“Friends of the ICTR”, a group of eight diplomats from Dar-es-Salaam, today held discussions at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda aimed at providing support to the Tribunal. They were in Arusha for a briefing on the status of the Tribunal’s work and how the members might assist in completing that work by 2008.

Tribunal officials, including President Judge Erik Møse, the Prosecutor Mr. Hassan Bubacar Jallow and the Registrar Mr. Adama Dieng briefed the Friends about the ICTR completion strategy, relations between Rwanda and the Tribunal, ongoing investigations, tracking of indicted fugitives, referral of cases to national jurisdictions, the recruitment and retention of Tribunal staff and other issues related to the work of the Tribunal.

The Friends promised to use their influence to assist the Tribunal and to garner more support for the specific needs identified during the meeting.

The group of Ambassadors included: H.E. Jorunn Maehlum, Ambassador of Norway; H.E. Dr Andrew McAlister, High Commissioner of Canada; H.E. Peter Maddens, Ambassador of Belgium; H.E. Emmanuelle D’Achon, Ambassador of France; H.E. Philip Parham, High Commissioner of the United Kingdom; H.E. Michael Retzer, Ambassador of the United States of America; H.E. Wolfgang Ringe, Ambassador of Germany and H.E. Karel van-Kersteren, Ambassador of The Netherlands.

The one-day visit is part of regular meetings which are held between the Tribunal and the “Friends of the ICTR.”