VZCZCXYZ0147
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLGB #0334/01 1021025
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 121025Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2621
INFO RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000334 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/C AND AF/FO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2016 
TAGS: KPKO PGOV PREL RW CG SU
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT KAGAME MEETS WITH A/S FRAZER 
 
Classified By: Poloff GLearned. Reason 1.4(d) 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary. On 6 April, A/S Frazer met with President 
Kagame at his office on the presidential compound.  Also in 
attendance were Ambassador Arietti, Foreign Minister 
Murigande, Chef du Cabinet Kabija, National Security Service 
Director Ndahiro, AF Special Assistant Gaither and poloff. 
Kagame offered insight on the improved relations between the 
GOR and GDRC and the performance of MONUC.  A/S Frazer 
engaged Kagame on Sudan and U.S.-Rwanda bilateral issues 
including democracy and governance, socio-economic 
development and the Millennium Challenge Account. End 
summary. 
 
Eastern Congo, MONUC and Enticing Combatants Back to Rwanda 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
¶2. (C) A/S Frazer opened the meeting with a recap of her 
visit to the DRC and meeting with President Kabila. She 
expressed satisfaction that the GDRC is taking the threat 
posed by the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda 
(FDLR) seriously but emphasized that the USG is still 
pressing the UN Mission in Congo (MONUC) and the GDRC to 
become more aggressive in combating the FDLR. President 
Kagame noted that MONUC seems to be more active in the Ituri 
province of eastern Congo than in the Kivus. (Note. Ituri, 
bordering Uganda, is the current location of negative foreign 
forces of Ugandan origin. North and South Kivu, bordering 
Rwanda and Burundi, are occupied by the FDLR and Burundian 
FNL. The GOR regularly claims that MONUC spends more time and 
efforts in Ituri pursuing smaller Ugandan groups than the 
FDLR, the larger and more significant threat in the region. 
End note.) A/S Frazer said that there seemed to be a 
resurgence of militia action and an increased arms flow in 
the Ituri region. 
 
¶3. (C) Kagame rejected the suggestion that the GOR could do 
more to encourage ex-combatants to return to Rwanda.  He 
noted that, in addition to regular radio broadcasts targeting 
combatants, the GOR had sponsored trips of relatives to 
eastern DRC to encourage combatants to return. Kagame 
asserted that the GOR message that "the door is open to them" 
is clear and he "can't think of what else to do". 
 
 
¶4. (C) President Kagame expressed his satisfaction with the 
status of communications with the GDRC and said that he 
understands the limits of 
both MONUC and the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC).  He noted 
that the improved political aspect of the relationship is 
more important than the lack of military action against the 
FDLR, which he said would be worked out over time.  Kagame 
said the most dangerous risk to Rwanda is outside support to 
the FDLR, thus, the GDRC,s political support is more 
important than the current poor execution of the few military 
operations against the various negative forces in eastern 
DRC. 
 
¶5. (C) A/S Frazer noted that MONUC was discussing the option 
of the inclusion of national units from countries like South 
Africa and Angola. Kagame said that Minister Murigande had 
discussed the issue with the GDRC in January 2005 and the GOR 
had no problem with any force the GDRC wanted to choose as 
long as the force is committed. (Note. The Foreign Minister 
and the President's Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Region 
have given the same response when asked directly if the GOR 
would have a problem with the deployment of Angolans to 
eastern Congo. End note.) When asked about extending the 
Tripartite Plus Commission past the original cessation date 
of June 2006, President Kagame replied that he would support 
whatever position the Congolese wanted. 
 
The AU and Sudan 
---------------- 
 
¶6. (C) A/S Frazer stated that President Bush is committed to 
aiding the people of Darfur and protecting the North-South 
peace agreement. 
President Kagame agreed that the focus in Sudan should be to 
"see the lives of the people preserved" and smiled 
dismissively at Mu'ammar 
Qadhafi's view that the USG was interested in Darfur only 
because of oil.  He said that the Rwandan forces on the 
ground were discouraged by the lack of progress made by the 
AU to help the people. A/S Frazer summarized the USG position 
that the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) must be 
re-hatted to a UN mission in order to increase the financing, 
logistic support, and planning efforts required to achieve 
the end-state of a force on the ground that is able to deter 
attacks on civilians.  She noted that NATO is already 
helping, but, under the auspices of the UN, NATO support 
could increase substantially.  Kagame said he would consider 
seconding Brigadier General Jean-Bosco Kazura if a formal 
request was made by AU Mediator Dr. Salim Salim.  (Note. BG 
Kazura served as the AMIS Deputy Commander in 2005 and 2006. 
End note.) 
 
¶7. (C) Kagame agreed with A/S Frazer,s assessment that an 
Abuja agreement is unlikely in one month and stated that the 
GOS needs to be talked to directly, but not publicly.  He 
used Rwanda's experience with the UN to illustrate that it is 
incumbent on the host nation to resolve its own problems 
rather than rely on a UN mission.  Kagame pointed out that 
the GOR overcame its problem with the UN mission in Rwanda by 
addressing and resolving the root problems, thus, eliminating 
the need for the UN to remain.  He noted that currently, the 
GOS was neither working to resolve the problems on the ground 
nor allowing the UN to do it. 
 
Bilateral Relations 
------------------- 
 
¶8. (C) When asked about bilateral issues, President Kagame 
said there were no serious outstanding issues that needed to 
be addressed.  He said that the GOR,s priorities remained 
socio-economic development and governance issues and while 
the socio-economic development required help from partners, 
the governance issues could be handled best internally.  A/S 
Frazer noted that good governance is an important priority 
and must be included in the bi-lateral dialogue.  She 
observed that for Rwanda to qualify for Millennium Challenge 
Account threshold status, it would have to change negative 
perceptions as well as improve performance in areas such as 
human rights and good governance. Kagame acknowledged the 
importance of the relationship and emphasized that human 
rights issues are an important priority for his government. 
A/S Frazer and President Kagame agreed that Kagame's May trip 
to the U.S. to visit President Bush would further improve the 
relationship between the governments. 
ARIETTI