BURUNDI: NUCLEAR TERRORISM CONVENTION AWAITING

UNCLAS BUJUMBURA 000542 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/C, ISN, L, AND S/CT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER KNNP MCAP PINR PINS PARM PREL BY SUBJECT: BURUNDI: NUCLEAR TERRORISM CONVENTION AWAITING RATIFICATION REF: STATE 102149 ¶1. (U) Burundi has signed, but has not yet ratified, the International Convention for the Suppression of Nuclear Terrorism, according to Burundi's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). DCM met on July 27 with the MFA's Chief of Staff, Alain Niyamitwe, to urge that Burundi ratify the convention as soon as possible. Niyamitwe could not immediately provide a timetable for parliamentary ratification. He noted that the threat of nuclear terrorist acts in Burundi was relatively small, when compared to that which other nations face. Niyamitwe noted, however, that he expected that there would be no difficulty in ratifying the treaty, once the Parliament began deliberations. He did not expect that partisan politics would enter the debate, since there would likely be a broad consensus in support of the treaty. ¶2. (U) The Chef de Cabinet opined as well that additional legislation would be necessary for Burundi to be able to adhere to the provisions of the treaty; he speculated that the Government of Burundi might thus delay ratification until necessary statutes are put into place. MOLLER