{{Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete said he will not apologise to Rwanda or change his stand that the Rwandan government should negotiate with FDLR rebels.}}
Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs minister, Louise Mushikiwabo has described Kikwete’s remarks as “aberrant” and “shocking”.
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“Those who think that Rwanda today should sit down at the negotiating table with FDLR simply don’t know what they are talking about,” she said.
Mushikiwabo said it was unfortunate that the FDLR rebel group had sympathisers in the region, including President Kikwete.
Meanwhile, Tanzania’s Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation minister Bernard Membe said there was no way the Head of State could apologise for saying the truth and stating a fact.
Membe was presenting Kikwete’s demands to the country’s Parliament on May 31, claiming Kikwete’s proposal was made in good faith.
He reiterated Tanzania’s position that Rwanda had no option but to get into peace talks with rebels based in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) forests.
“Rwanda has opposed President Kikwete’s statement but the President will not apologise because his statement was based on facts….Rwanda should take this advice….Our President cannot apologise for saying the truth,” Mr Membe said shortly after Parliament endorsed the ministry’s Sh138.36 billion budget for 2013/14 fiscal year.
(TC & Radio France Internationale (RFI)}
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