The ICTR President, Judge Erik Møse, and the ICTR Prosecutor, Hassan B. Jallow, met on Wednesday, 15 June, with U. S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The ICTY President and Prosecutor also participated in the meeting with Secretary Rice at the U.S. State Department in Washington.

The Secretary of State expressed the full support and appreciation of the United States for the work of the Tribunals. The ICTR representatives reported on the high number of trials currently in progress in Arusha and emphasized the need for sufficient resources to implement the ICTR’s Completion Strategy. They also requested American cooperation on several matters where the Tribunal needs the assistance of national governments to accomplish its mission.

During their time in Washington, the ICTR President and Prosecutor also held meetings with members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, as well as other U.S. government officials, including the Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues, Pierre Prosper.

Prior to coming to Washington, the ICTR President and Prosecutor appeared before the United Nations Security Council in New York on Monday, 13 June, to make their semi-annual presentation on the accomplishments of the ICTR. They reported on the progress made the last six months and stated that the Tribunal remains on track to complete all of its trials by the end of 2008 as projected in its Completion Strategy.