France has lifted an arrest warrant against Rwanda's Director of State Protocol and allowed her to leave the country on extra-territorial bail.

Rose Kabuye, who returned to Kigali Tuesday, was arrested in Germany and extradicted to France last November. She had been detained on charges of involvement in the murder of former Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana in 1994.

In 2006, a French judge issued indictments against the current President Paul Kagame, and several of his allies, accusing them of being involved in the shooting-down of Habyarimana's plane in 1994.

The event was seen as a catalyst for the 1994 Rwandan genocide, when an estimated 800,000 Rwandan Tutsis and politically moderate Hutus were killed in a 100-day massacre.

Ms. Kabuye, who is accused of harboring commandos who shot down the plane, denies all charges.

Following her arrest, Kigali expelled the German ambassador and recalled its envoy from Berlin, but has since sought to mend relations. Rwanda cut diplomatic ties with Paris in 2006 after the French judge issued warrants for Kabuye and the others.

The Rwandan government issued a statement Tuesday expressing its appreciation to the French judiciary for finally lifting the arrest warrant, saying the decision will allow Mrs Kabuye to resume her duties and travel freely anywhere in the world.

"Mrs Kabuye has from the time of her arrest cooperated with the authorities in France and will continue to do so until the case is completed and she is proven innocent," the statement said.