French Co-operation Minister Charles Josselin has ended the first visit to Rwanda by a senior minister from France for more than four years.

But the minister, who is responsible for overseas aid and development, did not deliver an official apology for France's role before and during 1994 Rwandan genocide as many in the country had anticipated.

When he arrived in the capital, Kigali, Mr Josselin said his one-day visit would be "devoted to renewing relations and discussing the future, but without forgetting the past."

Mr Josselin told reporters that he was looking forward to a period of partnership between France and Rwanda, while emphasising the French people's appreciation of the difficulties that Rwanda had been through.

The two countries were allies before the genocide, but relations have been severely strained since 1994.

The current Rwandan government has repeatedly accused Paris of having contributed indirectly to the genocide by providing military assistance to Rwanda over a long period before the mass killings.

Kigali also accuses France of failing to take a firm stand against the genocide once it had started.

No formal apology

Under pressure from Rwandan journalists, Mr Josselin failed to deliver the formal apology many Rwandans had expected.

He pointed out that France was not alone in making serious mistakes during the genocide of 1994, arguing that Belgium, the United States and the United Nations were all equally culpable.

Rwanda's vice president and defence minister, Paul Kagame, who has previously been a strong critic of French policy in Africa, was studiously polite about Mr Josselin's visit. He said he expected France to remain an important actor in the whole Great Lakes region.

Mr Kagame said it was up to France to decide what responsibility it bore for the events of 1994.

Peace for the Great Lakes

Mr Josselin's mission is part of a broader French initiative to bring peace to the Great Lakes region, especially Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The French minister has been pushing the idea of a summit for regional leaders.

"I do feel this conference will be important but of course this will not have any meaning if the Africans themselves do not want the meeting to take place," Mr Josselin said.