Rwanda sends protest note to DR Congo over ‘warplane incursion’

The government of Rwanda on Monday wrote a note verbale to the DR Congo government protesting in strong terms the violation of its airspace by a Congolese fighter jet but indicated that it was open to renew DR Congo assurances. Rwanda’s note verbale was transmitted by the Ministry of Foreign Affair to the DR Congo’s Ministry of foreign affairs. A note verbale is a diplomatic communication from one government to another, delivered through each other’s diplomatic representatives. Like many other diplomatic terms, note verbale is French, and literally means a verbal note, because it was meant to be delivered orally to the recipient. In modern times, it is a written note. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Rwanda presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and wishes to strongly protest against the violation of the Rwandan territory by a fighter jet of the Government of DRC,” read the note verbale. Rwanda had earlier stated that a Sukhoi-25 fighter jet from the DR Congo violated her airspace and briefly touched down at Rubavu Airport in Western Province. The incident, according to the note verbale, happened at around 11:20 am and the warplane immediately took off. “No military action was taken by the Government of Rwanda.... Rwanda considers this violation of Rwandan territory by a Congolese warplane as a dangerous and serious provocation,” adds the note verbale. DR Congo admitted that its fighter jet “accidentally” violated Rwanda's airspace. Rwanda noted that the jet's incursion is one of the many provocations following the cross-border shelling of Rwandan territory with a 122mm BM-21 multiple rocket launcher system on March 19, May 23, and June 10. These unacceptable incidents are happening when diplomatic efforts are underway in Luanda, Nairobi and Bujumbura, reads the note verbale. It adds that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Rwanda requests the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Congo to concentrate on the political dialogue that has been recommended by regional efforts, and address their problem with M23 and other armed groups, instead. Rwanda consistently said that the sour relations with DR Congo be settled through dialogues and mechanisms established by the Luanda roadmap and the Nairobi process. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Rwanda avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) the assurances of its highest consideration, reads Rwanda's note verbale.

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Rwanda sends protest note to DR Congo over ‘warplane incursion’