Citation
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ORIGIN AF-01
STATE 092110 080412Z
RELEASED IN FULL
INFO LOG-00 ACDA-17 ACDE-00 AGRE-00 AID-01 AMAD-01
CIAE-00 OASY-00 DODE-00 EAP-01 EUR-01
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DRAFTED BY: AF/P:MBSWANN
APPROVED BY: AF/P:BWALKLEY
396055 080414Z /38
P 080402Z APR 94
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ALL AFRICAN DIPLOMATIC POSTS PRIORITY
ALL OECD CAPITALS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BONN PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY
AMCONSUL CALGARY PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY
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USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY
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AMEMBASSY KINSHASA PRIORITY
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AMEMBASSY LUANDA PRIORITY
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AMEMBASSY LUXEMBOURG PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY SANAA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY
USEC BRUSSELS PRIORITY
USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY
USIA WASHDC PRIORITY 0000
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: HARMON E KIRBY
DATE/CASE ID: 06 FEB 2008 200103014
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ARA-01
OIG0-01
NEA-01
PA-02
/072R
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SOMALIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
USCINCEUR VAIHIHGEN GE PRIORITY
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
USCINCSOC MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
USCINCTRANS INTEL CEN SCOTT AFB IL PRIORITY
UNCLAS STATE 092110
E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: OPRC, PREL, XA, US
SUBJECT: PRESS GUIDANCE - APRIL 7, 1994
1. BELOW IS GUIDANCE ON RWANDA/BURUNDI AND SOUTH AFRICA.
5. RWANDA/BURUNDI -- AF GUIDANCE
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Q. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YESTERDAY'S CRASH NEAR
KIGALI OF A PLANE CARRYING THE RWANDAN AND BURUNDI
PRESIDENTS?
A: LAST NIGHT, THE PRIVATE PLANE OF RWANDAN PRESIDENT
JUVENAL HABYARIMANA (J00-VENAL HAB-EE-ARI-MAMA) CRASHED ON
APPROACH TO KIGALI (KI-GA-LEE) AIRPORT, KILLING THE
RWANDAN PRESIDENT AND BURUNDI PRESIDENT CYPRIEN NTARYAMIRA
(SIP-REE-EN N-TAR-I-AMEERA). THE TWO LEADERS WERE
RETURNING FROM A ONE-DAY REGIONAL SUMMIT ON BURUNDI HELD
EARLIER IN THE DAY IN ARUSHA, TANZANIA. PRESIDENT
NTARYAMIRA REPORTEDLY DECIDED TO RETURN IN PRESIDENT
HABYARIMANA'S PLANE AND SPEND THE NIGHT IN KIGALI.
Q. WAS THIS AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMP WHO IS
RESPONSIBLE?
WE DO NOT KNOW THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH. THERE ARE REPORTS
THAT THE PLANE WAS FIRED ON AND SHOT DOWN, BUT THESE
REPORTS HAVE NOT BEEN CONFIRMED.
Q. DO WE KNOW OF ANY OTHER CASUALTIES?
A: THE BURUNDI MINISTER OF STATE FOR PLANNING (BERNARD
CIZA) (CHEE-ZA) AND THE BURUNDI MINISTER OF COMMUNICATION
(CYRIAQUE SIMBIZI) (SIM-BEE-ZEE) WERE ALSO KILLED IN THE
CRASH, ALONG WITH THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE RWANDAN ARMY,
A RWANDAN PRESIDENTIAL AIDE AND THE CREW. THERE ARE NO
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REPORTS OF SURVIVORS.
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Q. WHAT IS THE SECURITY SITUATION LIKE IN THE TWO
COUNTRIES?
A: IN RWANDA, THERE IS GUNFIRE IN THE CAPITAL OF KIGALI.
THERE ARE REPORTS OF COMMUNAL VIOLENCE IN THE NORTHERN
PART OF THE COUNTRY. THE AIRPORT IN KIGALI IS CLOSED.
SOMETIME TODAY, ELEMENTS OF THE RWANDAN SECURITY FORCES
EXECUTED THE CURRENT PRIME MINISTER, AGATHE UWILINGIYIMANA
(OO-WILLINGI-YIMANA), AFTER SHE SOUGHT SHELTER IN A UNDP
INSTALLATION. AT LEAST ONE OTHER MINISTER IS BELIEVED TO
HAVE BEEN MURDERED BY MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY, WHILE OTHER
MINISTERS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HAVE REPORTEDLY BEEN
TAKEN HOSTAGE.
IN BURUNDI, THE CAPITAL CITY BUJUMBURA REMAINED CALM
THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT AND INTO TODAY. THERE ARE NO REPORTS
OF VIOLENCE IN THE INTERIOR. THE AIRPORT IN BUJUMBURA IS
OPEN.
Q. HAS CIVIL WAR RETURNED TO RWANDA?
A: THERE ARE REPORTS OF CLASHES BETWEEN GOVERNMENT FORCES
AND THE REBEL PATRIOTIC FRONT BUT IT IS TOO EARLY TO
ASSESS THE SITUATION.
Q. HOW MANY AMERICANS ARE IN EACH COUNTRY? WHAT ARE WE
TELLING THEM AND ARE THEY SAFE?
A: THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 200 AMERICANS IN RWANDA AND
ABOUT 180 IN BURUNDI, FEWER THAN HALF OF WHOM ARE OFFICIAL
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AMERICANS AND DEPENDENTS. TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, ALL AMERICANS
ARE BELIEVED SAFE. BOTH EMBASSIES HAVE ACTIVATED THE
WARDEN SYSTEMS.
IN RWANDA, ALL AMERICANS HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO STAY AT
HOME. THE EMBASSY IN KIGALI IS CLOSED. THERE IS AN
EXISTING TRAVEL WARNING ASKING ALL AMERICANS TO DEFER
TRAVEL TO RWANDA.
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IN BURUNDI, AMERICANS WERE ADVISED TO STAY AT HOME LAST
NIGHT. THE EMERGENCY ACTION COMMITTEE MET TODAY AND IS
ADVISING RESIDENT AMERICANS TO EXERCISE CAUTION. THE
EMBASSY IN BUJUMBURA IS OPEN.
Q. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE TWO PRESIDENTS?
A: RWANDA -- HABYARIMANA, AGE 57, CAME TO POWER IN RWANDA
IN A MILITARY COUP IN 1973. AT THE BEGINNING OF 1994, HE
WAS SWORN IN AS PRESIDENT OF THE BROAD-BASED TRANSITION
GOVERNMENT PROVIDED FOR UNDER THE ARUSHA ACCORDS. THE
TRANSITION GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS TO INCLUDE REPRESENTATIVES
OF THE REBEL RWANDAN PATRIOTIC FRONT, IS TO LEAD THE
COUNTRY TO MULTIPARTY ELECTIONS AT THE END OF A 22-MONTH
TRANSITION PERIOD. THE TRANSITION PRIME MINISTER,
CABINET, AND ASSEMBLY HAVE NOT YET BEEN SWORN IN.
BURUNDI -- NTARYAMIRA, AGE 39, WAS CHOSEN BY THE NATIONAL
ASSEMBLY TO FILL THE VACANCY LEFT BY THE ASSASSINATION OF
PRESIDENT NDADAYE IN OCTOBER, 1993. NTARYAMIRA WAS SWORN
IN AS PRESIDENT IN FEBRUARY, 1994. HE HAD PREVIOUSLY
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SERVED AS MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE IN THE NDADAYE
ADMINISTRATION.
Q. WHO SUCCEEDS THE TWO LEADERS?
A: UNDER THE BURUNDI CONSTITUTION, THE PRESIDENT OF THE
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ACTS AS INTERIM PRESIDENT UNTIL THE
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SELECTS A SUCCESSOR.
IN RWANDA, THE SUCCESSION IS NOT CLEAR. THE ARUSHA ACCORD
PROVIDES THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE TRANSITION NATIONAL
ASSEMBLY ASSUMES THE PRESIDENCY ON AN INTERIM BASIS.
HOWEVER, THE ASSEMBLY HAS NOT YET BEEN INSTALLED.
Q. HOW MUCH AID DO WE PROVIDE TO THESE COUNTRIES?
A: IN BURUNDI, THE U.S. IS PROVIDING APPROXIMATELY
DOLLARS 18 MILLION IN EMERGENCY RELIEF TO REFUGEES AND
INTERNALLY DISPLACED. U.S. ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE TO BURUNDI
IS BUDGETED AT DOLLARS 8 MILLION FOR FY-94. WE SUPPORT
FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES AND MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH
CARE, PRIVATIZATION AND ENTERPRISE CREATION, AND RURAL
DEVELOPMENT. WE HAVE ALSO PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO THE
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DEMOCRATIC REFORM PROCESS. WE SUSPENDED AID FOLLOWING THE
COUP ATTEMPT BUT LIFTED THE AID SUSPENSION ON DECEMBER 10,
1993.
IN RWANDA, OUR FY-94 BUDGET FOR DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IS
DOLLARS 14.6 MILLION. OUR AID FOCUSES ON BUDGET REFORM,
DEMOCRATIZATION, PROMOTION OF PRIVATE ENTERPRISE, FAMILY
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PLANNING, AND AIDS PREVENTION. IN ADDITION, IN FY-93, WE
PROVIDED OVER DOLLARS 35 MILLION IN HUMANITARIAN AID TO
PERSONS DISPLACED BY THE WAR. SOME 350,000 REMAIN
DISPLACED, AND WE ESTIMATE THAT HUMANITARIAN AID WILL BE
AT LEAST DOLLARS 10 MILLION IN FY-94.
3.
BURUNDI: (I0)-- IMPACT OF DEATHS OF TWO PRESIDENTS
Q. WHAT WILL BE THE IMPACT OF THE DEATHS OF THE TWO
PRESIDENTS ON THE PEACE PROCESS IN THOSE COUNTRIESJ ON UN
OPERATIONS? UN PERSONNEL? WHAT ACTIONS ARE BEING TAKEN
BY THE UN?
A. IT IS TOO EARLY TO KNOW WHAT THE IMPACT OF THESE
DEATHS WILL BE ON THE PEACE PROCESS OR ON UN OPERATIONS.
WE ARE URGING ALL PARTIES IN BOTH COUNTRIES NOT TO LET
THIS TRAGIC EVENT DERAIL THE PEACE EFFORTS, WHICH ARE
STRONGLY SUPPORTED BY THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEIR PEOPLES.
THE SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COLIN KEATING OF NEW
ZEALAND, YESTERDAY ISSUED A STATEMENT OF CONCERN AND
CONDOLENCES TO THE GOVERNMENTS AND PEOPLE OF RWANDA AND
BURUNDI. HE ADDED THAT THE UN WOULD REVIEW THE SITUATION
OF UN PERSONNEL IMMEDIATELY TO ENSURE THEIR SAFETY.
4.
BURUNDI: WHITE HOUSE STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
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I WAS SHOCKED AND DEEPLY SADDENED TO LEARN OF THE TRAGIC
DEATHS OF PRESIDENT JUVENAL HABYARIMANA OF RWANDA AND
PRESIDENT CYPRIEN NTARYAMIRA OF BURUNDI LAST NIGHT IN A
PLANE CRASH OUTSIDE KIGALI, RWANDA. THE TWO PRESIDENTS
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WERE RETURNING FROM A REGIONAL SUMMIT IN ARUSHA, TANZANIA,
INTENDED TO BRING AN END TO THE CIVIL WARS THAT HAVE
PLAGUED THEIR TWO COUNTRIES FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES.
BOTH PRESIDENTS WERE SEEKING MEANS TO END THE BLOODSHED IN
THEIR TROUBLED COUNTRIES AND FACILITATE A MOVEMENT TOWARD
PEACE AND DEMOCRACY. THEIR DEATHS ARE A TRAGIC BLOW TO
THE LONG-SUFFERING RWANDAN AND BURUNDIAN PEOPLE.
I AM EQUALLY HORRIFIED THAT ELEMENTS OF THE RWANDAN
SECURITY FORCES HAVE SOUGHT OUT AND MURDERED RWANDAN
OFFICIALS, INCLUDING THE PRIME MINISTER, AGATHE
UWILINGIYIMANA.
ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES, I EXTEND MY
CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILIES OF THE DECEASED PRESIDENTS AND
THE PRIME MINISTER AS WELL AS TO THE PEOPLES OF THE TWO
NATIONS.
I STRONGLY CONDEMN THESE ACTIONS AND I CALL ON ALL PARTIES
TO CEASE ANY SUCH ACTIONS IMMEDIATELY. THESE TRAGEDIES
MUST NOT DERAIL RWANDA AND BURUNDI FROM PURSUING NATIONAL
RECONCILIATION AND DEMOCRACY.
5. SOUTH AFRICA: KISSINGER AND MEDIATION
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Q: WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT REPORTS THAT HENRY
KISSINGER HAS BEEN ASKED TO MEDIATE THE DISPUTE BETWEEN
THE ANC AND THE INKATHA FREEDOM PARTY?
A: WE UNDERSTAND THAT A JOINT COMMITTEE OF ANC AND
INKATHA OFFICIALS NOMINATED SEVEN INDIVIDUALS TO HELP
MEDIATE THE OUTSTANDING ISSUES BETWEEN THE ANC AND
INKATHA. NELSON MANDELA AND CHIEF BUTHELEZI HAVE SENT
LETTERS OF INVITATION TO THESE SEVEN PEOPLE. HENRY
KISSINGER WAS AMONG THE SEVEN INVITED.
THE USG HAD NO ROLE IN THE SELECTION OR ANY OTHER ASPECT
OF THE MEDIATION INITIATIVE. ANY AMERICANS PARTICIPATING
WOULD BE ACTING IN A PRIVATE CAPACITY.
INQUIRIES CONCERNING THE INVITATION TO DR. KISSINGER
SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO HIS OFFICE.
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DOES THE USG SUPPORT KISSINGER'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE
MEDIATION?
A: WE HAVE SUPPORTED DECISIONS TAKEN BY THE MAJOR
NEGOTIATING PARTIES TO ADDRESS OUTSTANDING CONSTITUTIONAL
ISSUES. IF THEY ENDORSE A MEDIATION PROCESS, WE WOULD
SUPPORT THAT AS WELL.
MIMIMIZE CONSIDERED CHRISTOPHER
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