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ORIGIN AF-01
INFO
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STATE
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083451
310042Z
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DRAFTED BY: AF/C: KCAISTON
APPROVED BY: AF/C: AXRENDER
AF/C: RJFENDRICK
C-01
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3658AC 310044Z /38
O P 310042Z MAR 94
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY KIGALI IMMEDIATE
INFO AMEMBASSY KAMPALA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
AMEMBASSY PARIS
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
CONFIDENTIALSTATE 083451
YAOUNDE FOR DATT
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STATE 083451 310042Z
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS RW
SUBJECT: RENDER TELLS RPF TO TAKE "HIGH ROAD" ON CDR ISSUE
REF: A) KIGALI 01319 B) KIGALI 01335 C) STATE 081773
1.
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2. SUMMARY. ON MARCH 29, AF/C DIRECTOR RENDER CONVOKED
LOCAL RPF REPRESENTATIVE CHARLES MURIGANDE TO THE
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: JOHN L MILLS
DATE/CASE ID: 01 NOV 2007 200103014
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DODE-00
10-16
PA-01
T-00
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DEPARTMENT TO URGE THE RPF TO "TAKE THE HIGH ROAD" AND
ALLOW THE CDR TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRANSITIONAL NATIONAL
ASSEMBLY. SHE STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF INCLUDING ALL
PARTIES IN THE GOVERNMENT, IN THE SPIRIT OF NATIONAL
RECONCILIATION. MURIGANDE FOCUSED ON THE RPF'S NARROW,
LEGALISTIC READING OF THE RELEVANT PROVISION OF THE
ARUSHA ACCORDS AND EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE CDR ISSUE
IS JUST A PRETEXT AND OTHER ISSUES MIGHT ARISE TO DELAY
THE PROCESS FURTHER. RENDER ASSURED MURIGANDE THAT IF
THE CDR ISSUE IS RESOLVED BUT HABYARIMANA RAISES ANOTHER
OBJECT, WE WILL KNOW WHERE TO POINT THE FINGER. END
SUMMARY
RENDER ARGUES FOR INCLUSION
3. AF/C DIRECTOR RENDER POINTED OUT THAT SHE HAD JUST
RETURNED FROM A TRIP TO RWANDA AND HAD HELD FRUITFUL
DISCUSSIONS WITH THE GOVERNMENT, THE RPF, POLITICAL PARTY
LEADERS, AND OTHERS. SHE SAID THAT IN MEETINGS WITH THE
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RPF IN MULINDI AND KIGALI, DAS BUSHNELL HAD EMPHASIZED
THE NEED TO INCLUDE ALL SIDES IN THE PEACE PROCESS, IN
THE SPIRIT OF THE ARUSHA ACCORDS. RENDER NOTED THAT THE
CDR HAS SINCE PUBLICLY COMMITTED ITSELF TO SUPPORT THE
ARUSHA ACCORDS, AND SHE SAID WE THOUGHT IT WAS BEST IF
THEY REMAINED INSIDE THE PROCESS, RATHER THAN BEING
EXCLUDED FROM IT.
4. RENDER STRESSED THE NEED TO INSTALL THE TRANSITION
GOVERNMENT AND POINTED OUT THAT THE IMPASSE HAD ALREADY
RESULTED IN MANY LOST OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING LOSING OUT
ON THE POSSIBILITY FOR DOLS 2 MILLION IN ESF FUNDS. SHE
EXPLAINED THAT WE CONSIDERED RESOLUTION OF THE ISSUE OF
CDR PARTICIPATION TO BE VERY IMPORTANT SINCE IT APPEARED
TO BE THE ONE REMAINING OBSTACLE TO FORMING THE NEW
GOVERNMENT. MURIGANDE SEEMED TO QUESTION WHETHER THIS
WAS THE ONLY ISSUE REMAINING AND EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT
HABYARIMANA WOULD FIND SOME OTHER ISSUE TO STALL ON.
RENDER ASSURED HIM THAT IF OTHER OBSTACLES ARISE, WE WILL
KNOW WHERE TO POINT THE FINGER. SHE ASSURED HIM THAT WE
HAVE ALREADY TOLD HABYARIMANA THAT HE CANNOT HOLD UP THE
PROCESS.
5.
RENDER TOLD MURIGANDE THAT THE ISSUE OF THE CDR
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SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO HOLD THE WHOLE COUNTRY HOSTAGE
TO CONTINUED POLITICAL IMPASSE. SHE SAID THE RPF'S
REFUSAL TO ALLOW THE CDR TO SIGN THE CODE OF ETHICS WAS
CONTRARY TO THE SPIRIT OF NATIONAL RECONCILIATION AND
VIOLATED ART. 61 OF THE ARUSHA ACCORD, WHICH PROVIDES
THAT EACH PARTY REGISTERED IN RWANDA SHALL BE REPRESENTED
IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. RENDER STRESSED THAT THE
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PRINCIPLE OF INCLUSION IS CRITICAL TO ESTABLISHING A
STABLE PEACE AND ADDED THAT IT IS BETTER TO HAVE THE CDR
IN THE GOVERNMENT THAN EXCLUDING THEM AND POSSIBLY
FORCING THEM TO MOVE IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. SHE SAID
SHE UNDERSTOOD THE RPF'S CONCERNS ABOUT THE CDR BUT
REMINDED MURIGANDE THAT IF THE CDR FAILS TO LIVE UP TO
ITS CODE OF ETHICS COMMITMENT, ARTICLE 82 OF THE ACCORD
MAKES THE PARTY LIABLE TO EXCLUSION FROM THE TRANSITION
INSTITUTIONS.
6. IN CLOSING, RENDER POINTED OUT THAT IT'S A QUESTION
OF ONLY ONE SEAT IN A 70-MEMBER ASSEMBLY. AFTER WEEKS OF
NEGOTIATIONS AND WITH UNAMIR'S MANDATE ABOUT TO EXPIRE,
THE RPF SHOULD NOT LET A DISPUTE OVER ONE SEAT HOLD UP
THE INSTALLATION OF THE TRANSITION INSTITUTIONS. AS OF
TODAY, SHE SAID THE RPF IS THE ONE PARTY HOLDING UP
INSTALLATION OF THE TRANSITION INSTITUTIONS. SHE URGED
THE RPF TO "TAKE THE HIGH GROUND" ON THE ISSUE OF CDR
PARTICIPATION AND OPT FOR INCLUSION OVER EXCLUSION SO
THAT THE TRANSITION CAN MOVE FORWARD. SHE SAID THE U.S.
DID NOT WANT TO HEAR ANY MORE EXCUSES WHY THE GOVERNMENT
COULD NOT BE FORMED. THE PARTIES SHOULD JUST PUT THE
INSTITUTIONS IN PLACE AND GET ON WITH IMPLEMENTING THE
ACCORDS. SHE EMPHASIZED THAT SUCCESS IN RWANDA WAS
CRUCIAL TO THE SECURITY OF THE SUB-REGION AND THAT RWANDA
SHOULD SET AN EXAMPLE FOR THE REST OF AFRICA.
MURIGANDE HUNG UP ON LEGALITIES OF ART. 61
7.
MURIGANDE REPLIED THAT THE U.S. AND OTHER ARUSHA
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STATE 083451 310042Z
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OBSERVERS WERE FOCUSING ON ONLY THE FIRST PORTION OF
ARTICLE 61, WHICH PROVIDES THAT ALL REGISTERED PARTIES
SHOULD BE REPRESENTED IN THE ASSEMBLY IF THEY SIGN THE
CODS OF ETHICS. HE THEN NOTED THAT THE LAST HALF OF THE
ARTICLE PROVIDES THAT POLITICAL PARTIES WHICH ARE NOT IN
THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT (LIKE THE CDR) SHOULD DEMONSTRATE
THEIR COMMITMENT TO ABIDE BY THE RULE OF LAW PROTOCOL,
SUPPORT THE PEACE PROCESS, AND AVOID ENGAGING IN
SECTARIAN PRACTICES AND VIOLENCE, AND THAT THIS
COMMITMENT WAS A PREREQUISITE TO PARTICIPATION IN THE
TRANSITION ASSEMBLY. MURIGANDE SAID HE DID NOT THINK HE
COULD SAY THE CDR HAD MADE SUCH A DEMONSTRATION. RENDER
REPLIED THAT THE CDR'S PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE PARTY
SUPPORTS THE ARUSHA ACCORDS IS A DEMONSTRATION OF THE
PARTY'S COMMITMENT TO THE PEACE PROCESS. SHE SAID THEY
SHOULD BE TAKEN AT THEIR WORD, IN THE SPIRIT OF
RECONCILIATION, AND IF AFTER THE GOVERNMENT IS INSTALLED
THEY FAIL TO ABIDE BY THEIR WORD, THE EXCLUSION
PROVISIONS OF THE ACCORD WOULD BE AVAILABLE.
8. MURIGANDE QUESTIONED WHY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
WAS READY IN FEBRUARY TO ADVISE THE RWANDANS TO GO
FORWARD WITH THE GOVERNMENT WITHOUT THE PL PARTY, WHICH
IS TO HAVE 11 DEPUTIES AND 3 MINISTERS, BUT NOW TAKES THE
POSITION THAT THE INSTITUTIONS SHOULD BE FORMED WITH CDR
PARTICIPATION, WHEN ONLY ONE DEPUTY IS AT STAKE. RENDER
EXPLAINED THAT OUR POSITION ON THE PL WAS THAT NEITHER
HABYARIMANA NOR THE RPF SHOULD DICTATE WHICH DEPUTIES THE
PL CHOSE; THAT WAS FOR THE PL TO DECIDE. SIMILARLY, THE
RPF SHOULD NOT HAVE A RIGHT OF VETO OVER THE CDR. RWANDA
DESKOFF AISTON, ALSO IN ATTENDANCE, ADDED THAT THE PL AND
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CDR ISSUES WERE NOT ANALOGOUS; IN FEBRUARY, THE PL WAS
SPLIT AND WAS SEEMINGLY INCAPABLE OF UNIFYING ITSELF IN
ORDER TO ENTER THE GOVERNMENT, WHEREAS THE CDR IS
PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF TAKING ITS SEAT; IT'S JUST THAT THE
RPF REFUSES TO LET THEM.
9. MURIGANDE SAID HE THOUGHT IT WAS UNUSUAL THAT THE CDR
DEPUTY DID NOT APPEAR ON EITHER OF HABYARIMANA'S EARLIER
LIST OF DEPUTIES, BUT NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN IT SEEMS TO BE
A MAJOR ISSUE. RENDER REPLIED THAT THIS CHANGE CAME
ABOUT BECAUSE THE CDR PARTY HAS CHANGED ITS POSITION AND
SAYS IT NOW SUPPORTS THE ARUSHA PROCESS AND WANTS TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE GOVERNMENT. MURIGANDE RESPONDED THAT
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IF THE RPF IS PERSUADED THAT THE CDR IS REALLY THE ONLY
OBSTACLE AT ISSUE, THEN THEY WILL BE WILLING TO DISCUSS
THE ISSUE OF CDR PARTICIPATION. RENDER CLOSED THE
MEETING BY EMPHASIZING THAT RWANDANS HAVE EVERYTHING TO
LOSE AND NOTHING TO GAIN IF THEY CONTINUE WITH THIS
POLITICAL IMPASSE. MURIGANDE AGREED AND SAID HE WOULD
CONVEY POINTS MADE IN RENDER'S DEMARCHE TO THE RPF
LEADERSHIP.
CHRISTOPHER
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