Rwanda plans new genocide probe

Kagame denies ordering the shooting down of the Rwandan president's plane in 1994

Rwanda's president has said he may set up a commission of inquiry to investigate the involvement of foreigners in the 1994 genocide.

Paul Kagame said the planned commission would shed more light on those involved in the genocide.

Last week, Mr Kagame accused French people of being "directly involved".

Next month is the 10th anniversary of the start of the genocide during which some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus died in 100 days.

'Cover up'

The BBC's Robert Walker in Kigali says this latest announcement has given a new twist to a simmering row between Rwanda and France.

A leaked French police report accused Mr Kagame of ordering the shooting of the plane carrying former President Juvenal Habyarimana - the event which triggered the genocide.

But the government denied the allegations and instead accused France of trying to cover up its role in the genocide.

"We had left it for people to come clean on most of these issues but we might be interested in forming a commission to investigate the responsibilities of mainly foreigners into the genocide," said Mr Kagame.

France - which was former President Habyarimana's main backer - has denied the allegations, saying it sent troops to intervene and even saved many Rwandans.