Charles Murigande, Rwandan Foreign Minister

The relationship between Rwanda and Congo was most recently strained by the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, when the Hutu militias who massacred more than 800,000 Tutsis fled along with more than a million other refugees into eastern Congo.

The Rwandan army chased after them, incidentally helping the future Congolese President, Laurent Kabila, overthrow Congo's longtime dictator Mobutu Sese Seko. But Kabila turned on his Rwandan backers, using the Hutu militias to fight them, and touching off one of the centuries bloodiest civil wars.

Eastern Congo remains littered with militia groups, including the Rwandan Hutu militias, also known as ex-FAR.

As a consequence, a renegade Congolese general, Laurent Nkunda, who has had close ties to Rwanda in the past, has maintained a militia in the east that he says is necessary to protect Congo's Tutsi population from the still-genocidal Hutus.

In recent months, Nkunda's forces have been blamed for attacking villages and chasing more than 230,000 people from their homes in the name of fighting the Hutu militias. United Nations officials fear that Congo could be on the brink of all out conflict once again.

Rwandan foreign minister Charles Murigande, recently spoke about the fragile relationship between Rwanda and Congo.

Q: How would you describe Rwanda's relationship with Congo?

A: There is a steady improvement in the relationship between the two countries. Our two presidents speak regularly. . . . However, I would also say it's a very fragile relationship because the very cause that affected that relationship in the past, the ex-FAR, the presence of that force that committed the genocide, is still present. As long as these forces are still there and have not yet abandoned their genocidal ideology, their desire to overthrow the [Rwandan] government, and to move closer to our border and attack -- to which we would reply -- that might bring some tension.

Q: How big a threat do you consider the ex-FAR?

A: According to our intelligence and MONUC [the U.N. mission in Congo], these are people who are still armed, in military formation, and have commanders at the level of division, brigade, company and battalion. It is a very well organized army, estimated to be from 6,000 to 10,000 strong. . . . We also have information that they've been recruiting and training. . . .

I do not know any country in the world which would not be worried about having a force 8,000 strong, well trained -- and a force determined to harm you -- on your border. . . . I do not even think bin Laden commanded such a huge military force.

The fact that this force is not about to fight and defeat us does not mean it is not a threat. Bin Laden was never in a position to fight and defeat the U.S., but he was still considered a threat. I wonder why people don't apply the same logic when it's a situation that doesn't effect them.