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FM UKNIS NEW YORK
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1494
OF 270315Z APRIL 94
INFO IMMEDIATE PARIS, BRUSSELS, KAMPALA, ROME, DHAKA
INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON, ADDIS ABABA, ACCRA, NAIROBT "2"
INFO PRIORITY DAR ES SALAAM, UKMIS GENEVA ei"
INFO PRIORITY SECURITY COUNCIL POSTS, ACTOR
MY TELNO 1481 AND YOUR TELNO 605: RWANDA à
CR ° E
ere
nn À
SUMMARY Fe à
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1. Secretariat brief on developments. Fighting continues.
Airport shelled for the first time: some damage-but-it remains
functional. Some humanitarian supplies distributed to
displaced persons in the Anahoru stadium.
2. Council President briefs on his meeting with the Permanent
Representatives of Tenzanis and Uganda and the Representative
of the OAU. ALL underLined the need to put as much pressure as
possible on the parties to bring about àa political settlement,.
Council President's contacts with representatives of regional
countries to continue. Reservations sbout UK initiating a
Council Statement on Rwanda at this stage.
DETAIL
3. During informal consultations of the Security Council on
26 April, Gharekhan (the Secretary-General's Special Political
Adviser) gave a briefing on developments in Rwanda. Fighting
in Kigali continued. There had been heavy exchanges of
artillery and mortar fire over the past 24 hours, The airport
had for the first time been affected by the fighting. Mortar
shells fell on two occasions. However, there had been no
significant damage and the airport was still functional. The
Force Commander remaïîned very active în seeking to mediate
between the two parties. He was also engaged in discussions on
the safety of the displaced persons who head been under UNAMIR'Ss
protection în the Anahoru stadium, the King Faisal Hospital and
two hotels. The DHA sdvance team he had mentioned at his
previous briefing (para 5 of TUR) had been able to provide some
food, medical end sanîitary supplies to the stadium and the
hospital. The strength of UNAMIR remaîned at 450 eli ranks.
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Gharekhan also noted that the Secretary-General's Special
Representative was on his way back to Kigali from Arusha and
the Secretariat expected a briefing from him on his return.
à. Inderfurth CUS) asked if the Secretariat had any
information on World Food Programme efforts to bring an end to
the killings in the south and to bring food în. Gharekhan said
he had none but would investigate. Inderfurth underlined the
US wish to hear a response on this. They understood that the
WFP office in Burundi had approached the Rwandan Government via
their Ambassador in Burundi and demanded that the Government
bring its soldiers under control and end the killings. The
Security Council might want to consider supporting this WFP
initiative.
5, Keating (New Zealand, Council President) then briefed on
his discussions with representatives from the neighbouring
countries. He recalled that the Council had on 25 ‘April agreed
that ît would be appropriate for him to meet representatives
from the OAU and the neïghbouring countries to discuss what
steps should be taken to help energize the peace process in
Rwanda. The Permanent Representatives of Tanzania, Uganda and
the Representative of the OAU to the UN, accompanied by Iqgbal
Riza CASG, DPKO), had met the Council President on 26 April.
Keating had conveyed to them the Council's strong desire for
the UN to work în partnership with the OAU and the regional
countries concerned. The Ambassadors had begun by expressing
theïr disappointment at the reduction in UNAMIR's strength.
Keating briefed them in great detail on the events leading up
to the decision. He believed that by the end of the meeting,
they were more appreciative of the decision to Leave a UN
presence in place. Neîther the Tanzanian Ambassador nor the
OAU Representative had received a briefing on the failed
meeting in Arusha. The OAU representative underlined the need
for close cooperation between the UN and the OAU: together they
should urge neighbouring states to put as much pressure as
possible on the parties to bring about a solution. Keating
said there had also been some discussion of whether or not
neighbouring countries might be prepared to provide forces for
a future peacekeeping operation in Rwanda. Both Uganda and
Tanzania had noted the budgetary constraînts. The only
feasible option would be an operation conducted by the UN. The
Ambassadors had underlined the need for political efforts to be
coordineted by the UN în the field. They felt that the UN
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presence could perhaps be at a higher level and more forceful.
Keating said that he had agreed to meet again with the
Ambassadors before the end of the week, by which time they
should have instructions. He would involve Gasmbari (Nigeria),
the incoming Council President for the month of May, in that
contact. Gambari welcomed this, but added that contacts
between the President of the Security Council and
representatives of neïghbouring countries could not be a
substitute for the efforts of the Secretary-General, which must
continue, Gambari also commented on the possibility of a
blue-bereted force drawn from neighbouring states.
6. Kesating concluded with a number of personal observations.
He saïd that, if developments on the ground were positive, it
was unlikely to be possible to simply restore UNAMIR. If a UN
force went back it might be under very different circumstances.
Perhsaps the Secretariat should consider doing some contingency
planning on this issue. He also noted that there had been some
interest îin the need to energize communications with the
parties. Perhaps there was a role for a Security Council
mission to Rwanda. He also suggested that the Secretariat
should perhaps begin preparing a dossier on violations of
humanitarian Law in Rwanda, as suggested the previous day by
Yanez (Spain). This had been done for the Former Yugoslavia
and there was no resson why the ssme should not be done for
Rwanda. No-one else spoke. Keating saîïd he Left his ideas on
the table for members to reflect upon.
COMMENT
To First TUR may have misled slightly în implying that there
was no continuing process of Council action on Rwanda. As you
will see from paras 5 and 6 above, Council members agreed with
my suggestion on 25 April that Keating consult regional
representatives on the way forward. This process has now bequn
and will continue. In the circumstances, I do not think that
this îs Che right time to divert Council effort into discussion
of a Presidential statement. Quite apart from the Limited
impact such a statement would have on the ground, there could
be risks in our adopting a pro-active approach in the Council.
There would I believe be resistance to a statement which had no
meat - Î.e. commitment on the part of the UN - in it. Council
members are casting around for a way forward, and several
clearly hanker for an expanded role for the UN. Giving them an
opening to pursue the point again so soon after the difficult
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battle over the resolution might not be wise.
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