KIGALI - The Government of Rwanda has welcomed the decision by French Judges to lift the arrest warrants issued against the top army officers who had been indicted by controversial French judge, Jean Louis Bruguiere.

Justice Minister, Tharcisse Karugarama, described the development as a "first step” towards the revelation of the real truth behind the assassination of former President, Juvenal Habyarimana, and marks an end to Brugueire’s "baseless” arrest warrants.

In an interview with The New Times, Karugarama said that the decision by the French investigative judges Marc Trévidic and Nathalie Poux, who have since taken over the case, marks a fresh chapter into the case, bringing to an end, Brugueire’s politically motivated indictments.

On Thursday, the French Judges decided to lift the 2006 controversial arrest warrants issued against former top Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) officers

"The warrants have been lifted following investigations carried out in Rwanda, France as well as in Bujumbura, Burundi by the two judges,” Karugarama said.

"The implication for this is that now the accused persons can circulate freely. They cannot be limited any longer in their movements by the arrest warrants issued by Judge Brugueire,” he said.

Karugarama said that the development is a result of a new independent investigation which Rwanda agreed to be part of.

"The Rwandan Government has welcomed this development and hopes that this is the first step towards the comprehensive conclusion of this unfortunate case based on political manipulations by people interested in destabilising Rwanda,”

"Government believes that now the investigations have been officially opened, the truth will come out for the whole world to know that the officers in question are not responsible at all for shooting down the plane on April 6, 1994,” Karugarama said.

He added that the truth coming out after so many years of speculation will give light to what actually happened and the true authors of that unfortunate event. He added that the Government will be able to give a longer reaction at the appropriate time.

Whistle-blowing website Wikileaks recently revealed documents showing that Brugueire connived with French officials including, former French President, Jacques Chirac to issue the indictments.

Ends