REPORTED KABILA REQUEST FOR INAUGURAL INVITATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 008515

SIPDIS


FOR AF/C-CHARLES NEARY


E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2010
TAGS: CG PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: REPORTED KABILA REQUEST FOR INAUGURAL INVITATION

CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR WILLIAM LACY SWING FOR REASONS 1.5
(B) (D)



1. (C) Retired Haitian General Herard Abraham phoned
Ambassador Swing on December 21 to report the following:



2. (C) Abraham said that a friend of his named Beaulieu had
contacted him from Brussels seeking Abraham's support with
regard to what his friend described as a desire by Congolese
(DRC) President Kabila, that he and his Minister of State
Kakudji be invited to the inauguration of President-elect
Bush. Kabila is eager, Abraham said, to establish good
relations with the new US administration.



3. (C) The Ambassador expressed a personal opinion that such
invitations are extremely limited and the possibility of
obtaining one highly unlikely. The Ambassador agreed only to
report the request to Washington for any appropriate action.



4. (C) COMMENT:


General Abraham, who splits his time between Haiti and
Miami (305-895-2354),was Haitian President Aristide's last
Army Chief of Staff before the 1991 coup which overthrew
Aristide. Well respected, Abraham was a good contact of
Ambassador Swing's during latter's service in Haiti. How
Abraham became a conduit for this reported request is
unclear, however.
SWING