Cablegate: Ictr Sees "No Value" in Communications From Paul

VZCZCXYZ0013
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLGB #0645 1920644
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 110644Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4410
INFO RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 0102
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 0911
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1648
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0247
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 0920
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0277

UNCLAS KIGALI 000645

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM RW
SUBJECT: ICTR SEES "NO VALUE" IN COMMUNICATIONS FROM PAUL
RUSESABAGINA

REF: 06 KIGALI 1110

1. (U) Embassy transmits for Department the following
statement issued by the International Criminal Tribunal for
Rwanda regarding communications with Paul Rusesabagina.

2. (U) Begin text:

Statement
Office of the Prosecutor
29 June 2007

Mr. Paul Rusesabagina did write to the ICTR Prosecutor in
November 2006 with copies to many individuals, including the
UN Secretary General. As a matter of routine, the Office of
the Prosecutor acknowledges all communications, including
those from individuals, offering information that might be
useful in the prosecution of cases before the Tribunal. Our
response to Mr. Rusesabagina, asked him to submit whatever
information he possessed concerning crimes allegedly
committed in Rwanda falling under the statutory mandate of
the ICTR.

The OTP took the further step of sending a team of
investigators to meet with Mr. Rusesabagina to receive his
information. He offered nothing more than "hearsay"
information that is of no value in our work.

This is the extent of the contact and communication between
the Office of the Prosecutor and Mr. Rusesabagina. To
clarify, the Office of the Prosecutor has made no promises
whatsoever to Mr. Rusesabagina.

The Prosecutor has reported to the Security Council on
numerous occasions that we are conducting investigations into
crimes allegedly committed by members of the Rwandan
Patriotic Army in 1994. In due course, a decision will be
taken based on the results of those investigations. If the
results of the investigations have any impact on the
Tribunal's Completion Strategy, we will address that issue at
the appropriate time as the need may warrant.

End text.

3. (SBU) Comment. As noted in reftel, Rusesabagina has
taken upon himself the task of communicating with the ICTR
(and the Queen of England, among others) regarding alleged
offenses by Rwanda's current government, during the 1994
genocide and at other times. He does so with great fervor
and less than perfect accuracy; the above communication from
the ICTR shows that the Tribunal is tiring of his claims to
be conveying useful information of any sort. End comment.
ARIETTI

© Scoop Media