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DRAFTED BY: AF/C:KAISTON:KCA
APPROVED BY: AF:GMOOSE
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535918 180000Z /38
O 172355Z JUN 94
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA IMMEDIATE
INFO ALL AFRICAN DIPLOMATIC POSTS IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATUN SE
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
AMEMBASSY ROME
AMEMBASSY MADRID
AMEMBASSY CAIRO
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STATE 163237 172358Z
CONFIDENTIALSTATE 163237
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL MOPS, RW, FR
SUBJECT: SUPPORT FOR FRENCH INITIATIVE ON RWANDA
REF: USUN NEW YORK 2513
1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: ARCHIE M BOLSTER
CLASSIFICATION: CONFIDENTIAL REASON: 1.4(D)
DECLASSIFY AFTER: 17 JUN 2016
DATE/CASE ID: 06 MAY 2011 201005065
El 67
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
EUR-01
NEA-01
PM-00
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G-01
2. SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST. REFTEL OUTLINES FRENCH
PROFOSAL FOR A MULTINATIONAL FRENCH-LED FORCE TO INTERVENE
IN RWANDA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO FROTECT THREATENED
CIVILIANS UNTIL THE REGULAR UNAMIR CONTINGENTS CAN
ARRIVE. POST SHOULD INFORM THE GOF THAT THE USG SUPPORTS
THIS INITIATIVE BUT HAS SOME CONCERNS THAT WE WOULD LIKE
THE FRENCH TO ADDRESS AND THAT WE ARE WILLING TO HELP THEM
WITH. END SUMMARY.
UNCLASSIFIED
3. THE USG'S MAIN OBJECTIVE IN RWANDA IS TO STOP THE
KILLINGS NOW. THE FRENCH PROPOSAL WOULD PUT TROOFS ON THE
GROUND TO HELP ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE AND THEY COULD
ARRIVE MUCH MORE QUICKLY THAN THE EXPANDED UNAMIR FORCES.
FOR THIS REASON, WE SUPPORT THE FRENCH INITIATIVE. WE
RECOGNIZE, HOWEVER, THAT THE RPF WILL CONS RUE THIS AS A
FRENCH ATTEMPT TO RESCUE THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT AND MAY
EVEN RESIST ANY DEPLOYMENT ON THE GROUND.
4.
IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE THE CHANCES OF SUCCESS FOR THE
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OPERATION, MINIMIZE THE RISKS TO THE TROOPS BEING
DEPLOYED, AND AVOID UNDERCUTTING THE UN'S EFFORT TO DEPLOY
UNAMIR -- WHICH REMAINS THE LONGER-TERM ANSWER TO
PROTECTING POPULATIONS --
B1
-- COORDINATE THEIR EFFORTS CLOSELY WITH THE UN AND
OBTAIN UN BLESSING FOR THE MISSION. IN OUR VIEW, A
SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE OPERATION
WOULD BE DESIRABLE, BUT SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO DELAY AN
URGENT MISSION.
B1
UNCLASSIFIED
B/
5. FOR PARIS: POST SHOULD INFORM THE GOF OF OUR DECISION
TO SUPPORT THE OPERATION, DRAWING ON THE FOLLOWING FOINTS:
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-- WE AGREE THAT THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE NEED TO STOP THE
KILLINGS IN RWANDA AND THAT THIS MUST BE OUR FIRST
PRIORITY.
-- FOR THIS REASON, WE SUPPORT YOUR PROFOSED PLAN FOR A
MULTINATIONAL FRENCH-LED FORCE TO INTERVENE NOW, AND
CONGRATULATE YOU ON THIS HUMANITARIAN INITIATIVE. WE ALSO
SUPPORT YOUR PLAN TO "BRIDGE" THE GAP UNTIL THE REGULAR
UNAMIR CONTINGENTS CAN ARRIVE.
- - IN ORDER TO ASSURE THE SUCCESS OF THE MISSION AND THE
FULL SUPPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, WE RECOMMEND
YOU ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING ISSUES
-- THE MISSION SHOULD HAVE THE SANCTION OF THE UN AND
SHOULD BE FULLY COORDINATED WITH UNAMIR. WE WOULD PREFER
A SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MISSION, BUT
THAT SHOULD NOT DELAY THE MISSION.
-- WE AGREE THAT OTHER COUNTRIES SNOULD CONTRIBU7t TROOPS
TO THIS INITIATIVE. WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO HEAR THAT THE
SENEGALESE AND PERHAPS OTHERS HAVE AGREED TO JOIN.
B1
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STATE 163237 172358Z
UNCLASSIFIED
B1
UNCLASSIFIED
-- IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE PERCEPTION THAT YOUR ACTIONS
WILL LEND LEGITIMACY TO THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT, YOU SHOULD
CONTINUE TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THIS INITIATIVE IS NOT
INTENDED IN ANY WAY TO INTERVENE IN THE FIGHTING BETWEEN
GOVERNMENT FORCES AND THE RPF OR TO SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT
OR ITS FORCES. WE WILL MAKE THE SAME POINT.
-, IN THE MEANTIME, WE NEED TO ACCELERATE EFFORTS TO
DEPLOY AN EXPANDED UNAMIR. WE ARE WORKING HARD TO HELP
EXPEDITE DEPLOYMENT. WE HAVE COMPLETED THE LEASE WITH THE
UN FOR 50 ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS (APC'S) AND HOPE TO
START DELIVERY NEXT WEEK.
-- WE ARE LOOKING AT EQUIPMENT NEEDS, PARTICULARLY FOR THE
GHANAIAN BATTALION, WHICH WE ARE TRYING TO GET ON THE
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GROUND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO HELP
EQUIP THEM AND HOPE YOU CAN DO THE SAME WITH OTHER
CONTINGENTS.
-- THE U.S. HAS NO INTENTION OF SENDING TROOPS INTO RWANDA.
6. FOR BUJUMBURA, DAR ES SALAAM, KAMPALA, ADDIS ABABA
(FOR OAU): POSTS SHOULD INFORM HOST GOVERNMENTS/OAU OF
THE USG DECISION, DRAWING ON BACKGROUND ABOVE AND POINTS
BELOW:
UNCLASSIFIED
-- THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE NEED TO STOP THE KILLINGS IN
RWANDA AND THIS MUST BE OUR FIRST FRIORITY.
UNCLASSIFIED
-- FOR THIS REASON, WE SUPPORT THE FRENCH PROPOSAL FOR A
MULTINATIONAL FORCE TO INTERVENE NOW, UNDER UN AUSPICES,
AND "BRIDGE" THE GAP UNTIL THE REGULAR UNAMIR CONTINGENTS
CAN ARRIVE.
-- WE WANT THE MISSION TO HAVE THE SANCTION OF THE UN AND
TO BE FULLY COORDINATED WITH UNAMIR.
-- WE ARE AWARE OF THE RPF'S CONCERNS OVER FRENCH
INTERVENTION. HOWEVER, THIS IS A MULTILATERAL Kr= AND
THE PURPOSE IS TO PROTECT CIVILIANS AND SAVE LIVES, NOT TO
INTERVENE IN THE FIGHTING BETWEEN GOVERNMENT FORCES AND
THE RPF OR TO SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT OR ITS FORCES.
-- IN THE MEANTIME, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE UN TO
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ACCELERATE DEPLOYMENT OF EXPANDED UNAMIR. WE HAVE
COMPLETED A LEASE WITH THE UN FOR 50 ARMORED PERSONNEL
CARRIERS (APC'S) AND HOPE TO START DELIVERY VERY SOON
(FYI: WEEK OF JUNE 20).
-- WE ARE WORKING ON OTHER EQUIPMENT REQUESTS NOW AND ARE
WILLING TO PROVIDE LOGISTICAL SUPPORT AS WELL.
7. BUJUMBURA - MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. TALBOTT
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UNCLASSIFIED
