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| Sarkozy in landmark Rwanda visit | Sarkozy in landmark Rwanda visit |
| (41 minutes later) | |
| French President Nicolas Sarkozy is visiting Rwanda in the first visit of its kind since the 1994 genocide. | |
| The visit is intended to symbolise a commitment by both countries to move on after years of acrimony. | The visit is intended to symbolise a commitment by both countries to move on after years of acrimony. |
| Rwanda accuses France of training and arming the Hutu extremists who killed some 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus - charges denied in Paris. | Rwanda accuses France of training and arming the Hutu extremists who killed some 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus - charges denied in Paris. |
| Mr Sarkozy and Rwandan President Paul Kagame are due to visit a memorial for the victims of the genocide. | Mr Sarkozy and Rwandan President Paul Kagame are due to visit a memorial for the victims of the genocide. |
| The two countries broke diplomatic relations in 2006 over accusations by a French judge that Mr Kagame was involved in the shooting down of the plane carrying former Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana - the incident that triggered the genocide. | The two countries broke diplomatic relations in 2006 over accusations by a French judge that Mr Kagame was involved in the shooting down of the plane carrying former Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana - the incident that triggered the genocide. |
| Ties were restored last November, although BBC East Africa correspondent Will Ross says beneath the surface, the rift is likely to continue. | Ties were restored last November, although BBC East Africa correspondent Will Ross says beneath the surface, the rift is likely to continue. |
| Our correspondent says it is difficult to patch up such a deep rift, which prompted all French institutions in Rwanda to be shut down, including schools and cultural organisations. | Our correspondent says it is difficult to patch up such a deep rift, which prompted all French institutions in Rwanda to be shut down, including schools and cultural organisations. |
| Some of these are now being reopened. | Some of these are now being reopened. |
| Rwanda's official language has even been switched from French to English. | Rwanda's official language has even been switched from French to English. |
| Late last year Rwanda joined the Commonwealth - a group almost exclusively made up of former British colonies. | Late last year Rwanda joined the Commonwealth - a group almost exclusively made up of former British colonies. |
| Mr Sarkozy will only be in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, for a few hours. | Mr Sarkozy will only be in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, for a few hours. |
| It comes amid his tour of French-speaking Africa countries. | It comes amid his tour of French-speaking Africa countries. |