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UNCLASSIFIED
CONFIDENTIAL
Date Printed:
31 Oct 2002
DOCNBR: 1994KIGALI00273
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1BE74F 201450Z /38
P 201439Z JAN 94
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5552
INFO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
UNSECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
CONFIDENTIALKIGALI 00273
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL, UNSC, RW
SUBJECT: UNSC: ISSUES FOR DISCUSSION WITH NEW MEMBERS
REF: KIGALI 0228
1.
CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.
2. I MET MORNING 1/18 WITH FOREIGN MINISTER GASANA
AND REVIEWED ISSUES WHICH MIGHT COME BEFORE THE UNSC.
BECAUSE OF DCM'S MEETING WITH FOREIGN MINISTRY
DIRECTOR GENERAL INSONERE ON THE SAME SUBJECT
(REFTEL), FONMIN WAS WELL BRIEFED AND PREPARED TO
DISCUSS CONCERNS ON PEACEKEEPING IN AFRICA AND FORMER
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SOVIET UNION, SANCTIONS ON LIBYA AND IRAQ AND NUCLEAR
ISSUE IN NORTH KOREA. THE MINISTER CONFIRMED THAT HE
HAD SET UP A SPECIAL SECURITY COUNCIL POLICY UNIT
WITHIN THE MINISTRY AND THAT DIRECTOR GENERAL
INSONERE (FORMER AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES)
WOULD BE OUR CHIEF CONTACT IN THAT WORKING GROUP.
3. IN OUR DISCUSSION, THE MINISTER REPEATEDLY
REFERRED TO RWANDA AS A SOVEREIGN NATION CONCERNED
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL CONDUCT. RWANDA TOOK ITS
SECURITY COUNCIL ROLE SERIOUSLY, AND WANTED TO
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: FRANK E SCHMELZER
DATE/CASE ID: 01 AUG 2003 200203242
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DOCNBR: 1994KIGALI00273
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CONTRIBUTE TO INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION ON PEACE
FROM ITS PERSPECTIVE AS A DEVELOPING AFRICAN
COUNTRY. RWANDA FAVORED BROADENING THE UN'S
PEACEKEEPING ROLE AND AGREED ON THE UTILITY OF
SANCTIONS AS A MEASURE FOR INDUCING APPROPRIATE
BEHAVIOR AMONG NATION STATES.
4. ALTHOUGH THE MINISTER'S GRASP OF THE ISSUES AND
HIS POSITION ON THEM WAS REASSURING, THE MINISTER IS
SO INVOLVED IN POLITICS AS TO BE OFTEN OUT OF HIS
OFFICE AND HARDLY IN CONTACT WITH HIS MINISTERIAL
STAFF. IN DISCUSSIONS WITH DIRECTOR OF THE
PRESIDENT'S CABINET, RUHIGIRA, 1/17, I MENTIONED THE
DIFFICULTIES OF DOING BUSINESS WITH A HIGHLY
POLITICIZED TRANSITION GOVERNMENT. RUHIGIRA CLAIMED
THE ARUSHA PEACE ACCORD GAVE FOREIGN POLICY TO THE
PRBSIDENCY. THE INFERENCE WAS THAT IF WE WANTED A
DECISION MADE ON FOREIGN POLICY MATTERS, WE SHOULD GO
TO THE PRESIDENCY AND IT WOULD INSTRUCT RWANDAN
AMBASSADORS ABROAD.
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5. ALTHOUGH INFIGHTING OVER WHO GETS TO DO WHAT
WITHIN THE RWANDAN GOVERNMENT MAY HAMPER OUR EFFORTS
TO COORDINATE WITH RWANDA ON SECURITY COUNCIL
MATTERS, THE RWANDAN POSITION ON KEY ISSUES IS VERY
MUCH LIKE THAT OF THE UNITED STATES. THE RWANDAN
PERSPECTIVE IS, HOWEVER, THAT OF A POOR, SMALL
COUNTRY FOR WHOM RESPECT OF THE INTERNATIONAL ORDER
IS A PREAMBLE TO SURVIVAL
6. RWANDAN INTEREST FOCUSES ON AFRICAN PEACEKEEPING
ISSUES. THE FOREIGN MINISTER APPLAUDED U.S.
INITIATIVES IN SOMALIA AND CONSIDERED "OPERATION
RESTORE HOPE" A SUCCESS THAT COULD NOT BE DIMMED BY
SUBSEQUENT POLITICAL PROBLEMS. HE SAID RWANDANS WERE
DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S
PROVISION OF PEACEKEEPING FORCES WITHIN THIS COUNTRY,
THUS ALLOWING THE TIME AND POLITICAL SPACE FOR
HEALING NATIONAL DIVISIONS AND ACHIEVING
RECONCILIATION BETWEEN EXILED POPULATIONS AND THE
CURRENT ESTABLISHMENT.
7. IN ADDITION TO DISCUSSING UNSC ISSUES, I
REMINDED THE MINISTER OF A/S BENNET'S PLAN TO VISIT /
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FEBRUARY 1-3. HE WELCOMED THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY'S
VISIT AND PROMISED FULL ACCESS TO RWANDAN AUTHORITIES
SO THAT A/S BENNET MIGHT GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING
OF UN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS IN RWANDA AND EXCHANGE
VIEWS ON CRITICAL INTERNATIONAL ISSUES.
8. COMMENT: THE UNITED STATES CAN LOOK FOR
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CONSISTENT RWANDAN COOPERATION IN THE SECURITY
COUNCIL ON ISSUES WHICH CHALLENGE INTERNATIONAL
COMITY OR IN WHICH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS
SEEKING TO REESTABLISH ORDER. HOWEVER, SINCE IT
BEARS LITTLE COST OF U.N. OPERATIONS, AND IS INDEED A
MAJOR BENEFICIARY OF A SIGNIFICANT PEACEKEEPING
OPERATION, WE COULD EXPECT ANY RWANDAN CONCERN ABOUT
EXPENSES IN SUCH OPERATIONS TO BE MERE LIP SERVICE.
RAWSON
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