Is French reconciliation with Rwanda possible?

Yesterday Iain Dale wrote that the only French response to a new report on the Rwandan genocide – which implicates former president Francois Mitterand and ex-prime minister Dominique de Villepin – would be for Nicolas Sarkozy to fly to Kigali to apologise.

He shouldn’t hold his breath.  Ever since the event, France has been wholly reluctant to acknowledge any role in the tragedy – or make any sort of apology.  This has been true regardless of the administration in power, and there’s no reason to think Sarkozy would behave much differently. 

The 1994 genocide shames all the western nations who could have wielded influence to end it - regardless of the more direct involvement France may have had.  Their relucantance to seek reconciliation, and preference for playing a blame game (see the 2006 indictment by a French judge of senior members of the current Rwandan regime) is not helpful.  Sarkozy said in December 2007 that France needed to reflect on ‘the weaknesses or errors’ in its handling of the crisis.  A big understatement.  But probably the best we’ll ever get.