of friendship between the illustrious Government of the United States and the Government of Nicaragua, we ask for your valuable support for the Nicaraguan candidate. The International Organizations Section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Nicaragua takes the opportunity to assure the Honorable Embassy of the United States of America of its highest consideration. Managua, 21 March 2006 (Signature and official Foreign Ministry seal) TRIVELLI