Résumé
French PermRep Merimee suggested to the other Perm Five March 3 that the Security Council authorize an Interpositional Force for Rwanda of 500-1000 Blue Helmets as soon as possible. He foresees a SC Resolution, but no Chapter seven reference. France has 600 troops on the ground which Merimee said could be made available to the UN if requested. Merimee cited the presence of Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) rebels near Kigali as evidence of the urgency with which the Council needs to tackle this situation to prevent possible massacres.
Citation
UNCLASSIFIED YY3 CONFIDENTIAL RELEASED IN FULL PAGE 01 USUN N 00973 040048Z ACTION 10-19 INFO LOG-00 AF-01 ARA-01 CIAE-00 C-01 OASY-00 DODE-00 EAP-01 EUR-01 HA-09 H-01 INR-00 L-03 ADS-00 NEA-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OIG-04 OMB-01 PA-01 PM-02 PRS-01 P-01 RPCS-01 SNP-00 SP-00 SS-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 SA-01 /052W A2B1 6F 040049Z /38 O 040032Z MAR 93 FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4804 INFO AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY KAMPALA IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY KIGALI IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA USMISSION GENEVA AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS C ONFIDENTIALUSUN NEW YORK 000973 PARIS FOR PERLOW E.0.12356: DECL:OADR TAGS: PREL, MARK, UNSC, RW SUBJECT: FRANCE WANTS SECURITY COUNCIL ACTION ON RWANDA REF: A) STATE 60041, B) PARIS 5164, C) KIGALI 867, C) CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 USUN N 00973 040048Z USUN 883, D) SHESTACK-FULLER TELCONS 3/3/93, E) SHESTACK-WEINTRAUB TELCON 3/3/93 1.CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.
2.FRENCH PERMREP MERIMEE SUGGESTED TO THE OTHER PERM FIVE MARCH 3 THAT THE SECURITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZE AN INTERPOSITIONAL FORCE FOR RWANDA OF 500-1000 BLUE HELMETS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. HE FORESEES A SC RESOLUTION, BUT NO CHAPTER SEVEN REFERENCE. FRANCE HAS 600 TROOPS ON THE GROUND WHICH MERIMEE SAID COULD BE
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE REVIEW AUTHORITY: HARMON E KIRBY DATE/CASE ID: 02 APR 2008 200103014 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED
MADE AVAILABLE TO THE UN IF REQUESTED. MERIMEES CITED THE PRESENCE OF RWANDAN PATRIOTIC FRONT (RPF) REBELS NEAR KIGALI AS EVIDENCE OF THE URGENCY WITH WHICH THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO TACKLE THIS SITUATION TO PREVENT POSSIBLE MASSACRES.
3. USUN BELIEVES THE FRENCH WILL ALSO BRING THIS MATTER UP AT THE AFTERNOON SC INFORMALS 3/3 ON BOSNIA. PER REFS D AND E, WE INTEND TO RESPOND AS FOLLOWS: THE OAU ALREADY HAS OBSERVERS IN RWANDA AND SHOULD BE CONSULTED FOR THEIR VIEWS ON THE FRENCH PROPOSAL.
-- THE SECRETARY GENERAL COULD BE ASKED TO REPORT TO THE COUNCIL ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEUTRAL INTERPOSITIONAL FORCE, BASED ON THE FINDINGS OF THE TEAM HE SENT TO RWANDA EARLIER THIS WEEK, AS WELL AS THE INPUT OF ALL PARTIES, INCLUDING THE OAU, RPF AND GOR.
-- THE USG WOULD NOT BE INCLINED TO OPPOSE UN AUGMENTATION OF THE OAU PRESENCE, IF THIS WERE
CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 USUN N 00973 0400482
ACCEPTABLE TO ALL PARTIES TO THE CONFLICT, INCLUDING THE RPF.
-- WE WOULD URGE AFRICAN PARTICIPATION IN THIS OPERATION. FURTHERMORE, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT TROOP CONTRIBUTING COUNTRIES BE ACCEPTABLE TO ALL PARTIES, INCLUDING THE RPF.
-- WHILE WE SHARE THE FRENCH VIEW REGARDING THE URGENCY OF ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM OF ALMOST A MILLION DISPLACED WHO CANNOT RETURN TO THEIR HOMES UNTIL A NEUTRAL INTERPOSITIONAL FORCE IS IN PLACE TO MONITOR A CEASEFIRE, WE WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE TANZANIANS AND OAU ARE HOSTING A HIGH LEVEL MEETING IN DAR ES SALAAM MARCH 5 AND 6 TO WORK OUT DETAILS OF A CEASEFIRE. THE COUNCIL MAY WISH TO AWAIT THE OUTCOME OF THIS MEETING BEFORE TAKING FURTHER ACTION.
ALBRIGHT
CONFIDENTIAL UNCLASSIFIED
