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RELEASED IN PART
Bl, 1.4(B), 1.4(D)
221851Z
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/044R
DRAFTED BY: AF/C: KCAISTON
APPROVED BY: AF/C: RJFENDRICK
54CD73 221852Z /38
0 221848Z JUN 94
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA IMMEDIATE
INFO AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY ACCRA
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
AMEMBASSY BEIJING
AMEMBASSY BONN
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
AMEMBASSY DAKAR
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
AMEMBASSY LONDON
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
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AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
AMEMBASSY ROME
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
F72
UNCLASSIFIED
166974 221851Z
CONFIDENTIALSTATE 166974
YAOUNDE FOR DATT
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL MOPS PHUM RW
SUBJECT: AF/C DISCUSSES FRENCH PROPOSAL WITH RPF
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: ARCHIE M BOLSTER
CLASSIFICATION: CONFIDENTIAL REASON: 1.4(B), 1.4(D)
DECLASSIFY AFTER: 22 JUN 2015
DATE/CASE ID: 04 NOV 2011 201005065
UNCLASSIFIED
DOEE-00
10-16
01C-02
SP-00
SNIS-00
UNCLASSIFIED
1.
CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.
2. SUMMARY. AF/C DIRECTOR RENDER AND RWANDA DESKOFF
AISTON MET WITH RPF REPS GERARD GAHIMA AND CHARLES
MURIGANDE ON JUNE 17 TO DISCUSS THE FRENCH PROPOSAL FOR
AN INTERVENTION FORCE IN RWANDA TO PROTECT CIVILIANS
PENDING THE ARRIVAL OF EXPANDED UNAMIR. THE RPF VOICED A
LONG LIST OF OBJECTIONS CENTERED ON THEIR DEEP SUSPICION
OVER FRENCH MOTIVES. AF/C SOUGHT TO ASSURE THE RPF THAT
THE PROPOSAL HAD A PURELY HUMANITARIAN PURPOSE, WAS
MULTILATERAL IN NATURE, OF A SHORT DURATION, AND WOULD BE
UNDER UN AUSPICES. END SUMMARY
3.
GAMMA SAID THAT GIVEN THEIR HISTORY IN RWANDA, THE
B1
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166974 221851Z
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-- THE RPF THINKS THE FRENCH ARE GOING IN TO PROTECT THE
KILLERS, NOT TO PREVENT ATROCITIES. GOR FORCES COMMITTED
ATROCITIES THROUGHOUT THE THREE-YEAR WAR AND FRENCH
FORCES LOOKED ON AND NEVER INTERVENED TO SAVE ANYONE.
-- THE ARUSHA ACCORDS REQUIRE THE DEPARTURE OF ALL
FOREIGN FORCES, WHICH, FROM THE RPF'S PERSPECTIVE, MEANT
THE FRENCH. IF THE FRENCH RETURN, THIS WOULD PLACE INTO
QUESTION THE ARUSHA ACCORDS.
B1
-- WITH THE UN HAVING APPROVED EXPANDED UNAMIR, NO
UNCLASSIFIED
COUNTRY SHOULD TAKE UNILATERAL ACTION. THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY SHOULD GO FORWARD WITH DEPLOYMENT OF EXPANDED
UNAMIR AND, IF THERE'S A PROBLEM, THE SECURITY COUNCIL
SHOULD EXAMINE APPROPRIATE STEPS.
4. RENDER EXPLAINED THAT THE FRENCH PROPOSAL IS FOR AN
INTERNATIONAL-AFRICAN FORCE TO CARRY OUT THE EXPANDED
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UNAMIR MANDATE TO PROTECT THREATENED POPULATIONS. IT IS
MERELY A STOP GAP MEASURE UNTIL EXPANDED UNAMIR FORCES
ARRIVE. THE FORCE WOULD NOT INTERVENE BETWEEN THE TWO
WARRING FACTIONS OR SUPPORT THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT, AS
THE RPF FEARED. RENDER ADDED THAT THE FRENCH WANTED THE
FORCE TO HAVE THE SANCTION OF THE UN.
5. RENDER SAID THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WANTS TO SEE
THE KILLINGS STOP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. DIPLOMATIC
PRESSURE HAS NOT ACHIEVED THAT OBJECTIVE, AND UNAMIR IS
NOT ON THE GROUND YET. WE SUPPORT THE FRENCH INITIATIVE
BECAUSE IT CAN PROVIDE IMMEDIATE PROTECTION TO CIVILIAN
POPULATIONS UNTIL UNAMIR ARRIVES. AT THE SAME TIME, WE
ARE WORKING TO SPEED UP DEPLOYMENT OF UNAMIR.
6. GAHIMA AND MURIGANDE RAISED SEVERAL ADDITIONAL
CONCERNS AFTER HEARING THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THE FRENCH
PROPOSAL. GAHIMA FIRST ASKED WHETHER THE INTERVENTION
WILL SLOW DOWN EFFORTS TO DEPLOY UNAMIR. RENDER SAID IT
COULD WELL HAVE THE REVERSE EFFECT OF SPURRING THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO ACCELERATE THEIR EFFORTS IN
THIS REGARD. GAHIMA THOUGHT THAT IF THE FRENCH
CONTRIBUTE TROOPS DIRECTLY TO UNAMIR, THE RPF MIGHT BE
MORE FAVORABLY DISPOSED TO THE OPERATION. GAHIMA SAID
UNILATERAL FRENCH INTERVENTION CLEARLY WOULD NOT BE
ACCEPTABLE AND THE ADDITION OF SOME TROOPS FROM FORMER
FRENCH COLONIES "WOULDN'T COUNT", SINCE THE RPF
CONSIDERED THEM TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON FRANCE.
7. GAHIMA ALSO EXPRESSED THE CONCERN THAT FRENCH
INTERVENTION COULD RADICALIZE AND CREATE A "RESTIVE"
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UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
SITUATION IN BURUNDI. RENDER URGED THE RPF TO USE ITS
INFLUENCE IN BURUNDI TO HELP MAZE SURE THINGS STAY CALM.
8. GAMMA SAID FRENCH INTERVENTION WOULD HAVE A NEGATIVE
EFFECT ON THE PEACE AGREEMENT AND THEY WILL HAVE TO
RE-EVALUATE IT IN THAT LIGHT. RENDER NOTED POINTEDLY
THAT THE RPF HAD ALREADY SAID THEY CONSIDERED ARUSHA
STILL VALID, BUT NOW THEY ARE SUGGESTING THEY MIGHT NOT
RESPECT IT. SHE WONDERED ALOUD WHETHER THE RPF ONLY
APPLIED ARUSHA INTERMITTENTLY.
UNCLASSIFIED
B1
10. BUJUMBURA - MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.
TALBOTT
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