Citation
UNCLASSIFIED
Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL
Currgnt Handling: n/a
Document Number: 1994STATE113774
INFO LOG-00 COR-01 AMAD-01 CCO-00 OASY-00 TEDE-00 ADS-00
/002R
DRAFTED BY S/S-O:SEISENBRAUN
APPROVED BY S/S-O;SEISENBRAUN
41COBD 300158Z /38
O 300129Z APR 94 ZFFS
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
INFO USDEL SECRETARY IMMEDIATE
CONFIDENTIALSTATE 113774 TOSEC 060225
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (MRN 123774 VICE MRN 113773)
FOLLOWING PARIS 11799 SENT ACTION SECSTATE INFO
BRUSSELS DAR ES SALAAM BUJUMBURA KAMPALA PRETORIA
KINSHASA NAIROBI USUN NEW YORK USIA WASHDC APR 29
BEING RPTD FOR UR INFO:
QTE:
C ONFIDENTIALPARIS 11799
PRETORIA FOR A/S MOOSE
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MOPS, RW, CG, US, FR
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH THE RWANDA INTERIM GOVERNMENT
FOREIGN MINISTER IN PARIS, APRIL 29
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02
STATE 113774 300158Z
REF: A) PARIS 11541 B) PARIS 11412 C) STATE 112320
1.
CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.
2. SUMMARY: THE DCM MET WITH FOREIGN MINISTER OF THE
INTERIM GOVERNMENT OF RWANDA JEROME BICAMUMPAKA AND
FOREIGN MINISTRY POLITICAL DIRECTOR, JEAN BOSCO
BARAYAGWIZA, ON APRIL 291
SHE URGED IN THE STRONGEST TERMS THAT
GOVERNMENT
DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO BRING
THE INIEMTMTO A HALT THE MASS KILLINGS IN RWANDA (REF C).
BICAMUMPAKA ARGUED THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE
MASSACRES LIES WITH THE RPF AND THE GOVERNMENT OF
UGANDA FOR PROVIDING DIRECT SUPPORT TO THE REBELS. HE
CLAIMED THAT THE GOVERNMENT REMAINS COMMITTED TO AN
IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ARUSHA
ACCORDS. FOLLOWING THE MEETING, WE ISSUED A PRESS
RELEASE TO 40 NEWSPAPERS AND PUBLICATIONS ALONG THE
LINES SUGGESTED IN REF (C). END SUMMARY.
RESPONSIBILTY OF GOVERNMENT
3. ON APRIL 29 THE DCM MET WITH THE FOREIGN MINISTER
OF RWANDA'S INTERIM GOVERNMENT, JEROME BICAMUMPAKA AND
FOREIGN MINISTRY POLITICAL DIRECTOR JEAN BOSCO
BARAYAGWIZA
4 THE DCM MADE THE POINTS CONTAINED IN REF (C) AND
REITERATED THEM SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE MJ 03/.445.3,5'S
DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON, WE CONFIRMED THAT THE USG IS
EXAMINING EVENTS IN RWANDA TO SEE IF THEY CAN BE
CLASSIFIED AS GENOCIDE IN THE PRECISE LEGAL MEANING OF
THE TERM.
TELLING THE GOVERNMENT'S SIDE OF THE STORY
5. IN RESPONSE TO THE DCM'S PRESENTATION BICAMUMPAKA
RESPONDED THAT HE HOPED TO MAKE A PRESENTATION TO THE
UN SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ON EVENTS IN RWANDA[
IN, A LATER
OFFICIALS
EXCHANGE, HE ADDED THAT INTERIM GUVERNM
BELIEVE THAT USG AUTHORITIES ARE RECEIVING "UNBALANCED"
INFORMATION ABOUT EVENTS IN RWANDA AND URGED THAT HE OR
ANOTHER AUTHORITATIVE SPOKESMAN BE ALLOWED TO PRESENT
THE VIEWS DIRECTLY.
6. BICAMUMPAKA STRESSED THAT THE TWO KEY OBJECTIVES OF
THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT ARE TO STOP THE ETHNIC MASSACRES
AND TO CARRY OUT THE ARUSHA ACCORDS. HE MADE A NUMBER
OF FAMILIAR POINTS IN SUPPORT OF THIS STATEMENT:
-- THE RPF OFFENSIVE, WHICH BEGAN SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH
THE DOWNING OF THE PRESIDENT'S PLANE, IS THE ROOT CAUSE
OF THE MASSACRES. THE OFFENSIVE WILL CONTINUE AS LONG
AS THE RPF BELIEVES IT CAN PROFIT MILITARILY FROM THE
SITUATION.
-- RWANDA'S ARMED FORCES AND GOVERNMENT ARE PREPARED
TO ACCEPT AN IN-PLACE CEASE FIRE AND HAVE SAID SO
PUBLICLY, ONLY TO BE REJECTED BY THE RPF.
-- THE RWANDAN INTERIM GOVERNMENT HAS MADE UNCEASING
EFFORTS SINCE ASSUMING POWER TO PROTECT CIVILIAN
POPULATION AND HAS ISSUED REPEATED CALLS FOR A HALT TO
ETHNIC STRIFE.
-- DUE TO THE THREAT OF THE RPF OFFENSIVE, THE
GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT MILITARY MANPOWER
TO ASSURE SECURITY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. THE
GENDARMERIE HAS BEEN DEPLOYED WITH SOME SUCCESS.
-- THE GOVERNMENT HAS NEVER ABANDONED ITS ADHERENCE TO
THE ARUSHA ACCORDS, DESPITE THEIR MASSIVE VIOLATION BY
THE RPF. THE GOVERNMENT HAS SENT A LARGE DELEGATION TO
DAR ES SALAAM TO MEET WITH PRESIDENT MWINYI AND THE
DELEGATION IS PREPARED TO STAY THERE AS LONG AS MWINYI
BELIEVES THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF ARRANGING TALKS.
THE ROLE OF UGANDA
. BICAMUMPAKA ALLEGED /
LUNTINUhD THAT THERE ARE CREDIBLE
REPORTS OF DIRECT INVOLVEMENT BY NRA TROOPS, UGANDAN
HELICOPTERS BEING USED TO TRANSPORT RPF TROOPS, AND
UGANDAN SPOTTER PLANES FLYING MISSIONS IN COMBAT
SITUATIONS. HE ASKED THAT THE USG AND THE OTHER
WESTERN OBSERVERS TO THE ARUSHA TALKS BRING PRESSURE ON
MUSEVENI TO END HIS SUPPORT FOR THE RPF.I
B1
FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS
7. WE BRIEFED THE QUAI AND THE ELYSEE ON OUR
DISCUSSIONS WITH THE THE RWANDANS AND PREPARED A PRESS
RELEASE BASED ON THE POINTS IN REF (C) AND TRANSMITTED
IT TO 40 NEWSPAPERS AND SPECIALIZED PUBLICATIONS IN
PARIS ON THE AFTERNOON OF APRIL 29. THE TEXT HAS BEEN
SENT TO AF/C AND EMBASSY BRUSSELS VIA E-MAIL.
HARRIMAN
UNQUOTE TALBOTT
CONFIDENTIAL
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