After almost 16 years of bitter recriminations over France’s role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, Nicolas Sarkozy became the first French leader since the killings to visit the tiny Central African country.
The sight of a French leader laying a wreath at the main genocide memorial in the capital, Kigali, helps cement closer ties between the two countries after diplomatic relations were restored late last year.
The dominant foreign power in Rwanda prior to the genocide, France’s influence collapsed over accusations that leading French politicians at the time helped arm and train those responsible for the killings.
Just over three years ago, Rwanda broke off diplomatic relations after a French judge indicted nine top Rwandan officials for sparking the genocide by shooting down the plane of then-President Juvenal Habyarimana.
For more: Sarkozy admits France made 'serious errors' over Rwanda genocide - Yahoo! News
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