Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has told the BBC that Rwanda cannot be blamed on its own for its involvement in the conflict of its neighbour, the Democratic Republic of Congo.
"If you read, and I have read, both the UN report and the very detailed rebuttal of those claims by the Rwandan government, you've got to say there's a dispute over the facts," Mr Blair told the BBC.
"I'm not disputing the need to make sure that everybody abides by the right international principles here, I'm simply saying it isn't right to put all of this on Rwanda ," he said.
He also said it was harmful to withdraw aid to the country, as was done by many western states.
Rwanda had "virtually eliminated measles in the country, now moving on to rubella".
"The way they've reduced malaria deaths by something like 60%. These are massive achievements done through aid.
"To withdraw the aid in those circumstances seems to me a way to punish the Rwandan people without necessarily helping the issue of the conflict."
