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53F969 202327Z /38
O 2022402 JUN 94
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE
SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7203
INFO WHITEHOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY ROME
UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY ACCRA
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
USMISSION GENEVA
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE
AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA
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USUN N 02549 202326Z
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AMEMBASSY DAKAR
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
AMEMBASSY TUNIS
C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 002549
WHITEHOUSE PASS TO NSC FOR RICE AND STEINBERG;
JOINT STAFF FOR CHAIRNAN, DIR JS, J3;
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISA
PARIS FOR PERLOW
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: ARCHIE M BOLSTER
DATE/CASE ID: 06 MAY 2011 201005065
E176
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
DOEE-00
LAB-01
OMB-01
SP-00
USIE-00
G-01
E.0.12356: DECL:OADR
UNCLASSIFIED
TAGS: MARK, PREL, PHUM, MOPS, FR, RW, UN
SUBJECT: UN DISCUSSES OF FRENCH INITIATIVE FOR RWANDA.
REF: USUN 2537
I. CONFIDENTIAL -- ENTIRE TEXT
2. AMBASSADOR MERIMEE INTRODUCED A DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR
FRENCH TROOPS IN RWANDA UNDER CHAPTER VII. THE FRENCH
ONCE AGAIN JUSTIFIED THEIR MISSION AS PURELY
HUMANITARIAN, AND ASSURED SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT
THEIR PURPOSE IN RWANDA WAS ONLY TO STOP THE KILLING,
AND WAS NOT TO BE CONSIDERED A PEACE KEEPING MISSION.
THE LENGTH OF TIME WAS LIMITED UNTIL UNIMIR COULD BE
DEPLOYED. AMB. MERIMEE ALSO HOPED THAT OTHER EUROPEAN
GOVERNMENTS WOULD JOIN THE FRENCH.
3. NEW ZEALAND EXPRESSED DOUBTS ABOUT THE FRENCH
MISSION, STATING THAT A UNITED NATIONS MISSION WAS THE
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BEST WAY TO HELP RWANDA. HE STATED THAT A COALITION OF
GOVERNMENTS UNDER THE FRENCH FLAG, AND NOT A UN FLAG,
MIGHT EXACERBATE THE PROBLEM. NEW ZEALAND ALSO
QUESTIONED THE LOGIC THAT UNIMIR COULD NOT DEPLOY
TROOPS, YET MULTILATERAL TROOPS UNDER A FRENCH FLAG
COULD BE DEPLOYED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.
4. SPAIN, ARGENTINA AND BRAZIL ARE STILL WAITING TO HEAR
FROM THEIR GOVERNMENTS, BUT ALSO EXPRESSED SOMEWHAT
SYMPATHETIC VIEWS TOWARDS THE FRENCH MISSION, NOTING THE
"UNIQUE SITUATION" CONCERNING RWANDA.
5. NIGERIA, CHINA AND PAKISTAN HELD NO FORMAL OPINION
YET, AS THEY ARE WAITING FOR THE DECISION OF THE NAM
CAUCUS, NIGERIA, HOWEVER, WONDERED WHY COUNTRIES WERE
NOT PRESSURED INTO JOINING UNIMIR INSTEAD OF JOINING
UNDER THE FRENCH INITIATIVE.
6. THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, THE UNITED STATES, THE UK,
THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND DJIBOUTI ALL EXPRESSED THEIR
SUPPORT FOR THE FRENCH PROPOSAL. THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
NOTED THE IMPORTANCE OF REGULARLY INFORMING THE
SECURITY COUNCIL, AND THAT THE FRENCH SHOULD HAVE A
CLEAR MANDATE AND A LIMITED TIME PERIOD, WHILE THE UK
UNCLASSIFIED
SOUGHT CLARIFICATION THAT THE FRENCH MISSION WOULD BE
FUNDED BY THE FRENCH. THE RUSSIANS ALSO STATED THAT A
CONDITION FOR THE MISSION SHOULD BE THE AGREEMENT OF
BOTH PARTIES, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, THAT NEITHER PARTY
REJECT THE INITIATIVE.
7. THE RPF SPOKE WITH USUN AMB. GELBER TO CONVEY THEIR
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DISMAY. THEY STATED THAT THEY WELCOMED UNIMIR, BUT
WOULD TREAT THE FRENCH MOVE AS AN ACT OF AGGRESSION.
THEY MAINTAIN THAT THE FRENCH SHOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE
DEPLOYMENT OF UNIMIR INSTEAD OF HEADING UP THEIR OWN
MISSION. THE RPF MADE IT CLEAR THEY WILL CONSIDER SC
ENDORSEMENT OF THE FRENCH INITIATIVE AS A DECLARATION OF
WAR BY THE COUNCIL AGAINST THE RPF. THEY ARE PREPARED
TO FIGHT THE FRENCH FOR AS LONG AS THEY STAY IN RWANDA.
THE RPF REJECTED REQUESTS BY MINISTER KOUCHNER AND THE
FRENCH AMBASSADOR IN THE FIELD TO MEET WITH THEIR
LEADERSHIP, SAYING THAT THE FRENCH WERE NOT WILLING TO
NEGOTIATE, BUT HAD ALREADY MADE UP THEIR MINDS. THE RPF
ALSO SENT A LETTER WITH SIMILAR VIEWS TO THE PRESIDENT
OF THE SC (FAXED TO DEPT).
8. WE ANTICIPATE THAT THE RESOLUTION WILL BE DISCUSED IN
INFORMALS ON JUNE 21 AND A VOTE COULD COME AS SOON AS
WEDNESDAY.
ALBRIGHT
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