SPANISH AND RWANDANS DISCUSS RWANDAN INDICTMENTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000756 SIPDIS S/WCI FOR KEITH ADAM L-EUR FOR PETER OLSON, KAREN JOHNSON L-LEI FOR PROPP, CLIFTON JOHNSTON L-AN FOR ONA HAHS THE HAGUE FOR HEATHER SCHILDGE E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/08/2018 TAGS: PHUM PREL RW SP SUBJECT: SPANISH AND RWANDANS DISCUSS RWANDAN INDICTMENTS AT AU SUMMIT REF: MADRID 00504 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d). ¶1. (C) During a July 8 courtesy call with Subdirector General for Sub-Saharan Africa Antonio Sanchez-Benedito, Sanchez-Benedito told poloff that he and Spanish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Angel Lossada attended the 11th African Union Summit in Sharm EI Sheikh, Egypt last week. Sanchez-Benedito said that during the summit, Lossada initiated a meeting with Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs Rosemary Museminali to discuss the Rwandan indictments. According to Sanchez-Benedito it was a good meeting, positively received, and crucial in establishing an open dialogue on this issue. Sanchez-Benedito said that Lossada explained to Museminali that the GOS was constrained by the autonomy of the Spanish courts. Sanchez-Benedito said that Museminali shared that she had recently canceled a Brussels trip to avoid possible detention of a delegation member who had been listed in the indictment. ¶2. (C) Sanchez-Benedito told poloff that the issue of the Rwandan indictments is of great interest to the Spanish public and although sensitive, a legitimate interest due to the deaths of nine Spaniards. Despite this, however, Sanchez-Benedito said that the Spanish justice system has not taken a balanced approach to the Rwandan issue. LLORENS