Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SARAJEVO438
2007-02-23 15:29:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Sarajevo
Cable title:
BOSNIA WILL PURSUE UNHRC CANDIDACY
how-toVZCZCXYZ0002 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHVJ #0438 0541529 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 231529Z FEB 07 FM AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5524 INFO RUEHCH/AMEMBASSY CHISINAU PRIORITY 0021 RUEHLJ/AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA PRIORITY 0073 RUEHSK/AMEMBASSY MINSK PRIORITY 0012 RUEHTI/AMEMBASSY TIRANA PRIORITY 0098 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 0031
UNCLAS SARAJEVO 000438
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
IO/RHS OSTERMEIER; DRL/MLGA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PINR PREL UNHRC
SUBJECT: BOSNIA WILL PURSUE UNHRC CANDIDACY
REF: A. SARAJEVO 210
B. STATE 10605
UNCLAS SARAJEVO 000438
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
IO/RHS OSTERMEIER; DRL/MLGA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PINR PREL UNHRC
SUBJECT: BOSNIA WILL PURSUE UNHRC CANDIDACY
REF: A. SARAJEVO 210
B. STATE 10605
1. Following leadership changes in the BiH Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, the DCM delivered REF. A demarche to
incoming BiH Deputy Foreign Minister Ana Trisic-Babic on
February 21. Embassy had demarched the previous Deputy
Foreign Minister Anton Rill on January 29 (REF. B).
Trisic-Babic said Bosnia would put itself forward as a
candidate for the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). She
thanked the U.S. for its support of Bosnia's efforts to take
a more active role in UN organizations. Trisic-Babic noted
that Bosnia needed to promote a new, positive image to the
world, and to demonstrate the significant progress that had
been made in the past 11 years. Embassy subsequently
provided her office with additional information from the
UNHRC website via email.
BIOGRAPHIC DATA ON NEW BiH DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER
2. Prior to becoming BiH Deputy Foreign Minister, Ms. Ana
TRISIC-BABIC ("TREE-shich BAH-bich") was the BiH Ministry of
Foreign Affairs Assistant Minister for Bilateral Relations
from 2001-2007. She previously worked for Radio Free Europe,
USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) and the OHR
Political Department in Banja Luka. (NOTE: Trisic-Babic's
full resume is posted on the BiH MFA website at:
http://mvp.gov.ba/index eng.htm. END NOTE.) Trisic-Babic is
a former U.S. International Visitor Program participant, and
spoke fondly of her travels in the U.S. and previous contacts
with State Department officials. Acknowledging that ethnic
balance requirements had been a factor in her selection as
Deputy FM, Trisic-Babic (a Bosnian Serb) said she personally
did not think in those terms and was uncomfortable when
required, apparently for the first time, to officially
declare her ethnicity during the appointment process.
Trisic-Babic speaks fluent English. She was born in Banja
Luka on February 9, 1967. Her family remains there, and she
makes the four-hour drive from Sarajevo to Banja Luka each
weekend.
MCELHANEY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
IO/RHS OSTERMEIER; DRL/MLGA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PINR PREL UNHRC
SUBJECT: BOSNIA WILL PURSUE UNHRC CANDIDACY
REF: A. SARAJEVO 210
B. STATE 10605
1. Following leadership changes in the BiH Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, the DCM delivered REF. A demarche to
incoming BiH Deputy Foreign Minister Ana Trisic-Babic on
February 21. Embassy had demarched the previous Deputy
Foreign Minister Anton Rill on January 29 (REF. B).
Trisic-Babic said Bosnia would put itself forward as a
candidate for the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). She
thanked the U.S. for its support of Bosnia's efforts to take
a more active role in UN organizations. Trisic-Babic noted
that Bosnia needed to promote a new, positive image to the
world, and to demonstrate the significant progress that had
been made in the past 11 years. Embassy subsequently
provided her office with additional information from the
UNHRC website via email.
BIOGRAPHIC DATA ON NEW BiH DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER
2. Prior to becoming BiH Deputy Foreign Minister, Ms. Ana
TRISIC-BABIC ("TREE-shich BAH-bich") was the BiH Ministry of
Foreign Affairs Assistant Minister for Bilateral Relations
from 2001-2007. She previously worked for Radio Free Europe,
USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) and the OHR
Political Department in Banja Luka. (NOTE: Trisic-Babic's
full resume is posted on the BiH MFA website at:
http://mvp.gov.ba/index eng.htm. END NOTE.) Trisic-Babic is
a former U.S. International Visitor Program participant, and
spoke fondly of her travels in the U.S. and previous contacts
with State Department officials. Acknowledging that ethnic
balance requirements had been a factor in her selection as
Deputy FM, Trisic-Babic (a Bosnian Serb) said she personally
did not think in those terms and was uncomfortable when
required, apparently for the first time, to officially
declare her ethnicity during the appointment process.
Trisic-Babic speaks fluent English. She was born in Banja
Luka on February 9, 1967. Her family remains there, and she
makes the four-hour drive from Sarajevo to Banja Luka each
weekend.
MCELHANEY