RWANDA GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF U.S. PRIORITY UNGA

UNCLAS KIGALI 000969 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL UNGA UN KTIA RW SUBJECT: RWANDA GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF U.S. PRIORITY UNGA RESOLUTIONS REF: SECSTATE 145641 ¶1. (U) On October 23 PolOff met with Ben Rutsinga, Director for International Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to deliver reftel demarche on UN General Assembly Third Committee resolutions. Rutsinga was receptive to U.S. request to take a stand against no-action motions and generally supportive of country-specific resolutions, especially concerning Iran and North Korea. Rutsinga said if the Rwandan delegation found itself encouraged to vote otherwise as part of an African Union block, it would consider abstaining. He reiterated Rwanda's support for the resolution against rape as an instrument as a state policy. Rutsinga said he will pass Third Committee resolution information on to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who must then consult with the Cabinet. He said he will report back to the Embassy with the Government of Rwanda's response, but did not give a timeline for doing so. SIM