CONGOLESE DELEGATION HOPES TO SEE NEW

UNCLAS KINSHASA 008562 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL SUBJECT: CONGOLESE DELEGATION HOPES TO SEE NEW ADMINISTRATION REF: A. SWING/HARTLEY TELECON ¶B. DECEMBER 26 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED -- PROTECT ACCORDINGLY ¶1. (SBU) As reported (Ref),Presidential Cabinet Director Georges Buse phoned the Ambassador evening of December 26 to inform him that President Kabila had instructed him to lead a Congolese (DRC) government delegation to the US to hold discussions with the administration of President-elect Bush. Minister of Justice Mwenze Kongolo would also be a member of the delegation, Buse said. ¶2. (SBU) The Ambassador said that he would report Buse's conversation to Washington and share with him any response. The Ambassador reminded Director Buse that the transition had only recently begun and the inauguration was still some three weeks away. He pointed out the added complexity of arranging meetings in a transition between administrations. He also urged Buse to seek the assistance of the Congolese Ambassador in Washington with regard to the delegation's visit. ¶3. (SBU) Morning of December 27, the Ambassador met with Foreign Minister Okitundu to inform him, inter alia, of Buse's phone call. Okitundu gave the impression that this was the first time he had heard of this particular delegation; he did say, however, that there had been considerable discussion in Presidential circles about an early visit to make their case on the Congo war to the new US administration, probably after the Presidential inauguration. Okitundu volunteered that he would himself speak to Director Buse and Minister Mwenze today about the delegation and the timing for the visit. He would thereafter be in further touch with the Ambassador. SWING