US embassy cable - 04KIGALI877

S E C R E T KIGALI 000877 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF DAS YAMAMOTO, AF/C AND INR/AA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, MOPS, RW, CG 
SUBJECT: KAGAME REPORTEDLY DISAPPOINTED WITH LACK OF USG 
CRITICISM OF KABILA 
 
REF: KIGALI 000871 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: ERIC WONG, POLITICAL OFFICER.  REASON: 1.4 (D). 
 
1. (S/NF) ON JUNE 24, A SENIOR RWANDAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL IN 
THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT PROVIDED COMMENTS ON THE REACTION 
OF PRESIDENT PAUL KAGAME TO A MEETING WITH VISITING AF DAS 
DON YAMAMOTO AND AF/C DIRECTOR AL EASTHAM ON JUNE 23 IN 
KIGALI. 
 
2. (S/NF) KAGAME WAS REPORTEDLY DISAPPOINTED THAT THE USG 
OFFICIALS SAID LITTLE THAT WAS CRITICAL OF PRESIDENT JOSEPH 
KABILA.  HE BELIEVED THAT THE OFFICIALS FOCUSED TOO STRONGLY 
ON THE QUESTION OF WHETHER RWANDA WOULD SEND TROOPS INTO 
EASTERN CONGO, WITHOUT ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF MOST CONCERN 
TO RWANDA: THE FAILURE OF THE DRC GOVERNMENT TO DISARM AND 
REPATRIATE THE RWANDAN REBELS IN THE EASTERN DRC. 
 
3. (S/NF) THE GOR OFFICIAL NOTED THAT KAGAME'S DISAPPOINTMENT 
STRENGTHENED INTO ANGER WHEN HE LEARNED THAT, LATER ON JUNE 
24, THE UNSC HAD ISSUED A STATEMENT (S/PRST/2004/21) THAT, IN 
THE VIEW OF THE RWANDANS, WAS MORE CRITICAL OF RWANDA THAN IT 
WAS OF THE DRC.  IN ADDITION, THE UK GOVERNMENT WARNED RWANDA 
IN STRONG TERMS TO AVOID A NEW INTERVENTION IN THE EASTERN 
DRC.  THESE STATEMENTS, ACCORDING TO THE RWANDAN OFFICIAL, 
WERE ALSO OVERLY CRITICAL OF RWANDA, WHILE AVOIDING THE REAL 
ISSUE OF THE FAILURE OF THE DRC TO IMPLEMENT DISARMAMENT, 
DEMOBILIZATION, REINTEGRATION AND RESETTLEMENT OR 
REPATRIATION OPERATIONS (DDRRR) OF REBEL COMBATANTS. 
 
4. (C) COMMENT: KAGAME'S JUNE 24 MEETING WITH YAMAMOTO, 
EASTHAM, AMBASSADOR AND POLOFF (NOTE-TAKER) WAS CORDIAL.  THE 
JUNE 24 UNSC STATEMENT CALLS ON THE GOR TO REFRAIN FROM 
SUPPORTING ARMED GROUPS IN THE CONGO, PARTICULARLY THOSE LED 
BY GEN. LAURENT NKUNDA AND COL. JULES MUTEBUSI, BUT MAKES NO 
REFERENCE TO THE EX-FAR/INTERAHAMWE OR FDLR.  END COMMENT. 
 
 
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