Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KIGALI854
2006-09-01 16:35:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kigali
Cable title:  

CHINESE DELEGATIONS VISIT KIGALI

Tags:  PREL EAID RW 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLGB #0854 2441635
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 011635Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3193
INFO RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 1538
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 0734
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1439
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0107
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 0585
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0124
UNCLAS KIGALI 000854 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EAID RW
SUBJECT: CHINESE DELEGATIONS VISIT KIGALI

UNCLAS KIGALI 000854

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EAID RW
SUBJECT: CHINESE DELEGATIONS VISIT KIGALI


1. (U) Two Chinese delegations visited Kigali the week of
August 28. A Communist Party delegation, led by Wu
Guanzheng, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political
Bureau of the Central Committee, conducted closed-door
discussions with the Secretary General Francois Ngarambe and
other RPF officials. Chinese Minister of Cooperation Wang
Jiarui led separate discussions with Minister of State
Rosemary Museminali under the aegis of the Fifth Rwanda-China
Joint Committee on Economic, Technical and Trade Cooperation.
Local media gave prominent place to the Chinese financing
of a new office building for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
and a railway feasibility project. According to the minutes
of the Joint Committee meeting, supplied to the embassy by
Foreign Ministry contacts, the Chinese also agreed to
consider construction of a new football stadium, a women's
center, and a Confucius Institute. At the meeting Rwanda
formally requested duty-free access to Chinese markets, and
also expressed appreciation for completed rice and road
projects.


2. (U) The visit of the delegations coincides with 35 years
of diplomatic relations between the two governments. In a
public meeting with Wu Guanzheng, President Kagame pledged to
attend the upcoming China-Africa forum. The two leaders
pledged to seek stronger economic ties, and, at a later
dinner, the two men witnessed the signature of several
technical and development agreements.


3. (SBU) Comment: The prominent press coverage given to the
financing of the new Foreign Ministry building (something
previously agreed to) conforms to the Chinese predilection
for announcing large public projects in the visited nation's
capital. The railway feasibility study concerns a project
long dear to the GOR, the construction of a railway line from
Isaka in western Tanzania to Kigali and Bujumbura. Many of
Rwanda's imports pass through the dry-port of Isaka, routed
the rest of the way by road. An extended railway line would
greatly reduce freight costs.
ARIETTI