RWANDA STILL UNDECIDED ON GUATEMALA

C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000987

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/C, P AND IO/UNP
PLEASES PASS TO KARA MCDONALD AND BRIAN HARRIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2016
TAGS: PREL UNSC VE GT
SUBJECT: RWANDA STILL UNDECIDED ON GUATEMALA

REF: A. STATE 171368


B. STATE 171921

Classified By: POLOFF GLEARNED, REASONS 1.4 (B,D)


1. (C) This is an action request for A/S Frazer. Please see
paragraph 3.


2. (C) On 13 October Charge delivered demarche (ref B) to
Foreign Minister Murigande emphasizing that the USG
considered the vote to be one of the most important decisions
the UNGA would make this year. Murigande noted that Rwanda,
while approached by the USG, had never been lobbied by the
government of Guatemala noting that Venezuela pressed him
personally on his visit to Havana for the NAM conference in
September. Charge reiterated that, unlike Venezuela,
Guatemala had contributed and recently lost troops supporting
UN missions and that a decision to support Guatemala would
not be inconsistent with Rwanda's regional neighbors.
Murigande acknowledged USG position and observed that "you
should feel confident that whatever chances they (Venezuela)
had were squandered by the horrible speech at the UN".


3. (C) Action request. Murigande said that the Prime
Minister and President were currently "unavailable", but he
would contact them and call Charge with an answer this
weekend. Post thinks that a call from A/S Frazer to Foreign
Minister Murigande or President Kagame would strongly
reinforce the USG's position and may convince the GOR to vote
for Guatemala. Please see paragraph 4 for contact
information. End action request.


4. (C) Mobile phone numbers:
Rwanda country code: (250)
President Paul Kagame: 0818.2007 and 0830.2414
Foreign Minister Dr. Charles Murigande: 0830.4545
THURSTON