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DRAFTED BY: AF/C:MEGRANDFIELD:MEG
APPROVED BY: ACTING SECRETARY:STALBOTT
AF/C:DRAWSON/RFENDRICK
AF/E:GCOLVIN
EUR/WE:ACARSON
AF:GEMOOSE
HA:JKAUFMANN
IO:GWAPD
USUN/W:ESHOCAS (INFO)
D:JWITHERS
S/S-O:MRKENNON
S/S:RLWILSON
480685 180158Z /38
O P 180157Z MAY 94
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE
INFO AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY
USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BONN PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA PRIORITY
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STATE 131555 180157Z
AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA PRIORITY
CONFIDENTIALSTATE 131555
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, PGOV, RW
SUBJECT: ACTING SECRETARY CONVOKES RWANDAN AMBASSADOR
1. SUMMARY/ACTION REQUEST. THE RWANDAN INTERIM
GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED THE ACTING SECRETARY'S MAY 17 PROPOSAL
THAT EVACUATION BY UNAMIR BE ARRANGED WITHIN 72 HOURS FOR
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: CHARLES L DARIS
DATE/CASE ID: 11 JUN 2007 200103014
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
ALL PERSONS TRAPPED IN PLACES OF REFUGE IN GOR-CONTROLLED
ZONES OF RWANDA. ACTION REQUESTS FOR USUN, KAMPALA AND
PARIS IN PARAS. 6, 7, AND 8. END SMMARY/ACTION REQUEST.
2. ACTING SECRETARY TALBOTT CONVOKED RWANDAN AMBASSADOR
ALOYS UWIMANA MAY 17 TO EXPRESS USG'S EXTREME CONCERN FOR
THE FATE OF SOME 30,000 PEOPLE TRAPPED IN VARIOUS PLACES
OF REFUGE (INCLUDING HOTELS, CHURCHES, AND STADIUMS)
BEHIND GOR LINES. ASSISTANT SECRETARIES GEORGE MOOSE
(AF), JOHN SHATTUCK (HA) AND DAS GEORGE WARD (I0) ALSO
ATTENDED THE MEETING, AS DID U.S. AMBASSADOR TO RWANDA
DAVID RAWSON. THE ACTING SECRETARY TOLD AMB. UWIMANA IN
STRONG, DIRECT TERMS THAT PRESIDENT CLINTON AND SECRETARY
CHRISTOPHER PLACE THE HIGHEST POSSILE IMPORTANCE ON THE
GOR'S ACCEPTANCE OF THE PLAN TO EVACUATE, WITH UNAMIR
PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE, ALL PERSONS TRAPPED IN PLACES
OF REFUGE IN GOR-CONTROLLED TERRITORY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
3. THE ACTING SECRETARY TOLD AMB. WIMANA THAT IF THE
INTERIM GOVERNMENT ACCEPTS IMMEDIATE EVACUATIONS OF
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STATE 131555 180157Z
TRAPPED CIVILIANS, HE WOULD ASK USUN TO WORK WITH THE
SECRETARY GENERAL AND UNAMIR TO COORDINATE THE LOGISTICS
OF THE EVACUATIONS. HE ALSO PLEDGED US ASSISTANCE IN
SEEKING THE COOPERATION OF THE RPF TO PERMIT THE
EVACUATIONS TO BE CARRIED OUT. THE ACTING SECRETARY
REMINDED AMB. UWIMANA THAT IF THE GOR DID NOT COOPERATE
WITH IMMEDIATE EVACUATION OF THOSE TRAPPED, RWANDA WOULD
FACE FURTHER AND STRONGER INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION IN
THE UPCOMING SPECIAL SESSION OF THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS
COMMISSION ON RWANDA. AMB. UWIMANA AGREED TO PASS ON THE
PROPOSAL TO HIS GOVERNMENT AND SAID THAT HE WAS CONFIDENT
IT WOULD BE ACCEPTED.
4. FOLLOWING THE MEETING WITH THE ACTING SECRETARY, AMB.
UWIMANA MET SEPARATELY WITH AF A/S GEORGE MOOSE. IN THAT
MEETING AMB. UWIMANA PROTESTED THE S REFUSAL TO MEET WITH
INTERIM GOVERNMENT FOREIGN MINISTER BICAMUMPAKA AND
COMPLAINED THAT THE US FAVORED THE RPF AND WAS PREJUDICED
AGAINST THE RWANDAN GOVERNMENT, CITING RECENT US VISA
RESTRICTIONS ON GOR OFFICIALS. A/S MOOSE REITERATED TO
AMB. UWIMANA THAT THE U.S. HAD CALLED UPON BOTH SIDES IN
RWANDA TO END THE KILLINGS AND CEASE VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN
RIGHTS. A/S MOOSE EMPHASIZED THAT THE DIRECTION OF
FURTHER USG ENGAGEMENT ON RWANDA DEPENDED ON THE GOR'S
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
RESPONSE TO OUR PROPOSAL THAT ALL TRAPPED CIVILIANS BE
IMMEDIATELY EVACUATED.
5. AN HOUR AFTER HE LEFT THE DEPARTMENT, AMB. UWIMANA
TELEPHONED A/S MOOSE TO SAY THAT HE HAD SPOKEN TO INTERIM
GOVERNMENT PRIME MINISTER JEAN KAMBANDA, WHO CONFIRMED THE
GOR'S ACCEPTANCE OF THE EVACUATION PROPOSAL. AMB. UWIMANA
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REPORTED THAT THE PRIME MINISTER TOLD HIM THAT HE HAD
ALREADY INFORMED VISITING FRENCH ENVOY BERNARD KOUCHNER
THAT THE GOR ACCEPTED THE NEED FOR EVACUATION OF TRAPPED
PERSONS. THE PRIME MINISTER WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT
EVACUATION OF THE MILLES COLLINES HOTEL WAS TO HAVE BEGUN
THE AFTERNOON OF MAY 17, BUT SAID HE HAD NO COMMUNICATION
WITH KIGALI FROM HIS LOCATION IN GITARAMA TO DETERMINE IF
THIS WAS TRUE.
ACTIONS REQUESTED:
6. FOR USUN: DEPARTMENT REQUESTS THAT AMBASSADOR
ALBRIGHT (OR OTHER APPROPRIATE HIGH-LEVEL US OFFICIAL)
MEET AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WITH SYG BOUTROS GHALI (OR
APPROPRIATE SYG OFFICER) TO APPRISE HIM OF THE ACTING
SECRETARY'S MEETING AND THE GOR'S ACCEPTANCE OF THE
PROPOSAL TO IMMEDIATELY EVACUATE TRAPPED CIVILIANS. THE
SYG SHOULD BE ASKED TO CONSULT WITH UNAMIR FORCE COMMANDER
DALLAIRE TO DETERMINE HIS VIEWS AS TO THE BEST METHOD OF
CARRYING OUT THE EVACUATIONS.
7. FOR KAMPALA. A/S MOOSE WILL ATTEMPT TO REACH RPF
COMMANDER PAUL KAGAME BY TELEPHONE MAY 18 TO REQUEST FULL
RPF COOPERATION WITH THE PLANNED EVACUATIONS OF THE FLACES
OF REFUGE. KAMPALA SHOULD ALSO CONVOKE RPF POLITICAL AND
MILITARY LEADERS AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS TO INFORM THEM OF
THE PLANNED EVACUATIONS AND TO DEMAND RPF COLLABORATION.
PLEASE INFORM DEPARTMENT OF RESULTS OF DEMARCHES TO RPF.
8.
FOR PARIS. POST SHOULD BRIEF GOF OFFICIALS AT
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UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
APPROPRIATE LEVELS ON GOR ACCEPTANCE OF THE ACTING
SECRETARY'S REQUEST FOR IMMEDIATE EVACUATION OF TRAPPED
CIVILIANS, AND SHOULD ASK THAT EFFORTS BY GOF FORMER
MINISTER OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS BERNARD KOUCHNER BE
COORDINATED WITH OUR EFFORTS THROUGH UNAMIR.
9. BUJUMBURA MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.
TALBOTT
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