BURUNDI: SECOND PROMOTION OF US CANDIDATE FOR UN

UNCLAS BUJUMBURA 000676 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/C E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL UNGA UNHRC SUBJECT: BURUNDI: SECOND PROMOTION OF US CANDIDATE FOR UN COMMITTEE AGAINST TORTURE REF: STATE 130973 ¶1. (U) PolOff delivered reftel demarche soliciting Burundian support for the candidacy of Felice Gaer for re-election to the UN Committee Against Torture. Burundian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Chief of Cabinet Alain Nyamitwe and the Director General in Charge of Relations with North America, Europe, and International Organizations Egide Ndikuriyo did not offer formal, substantive comments, but appeared generally supportive of the U.S. position. Nyamitwe and Ndikuriyo did not think that Burundi's support for Ms. Gaer's candidacy required direct senior-level solicitation. ¶2. (U) Chief of Cabinet Nyamitwe informed PolOff that his office had not been approached by other governments soliciting Burundi's support for their candidates, and he would contact his colleagues in Geneva and New York to reiterate the importance the United States placed on this issue. Director General Ndikuriyo told PolOff that Burundi's Ambassador to the UN Joseph Ntakarugimana would make the final decision regarding Burundi's vote for candidates to the Committee Against Torture. He offered to personally deliver the U.S. position on Ms. Gaer's candidacy to Ambassador Ntakarugimana. As a member of Burundi's delegation to attend the 62nd Session of the UN General Assembly, Director General Ndikuriyo travels to New York on September 23. MOLLER