Rwanda intends to be friend, ally of Uganda despite problems

KIGALI, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Saturday said he prefers Rwanda and Uganda to be friends and allies rather than each other's troublemaker.

His comment came days after Rwandan Foreign Minister Richard Sezibera revealed existing problems of the relations between the two east African neighbors.

"There are three types of relationships. One is we can be friends, allies, (and) we can work as closely as anyone can. That is my choice," said Kagame while opening the annual National Leadership Retreat at the Rwanda Defence Force Combat Training Center in Gatsibo district, eastern Rwanda.

"The second type of relationship is you can say why don't you ignore me, I ignore you and we have nothing to do with each other. It is not my choice. My choice is the first one," he said.

"The third one is I don't like you, I will always cause you problems and we will always conflict. It will not come from us, from this country or me, to seek problems with others," said the president.

Sezibera on Tuesday said there were three problems between the two countries, including Rwandan people's safety in Uganda, groups that are hostile to the Rwandan government, as well as trade and business.

So far Uganda has not responded to Kagame's remarks.

The retreat running from Friday to Tuesday brought together Rwanda's senior leaders of the central government, local government, parastatals and the private sector to discuss Rwanda's development trajectory, quality of education and health, agricultural productivity, export growth and investment.