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45244D 10110IZ /38
0 101101Z MAY 94
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4487
INFO AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
USMISSION GENEVA
CONFIDENTIALSECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 12915
PRETORIA FOR A/S MOOSE
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR HA A/S SHATTUCK
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PARIS 12915 01 OF 03 101100Z
PAGE 02
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PREF, PHUM, RW, BY, FR
SUBJECT: MAY 9-10 DISCUSSIONS IN PARIS ON A UNHRC
SPECIAL SESSION FOR RWANDA AND RELATED ISSUES
REF: STATE 122881
1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.
SUMMARY
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: ARCHIE M BOLSTER
DATE/CASE ID: 06 MAY 2011 201005065
E305
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
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TEDE-00
OIC-02
SCT-03
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2. AMBASSADOR DAVID RAWSON MET WITH OFFICIALS AT THE
QUAI AND ELYSEE DURING HIS MAY 9-10 STOP IN PARIS TO
DISCUSS RWANDA. IN ADDITION TO BRIEFING HIS
INTERLOCUTORS ON A/S SHATTUCK'S EXCHANGES IN CENTRAL
AFRICA AND GENEVA, HE URGED THE GOF TO SUPPORT THE
UNHRC SPECIAL SESSION IN GENEVA (REFTEL). RAWSON NOTED
THAT REGIONAL LEADERS VOICED SUPPORT TO SHATTUCK FOR
SUCH AN EFFORT. IN RESPONSE THE FRENCH ASSURED RAWSON
OF FULL SUPPORT FOR THE MEETING. HOWEVER, THE GOF
NOTED THAT THE MODALITIES AND OBJECTIVES OF SUCH AN
INVESTIGATION MUST BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED GIVEN THE
INFLAMED STATE OF RWANDAN SOCIETY. THE QUAI NOTED THAT
AMBASSADOR MARLAUD, GOF AMBASSADOR IN KIGALI WHO IS
CURRENTLY TRAVELING IN THE REGION ON A SPECIAL MISSION,
WILL LIKELY BE INSTRUCTED TO REINFORCE THE GOF
DELEGATION IN GENEVA.
3. RAWSON ALSO MET WITH THE AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL (AI)
RESEARCH AND INFORMATION OFFICE IN PARIS THAT
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SPECIALIZES IN FRANCOPHONE AFRICA TO BRIEF THEM ON U.S.
VIEWS. THE AI OFFICIALS WELCOMED RAWSON'S PRESENTATION
AND UNDERLINED THAT THEIR ORGANIZATION INTENDS TO PRESS
FORCEFULLY FOR JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS TO FOLLOW ANY
INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATION. THEY ARGUED THAT THE
WITHDRAWAL OF UN FORCES HAS BADLY DAMAGED THE
CREDIBILITY OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND THAT
STRONG STEPS MUST BE TAKEN TO ASSURE THE RWANDAN PEOPLE
THAT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN FORGOTTEN. OTHER SUBJECTS
COVERED BY AMBASSADOR RAWSON WILL BE REPORTED SEPTEL.
END SUMMARY.
UNHRC SPECIAL SESSION ON RWANDA
4. DURING THE VISIT OF AMBASSADOR RAWSON TO PARIS ON
MAY 9-10, WE RAISED AT THE ELYSEE AND AT THE QUAI (I0
AND AF BUREAUS) THE POSSIBILITY OF A SPECIAL SESSION OF
THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION ON RWANDA AND MADE THE
POINTS CONTAINED IN REFTEL. RAWSON NOTED THAT REGIONAL
LEADERS, INCLUDING PRESIDENT MUSEVENI, EXPRESSED
SUPPORT FOR THE IDEA OF AN UNHRC INVESTIGATION TO A/S
SHATTUCK. WE WERE ASSURED THAT FRANCE SUPPORTED THE
SPECIAL SESSION AND WOULD POSSIBLY SEND THE AMBASSADOR
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
MARLAUD, THE GOF AMBASSADOR TO KIGALI WHO IS CURRENTLY
TRAVELING IN THE REGION, TO REINFORCE THE FRENCH
DELEGATION IN GENEVA.
UNCLASSIFIED
5. OUR INTERLOCUTORS AT THE QUAI AND THE ELYSEE
STRESSED THAT ANY SUCH INVESTIGATION SHOULD FOCUS ON
THE ACTS OF INDIVIDUALS IN ORDER TO ASSURE THAT THE
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THOSE RESPONSIBLE ARE FORCED TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THEIR ACTS. THE FRENCH ARE ALSO CONCERNED BY THE
POSSIBILITY OF AN IMPUTATION BY THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY OF "COLLECTIVE GUILT." SUCH A STRATEGY COULD
INFLAME AN ALREADY DELICATE AND DANGEROUS STITUATION.
CATHERINE BOIVINEAU, QUAI DIRECTOR FOR EAST AND CENTRAL
AFRICA, NOTED THAT THE MURDER OF NATIONAL LEADERS IN
CENTRAL AFRICA HAS OCCURED SO FREQUENTLY IN RECENT
MONTHS THAT THERE IS A DANGER THAT IT WILL BECOME AN
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FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4488
INFO AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
USMISSION GENEVA
UNCLASSIFIED
CONFIDENTIALSECTION 02 OF 03 PARIS 12915
PRETORIA FOR A/S MOOSE
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR HA A/S SHATTUCK
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E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PREF, PHUM, RW, BY, FR
SUBJECT: MAY 9-10 DISCUSSIONS IN PARIS ON A UNHRC
SPECIAL SESSION FOR RWANDA AND RELATED ISSUES
"ACCEPTED" FORM OF RESPONSE TO EVENTS CONSIDERED
UNACCEPTABLE BY AN ETHNIC GROUP. IN DISCUSSING
BURUNDI, DOMINIQUE PIN (AN ELYSEE COUNSELOR FOR AFRICA)
NOTED THAT THE ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT NDADAYE IN
1993 AND "SEEM TO HAVE BEEN TOTALLY FORGOTTEN" AND HIS
MURDERS (WHOSE IDENTITIES ARE KNOWN TO BURUNDIAN
MILITARY AUTHORITIES) REMAIN FREE. HE SUGGESTED, ON A
PERSONAL BASIS, IF AN INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION IS
ESTABLISHED FOR RWANDA, IT MIGHT BE NECESSARY TO
CONSIDER THE 1993 MURDER IN BURUNDI ALSO.
POSSIBLE GENOCIDE INVESTIGATION
6. THE QUAI AND THE ELYSEE STRESSED THAT NO FINAL
DECISION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY THE GOF CONCERNING AN
INVESTIGATION INTO WHETHER AN ACT OF GENOCIDE OCCURED
IN RWANDA. SUCH A DECISION WOULD AWAIT THE FINDINGS OF
UN FINDINGS OF HIGH COMMISSIONER AYALA LASO. THE GOF
UNCLASSIFIED
IS PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBLE IMPACT OF
ANY INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATION (WHETHER OR NOT IT
UNCLASSIFIED
INCLUDES A SPECIFIC MENTION OF GENOCIDE) ON THE
STABILITY OF RWANDA. THE GOF WILL WANT TO EXAMINE ANY
SUCH PROPOSALS IN GREAT DETAIL AND CONSULT CLOSELY WITH
REGIONAL STATES AND OTHER INTERESTED STATES BEFORE
PROCEEDING.
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7. BOIVINEAU RAISED THE QUESTION OF WHAT PERIOD WOULD
BE COVERED BY AN INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATION. SHE
NOTED THAT THE RPF WILL PROBABLY PREFER TO COVER THE
MONTHS LEADING UP TO THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT
HABYARIMANA, IN ORDER TO UNCOVER ANY HUTU PLOT FOR THE
MASS EXTERMINATION OF THE TUTSI PEOPLE. ON THE OTHER
HAND, THE HUTU'S WILL PROBABLY PREFER TO LIMIT THE
INVESTIGATION TO THE PERIOD FOLLOWING THE ASSASSINATION
OF HABYARIMANA, SHE STATED.
8. AS ONE INDICATION OF PRELIMINARY GOF THINKING,
ACTING DIRECTOR FOR AFRICAN AFFAIRS AT THE QUAI,
YANNICK GERARD (A FORMER AMBASSADOR IN KAMPALA),
UNDERLINED THE NEED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO
HELP RWANDA UNDERGO A NATIONAL CATHARSIS IN ORDER TO
PUT THE SOCIETY BACK TOGETHER AGAIN. HE NOTED THAT
GIVEN THE HIGHLY POLARIZED NATURE OF RWANDA'S SOCIETY,
IT MIGHT PROVE IMPOSSIBLE TO ASSURE FAIR TRIALS IN
RWANDA ON CRIMINAL CHARGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MASS
MURDERS AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MIGHT NEED TO
CONSIDER PROVIDING SOME SORT OF LEGAL ASSISTANCE.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
9. IN A MEETING WITH OFFICIALS OF THE FRANCOPHONE
AFRICA RESEARCH AND INFORMATION BUREAU IN PARIS, RAWSON
AGAIN RECOUNTED THE DISCUSSIONS OF THE SHATTUCK MISSION
IN CENTRAL AFRICA AND THE DISCUSSIONS IN GENEVA. IN
RESPONSE TO A QUERY, HE NOTED USG SUPPORT FOR A UNHRC
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SPECIAL SESSION AND AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE MASSACRES
IN RWANDA. THE AI OFFICIALS WELCOMED THIS NEWS AND
UNDERLINED THAT THEIR ORGANIZATION STRONGLY BELIEVES
THAT ANY INVESTIGATION MUST LEAD TO CRIMINAL
PROCEEDINGS AGAINST INDIVIDUALS IF THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY AND NGOS ARE TO RETAIN ANY CREDIBILITY
VIS-A-VIS THE RWANDAN PEOPLE.
UNCLASSIFIED
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45245E 1011022 t38
0 101101Z MAY 94
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4489
INFO AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
USMISSION GENEVA
cONFIDENTIALSECTION 03 OF 03 PARIS 12915
UNCLASSIFIED
DODE-00
TEDE-00
01C-02
SCT-03
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UNCLASSIFIED
PRETORIA FOR A/S MOOSE
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR HA A/S SHATTUCK
CONFIDENTIAL
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PARIS 12915 03 OF 03 101101Z
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E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PREF, PHUM, RW, BY, FR
SUBJECT: MAY 9-10 DISCUSSIONS IN PARIS ON A UNHRC
SPECIAL SESSION FOR RWANDA AND RELATED ISSUES
10.
THIS MESSAGE HAS BEEN CLEARED BY AMBASSADOR RAWSON
11.
BUJUMBURA MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.
HARRIMAN
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