Paris, France ( PANA) – France on Monday strongly deplored the attitude of the Rwandan authorities who barred the French ambassador in Kigali from attending ceremonies marking the 20th anniversary of the genocide.
The French government announced the previous day it had pulled out of the events but eventually decided to be represented by its ambassador in Kigali, Michel Flesch.
“The ambassador of France in Rwanda, who was to represent our country in the events marking the twentieth anniversary of the Rwandan genocide in Kigali was called yesterday (Sunday) night by the Rwandan foreign ministry and informed that he was no longer accredited for the ceremonies,” according to a statement issued on Monday by the French Foreign Ministry.
The French government decided that an envoy, Christiane Taubira, who had been due to travel to the Rwandan capital, Kigali, on Monday, would no longer attend the commemoration.
The decision came on Saturday in response to an interview of President Paul Kagame with Jeune Afrique magazine, published on Monday in which the Rwandan President accused France, an ally of the Hutu nationalist government prior to the 1994 killings, of aiding the murder of some 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus.
“France is surprised by the recent accusations by Kagame. These charges are inconsistent with the process of dialogue and reconciliation that has been taking place for several years between our two countries,” the French Foreign Ministry said.
On Sunday night, Paris eventually announced that the country would be represented by Michel Flesch, its ambassador in the Rwandan capital.
However, the Rwandan authorities informed the French diplomat that he could not attend the ceremonies because his accreditation had been withdrawn.
Despite this, the French Foreign Ministry said its embassies “will participate today in the various celebrations held across the world to honor the victims of the genocide” adding that France remained committed to continue its policy aimed at suppressing genocide and convicting the perpetrators.
Furthermore, the French Presidency also issued a statement on Monday expressing solidarity with the people of Rwanda to honour the memory of all the victims of genocide.
“The Rwandan genocide was one of the worst atrocities of our time. We have a duty to make every effort to make sure that such a tragedy never happens again,” the French Presidency said.
The French Presidency, which did not mention the controversy between the two countries, argued that the prevention of genocide had become a central element of France’s external action and that it had also guided France’s interventions in Africa and its actions at the United Nations Security Council to limit the use of the veto in cases of mass crimes.
