GDRC DELEGATION DEPARTS FOR LIBREVILLE

UNCLAS KINSHASA 008492 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL CG SUBJECT: GDRC DELEGATION DEPARTS FOR LIBREVILLE REF: KINSHASA 8417 ¶1. ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL STATEMENTS, OVER 200 GDRC DELEGATES DEPARTED KINSHASA FOR LIBREVILLE ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20. PRESIDENT KABILA REPORTEDLY FLEW SEPARATELY TO THE GABONESE CAPITAL THE FOLLOWING MORNING, DECEMBER 21. ¶2. OPPOSITION FIGURES CONTINUE TO INSIST THAT THEY WILL BOYCOTT THE "PRE-DIALOGUE." NONO LUTULA, SPECIAL ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT KABILA, COMPLAINED IN AN INTERVIEW ON RFI DECEMBER 21 THAT THE EXTERNAL OPPOSITION HAD REFUSED TO PARTICIPATE DESPITE HAVING RECENTLY REQUESTED TO MEET WITH PRESIDENT KABILA. ¶3. KINSHASA PAPERS CONTINUE TO LAMPOON THE LIBREVILLE MEETING. "LE POTENTIEL" PUBLISHED AN EDITORIAL THAT DELIBERATELY MISINTERPRETED THE PURPOSE OF THE EVENT, SUGGESTING THAT NOW ALL OF THE OTHER PARTIES WOULD HAVE TO PREPARE THEMSELVES FOR THE REAL DIALOGUE BY HAVING THEIR OWN "PRE-DIALOGUE" MEETINGS. "LE PHARE" RAN A CARTOON OF PRESIDENT BONGO WORRYING ABOUT WHERE HE WOULD LODGE EVERYONE IF KABILA, BEMBA, WAMBA, ONUSUMBA TSHISEKEDI, THE EXTERNAL OPPOSITION, ETC, ETC ALL BROUGHT DELEGATIONS OF OVER 200 PEOPLE. SWING