Citation
CONFIDENTIAL
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ACTION EUR-01
UNCLASSIFIED
BRUSSE 03919 01 OF 02 071530Z
INFO LOG-00 AF-01
OIGO-01
EB-01
LAB-01 L-01
PM-00
PA-01
SR-00
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RPE-01 PMB-00
RELEASED IN FULL
OASY-00 DOEE-00
AID-01 CIAE-00 C-01
TEDE-00
INR-00
10-16
H-01
HA-09
ADS-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01
RP-10
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PRS-01 P-01
USIE-00
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/055W
39243C 071531Z /38
O 071519Z APR 94
FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6325
INFO AMEMBASSY KIGALI IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI IMMEDIATE
JCS WASHDC//J4//J5//IMMEDIATE
SECDEF WASHDC//0ASD/ISP//IMMEDIATE
USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//J3/J4/BATTLE STAFF//IMMEDIATE
CINCTRANS SCOTT AFB IL//J3/J4//IMMEDIATE
CINCUSAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE//CC/DC/IN// IMMEDIATE
DIA WASHDC//IMMEDIATE
CONFIDENTIALSECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 03919
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, PREF, KDEM, RW, BY, BE
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
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PAGE 02
SUBJECT: BELGIAN MFA ON SITUATION IN RWANDA
REF: A) BRUSSELS 3880; B) FENDRICK-JOHNSON TELCON OF 4/7
1.
CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.
SUMMARY. BELGIAN MFA CONFIRMED DEATHS OF RWANDESE
2.
MINISTERS OF PUBLIC WORKS AND INFORMATION, SAID THEIR
MISSION IN RWANDA REPORTED THAT THE MINISTERS OF FINANCE
AND AGRICULTURE HAD DISAPPEARED, AND THAT 5 BELGIAN UNAMIR
SOLDIERS PROTECTING THE PRIME MINISTER HAD BEEN TAKEN. BY
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: ARCHIE M BOLSTER
DATE/CASE ID: 06 MAY 2011 201005065
E398
UNCLASSIFIED
THE RWANDESE MILITARY. THE BELGIANS ONLY KNEW THE PRIME
MINISTER HAD FLED. POLCOUNS PASSED TO THEM OUR
INFORMATION THAT SHE HAD BEEN KILLED. THE BELGIAN MFA HAD
SENT MESSAGES THROUGH THEIR MISSIONS TO THE UN AND TO
WASHINGTON TO ASK ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF MODIFYING UN
MANDATE TO PROTECT OR EVACUATE EXPATRIATES. BELGIAN
MILITARY CONTINGENCY PLANNERS TELL US THE RWANDAN MILITARY
CONTROLS THE AIRPORT BUT THE BELGIANS CONTROL A PART OF
THE AIRPORT AROUND THEIR C-180. CONTINGENCY PLANNERS ARE
LOOKING INTO USING ADDITIONAL TROOPS TO STABILIZE THE
SITUATION LOCALLY OR USING SUCH TROOPS IN ORDER TO ASSIST
IN A COMPLETE EVACUATION OF ALL UNAMIR FORCES AND OF ALL
FOREIGN CIVILIANS WHO WISH TO LEAVE. THEY ARE CONSIDERING
THREE APPROACHES: A) USE OF UNAMIR; B) SENDING IN A
REINFORCED BATTALION OF 800 BELGIANS DIRECTLY TO RWANDA OR
C) STAGING THE BATTALION IN BURUNDI TO BE AVAILABLE FOR
USE IN RWANDA IF REQUIRED. NO DECISIONS HAVE AS YET BEEN
TAKEN, BUT IF THE BELGIANS DECIDE IT IS NECESSARY TO SEND
IN A REINFORCED BATTALION, THEY WILL LIKELY COME TO US FOR
AIRLIFT. END SUMMARY.
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BRUSSE 03919 01 OF 02 071530Z
IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS FROM REF B, POLCOUNS SPOKE
2.
TO WIL JAENEN, DIRECTOR AFRICAN AFFAIRS AT BELGIAN MFA.
JAENEN SAID SITUATION WAS VERY SERIOUS IN RWANDA, WITH
MILITARY KILLING MINISTERS AND OTHER TUTSI POLITICIANS.
THE BELGIAN MISSION COULD CONFIRM THAT THE MINISTERS OF
INFORMATION AND PUBLIC WORKS HAD BEEN KILLED. THE LATTER
WAS TALKING TO UNAMIR WHEN HE WAS KILLED. THE MINISTERS
OF FINANCE AND AGRICULTURE HAVE DISAPPEARED. FIVE BELGIAN
MEMBERS OF THE UNAMIR MISSION PROTECTING THE PRIME
MINISTER AT HER RESIDENCE HAD BEEN TAKEN BY THE RWANDAN
MILITARY. THEIR FATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE BELGIANS
UNDERSTOOD THE PRIME MINISTER HAD FLED. POLCOUNS TOLD
JAENEN THAT OUR INFORMATION WAS THAT UNDP EXPATRIATES HAD
WITNESSED THE KILLING OF THE PRIME MINISTER.
3. JAENEN SAID THAT THE BELGIAN MILITARY HAD BEEN ASKED
TO DO CONTINGENCY/CONTINGENCY PLANNING FOR AN EVACUATION
OF EXPATRIATES BUT NO DECISIONS HAD BEEN MADE. HE SAID
THE BELGIAN MFA HAD SENT MESSAGES TO THEIR MISSIONS IN NEW
YORK AND WASHINGTON ASKING IF WE SHOULD NOT CONSIDER
CONVERTING THE UNAMIR MANDATE TO ALLOW UNAMIR TO
PROTECT/EVACUATE EXPATRIATES AS NEEDED.
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
4. JAENEN SAID THE BELGIANS IN UNAMIR DID NOT/NOT CONTROL
THE AIRPORT BUT DID CONTROL A PORTION OF IT AROUND A C-130
THEY HAD ON THE GROUND.
UNCLASSIFIED
5. SEPARATELY, A JOINT STAFF OPERATIONS OFFICER AT THE
MINISTRY OF DEFENSE TOLD EMBASSY DAO THAT THE MILITARY WAS
DEVELOPING CONTINGENCY PLANS. HE CONFIRMED THAT 5
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BELGIANS WITH UNAMIR HAD DISAPPEARED. HE ALSO SAID 5
PLATOONS WERE CUT OFF AT THE AIRPORT BETWEEN THE ARMY AND
THE GENDARMERIE. THEY WERE NOT IN IMMEDIATE DANGER.
6. AMONG THE OPTIONS UNDER CONSIDERATION BY THE MILITARY
ON A CONTINGENCY BASIS ARE THE USE OF UNAMIR TROOPS TO
EVACUATE CIVILIANS IN RWANDA OR TO SEND UP TO A REINFORCED
BATTALION (EITHER DIRECTLY TO RWANDA OR TO BURUNDI TO BE
ON STAND-BY IF NEEDED) TO SUPPORT TROOPS ALREADY IN PLACE
CONFIDENTIAL
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CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 01
ACTION EUR-01
BRUSSE 03919 02 OF 02 071530Z
INFO LOG-00 AF-01
OIGO-01
EB-01
LAB-01 L-01
PM-00
PA-01
SR-00
SP-00
RPE-01 PMB-00
OASY-00 DOEE-00
AID-01 CIAE-00 C-01
10-16
TEDE-00 INR-00
H-01
HA-09
ADS-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01
SCT-03 SNP-00
RP-10
PRS-01 P-01
TRSE-00
T-00
USIE-00
STR-01
SS-00
/055W
392448 071531Z /38
0 071519Z APR 94
UNCLASSIFIED
FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
UNCLASSIFIED
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6326
INFO AMEMBASSY KIGALI IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI IMMEDIATE
JCS WASHDC//J4//J5//IMMEDIATE
SECDEF WASHDC//0ASD/ISP//IMMEDIATE
USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//J3/J4/RATTLE STAFF//IMMEDIATE
CINCTRANS SCOTT AFB IL//J3/J4//IMMEDIATE
CINCUSAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE//CC/DC/IN// IMMEDIATE
DIA WASHDC//IMMEDIATE
CONFIDENTIALSECTION 02 OF 02 BRUSSELS 03919
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, PREF, KDEM, RW, BY, BE
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
BRUSSE 03919 02 OF 02 071530Z
PAGE 02
SUBJECT: BELGIAN MFA ON SITUATION IN RWANDA
IN RWANDA. THE MISSION WOULD BE EITHER TO RESTORE ORDER
OR TO FACILITATE A COMPLETE EVACUATION OF UNAMIR MILITARY
AND EXPATRIATE CIVILIANS WHO WISH TO LEAVE. IF THE OPTION
TO SEND A BATTALION IS CHOSEN, THE BELGIANS WOULD LIKELY
COME TO US FOR AIRLIFT SUPPORT.
BLINKEN
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