French deny Rwanda genocide claims

Contacted about the accusations contained in a report released yesterday by Kigali, Juppe referred AFP to a text published on his internet blog in which he denounced Rwandan efforts to implicate France in the killing spree.

"In the past few years, we have seen an insidious attempt to rewrite history. It aims to turn France from an involved party into an accomplice to the genocide," Juppe wrote in January.

"It is an unacceptable falsification," Juppe wrote.

"Did we, for example, systematically take the side of one camp against another, Hutu against Tutsi? That is an untruth.

"Did we 'fail' to denounce the genocide committed by Hutu extremists starting in April 1994? That is an untruth.

"Did we remain passive when the rest of the international community was taking action? That is an untruth.

"During my time as head of French diplomacy (from April 1993 to May 1995), we did everything we could to help the reconciliation of Rwandans," he said.

The 500-page report released by Kigali following a two-year inquiry alleged that France was aware of preparations for the genocide, contributed to planning the massacres and actively took part in the killing.

A government statement said the military and humanitarian Operation Turquoise commanded by France in Rwanda between June and August 1994 abetted the killings perpetrated by the extremist Interahamwe Hutu militia.

It names 13 politicians including Juppe, former French prime minister Edouard Balladur and then-president Francois Mitterrand, who died in 1996, as well as 20 military officials as being responsible.

France has refused to comment directly on the report's findings, saying the inquiry lacked legitimacy or impartiality.

The Rwandan report threatens to further mar relations between Paris and Kigali, which severed diplomatic ties in November 2006.