US embassy cable - 05WELLINGTON393

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