Rwanda Says Genocide Trial in France 'Late' but a 'Good Sign'

The trial in France of a former Rwandan army captain charged with complicity in the 1994 genocide was greeted in Rwanda as a belated but "good sign".

"It is history being made. We have always wondered why it has taken 20 years... it is late, but it is a good sign," Rwandan Justice Minister Johnston Busingye said of the trial of Pascal Simbikangwa, a former army captain who went on trial in Paris Tuesday.

"It is not time to celebrate, it is still the beginning, the first in 20 years. We will watch it with a lot of interest, we will be very supportive of the process, we will cooperate," the minister said.

But he added that "France has a big amount of suspects in its territory" who should be either extradited back to Rwanda or tried in France.

The landmark case is being closely watched, with France long accused of failing to rein in the Rwandan regime at the time of the genocide and of later dragging its feet over the repatriation or prosecution of individuals suspected of involvement in crimes against humanity.