DRC FOREIGN MINISTER PRAISES UN RESOLUTION 1332,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 008621

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2010
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV CG
SUBJECT: DRC FOREIGN MINISTER PRAISES UN RESOLUTION 1332,
SAYS PRESIDENT BONGO WILL PLAY LEAD ROLE AT LIBREVILLE II


CLASSIFIED BY POLOFF KENT C. BROKENSHIRE FOR REASONS 1.5
(B/D).



1. (C) SUMMARY: FOREIGN MINISTER OKITUNDU TOLD AMBASSADOR
SWING HE WAS PLEASED WITH UN RESOLUTION 1332, PARTICULARLY
THE SPECIFIC MENTION OF CITIES WHERE MONUC WOULD DEPLOY. HE
CLAIMED THIS WOULD DISCOURAGE PARTITION OF THE CONGO. HE
PREFERRED THE CONGO CONFLICT'S FOLLOW-UP MEETING TO TAKE
PLACE IN NEW YORK, NOT ADDIS ABABA. OKITUNDU DEFENDED THE
GDRC'S DECEMBER 25 BOMBING RAIDS ON GBADOLITE AND GEMENA, AND
PRAISED PRESIDENT KABILA'S WILLINGNESS TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE
DRC TO MEET WITH OPPOSITION GROUPS. HE CLAIMED THE OPPOSITION
SHUNNED PRESIDENT KABILA IN LIBREVILLE OUT OF FEAR THEY WOULD
BE ARRESTED IF THEY BOARDED A KABILA-CHARTERED AIRCRAFT. TO
ASSUAGE THE OPPOSITION, OKITUNDU SAID PRESIDENT BONGO WOULD
"TAKE CHARGE" OF ORGANIZING A SECOND MEETING BETWEEN THE GDRC
AND THE OPPOSITION IN LIBREVILLE AT THE END OF JANUARY. OTHER
SUBJECTS SEPTELS. END SUMMARY.


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TALK OF PEACE
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2. (C) AMBASSADOR SWING MET WITH FOREIGN MINISTER LEONARD SHE
OKITUNDU DECEMBER 27 TO DISCUSS THE LATTER'S RECENT VISIT TO
NEW YORK IN SUPPORT OF UN RESOLUTION 1332. OKITUNDU SAID HE
WAS PLEASED WITH THE DOCUMENT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE SPECIFIC
MENTION OF TOWNS WHERE MONUC FORCES SHOULD DEPLOY, I.E.
KISANGANI AND MBANDAKA, AND POSSIBLY GOMA AND BUKAVU. AS A
RESULT OF THIS, HE SAID RESOLUTION 1332 REINFORCES THE
CONCEPT OF AN INDIVISIBLE CONGO SINCE IT SPREADS MONUC FORCES
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY (AS OPPOSED TO STATIONING UN TROOPS
ALONG THE FRONT SEPARATING THE WARRING FACTIONS).



3. (C) THE FOREIGN MINISTER WAS PLEASED AT THE SECURITY
COUNCIL'S INVITATION IN UNSCR 1332 FOR THE SECRETARY GENERAL
TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF CONVENING A MEETING IN FEBRUARY
BETWEEN THE LUSAKA SIGNATORIES AND THE SECURITY COUNCIL. AS A
VENUE HE PREFERRED NEW YORK RATHER THAN ADDIS ABABA, AS NEW
YORK REPRESENTED A MORE NEUTRAL SETTING. IN THE MEANTIME, HE
SAID ALL SIDES SHOULD RESPECT THE DISENGAGEMENT PLAN AND
HONOR THE LATEST CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT.


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TALK OF WAR
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4. (C) AMBASSADOR SWING ASKED HOW OKITUNDU RECONCILED HIS
GOVERNMENT'S RECENT SIGNATURE OF DISENGAGEMENT SUB-PLANS WITH
REPORTS THAT KABILA AND HIS ALLIES HAD BOMBARDED GBADOLITE
AND GEMENA ON DECEMBER 25. OKITUNDU REPLIED THAT GDRC WAS
UNDER ATTACK ON TWO FRONTS, WITH ONE ASSAULT APPARENTLY
TARGETING LUBUMBASHI. THESE ATTACKS ARE IN THEMSELVES
VIOLATIONS AND MUST BE MET BY FORCE. "IF WE DO NOT FIGHT
BACK, LUBUMBASHI WILL FALL."



5. (C) PROMPTED BY AMBASSADOR SWING, OKITUNDU SAID PRESIDENT
KABILA'S DECEMBER 22 MEETING WITH ZIMBABWE'S ROBERT MUGABE
AND NAMIBIA'S SAM NUJOMA IN KINSHASA, AND HIS SUBSEQUENT
BRIEFING OF DOS SANTOS IN LUANDA ON THE KINSHASA MEETING,
WERE IN FACT COUNSELS OF WAR IN RESPONSE TO RWANDAN AND
UGANDAN ATTACKS IN THE CONGO. WHILE HE DID NOT DIVULGE THE
DETAILS OF THE MEETINGS, THE FOREIGN MINISTER SAID THAT IF
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FAILED TO STOP THE CURRENT
OFFENSIVES "THEN WE MUST BE PREPARED TO USE OTHER MEANS."


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BONGO TO TAKE CHARGE OF LIBREVILLE II
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6. (C) PRESIDENT KABILA'S ATTEMPT TO MEET WITH OPPOSITION
GROUPS IN LIBREVILLE DECEMBER 21 FAILED IN PART BECAUSE
MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSITION FEARED FOR THEIR SAFETY. ACCORDING
TO OKITUNDU, MAJOR OPPOSITION FIGURES REFUSED TO BOARD AN
AIRCRAFT CHARTERED BY PRESIDENT KABILA OUT OF FEAR THE PLANE
WAS IN FACT A TRAP SET TO BAG THE LOT OF THEM, AND SEND THEM
TO DETENTION CENTERS IN LUBUMBASHI. MANY ALSO FEARED THAT
KABILA WOULD SO DOMINATE THE LIBREVILLE AGENDA (AS HE HAS
ATTEMPTED TO DO IN EVERY POLITICAL FORUM TO DATE) THAT IT WAS
POINTLESS TO ATTEND.



7. (C) YET THE WILL TO MEET WITH KABILA IS THERE, INSISTED
OKITUNDU. HE CLAIMED THAT OPPOSITION GROUPS ROUTINELY CALL
THE PRESIDENT TO ASK FOR APPOINTMENTS, AND THAT BOTH THE
INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL OPPOSITION ORIGINALLY APPROVED OF THE
LIBREVILLE MEETING.



8. (C) IN ORDER TO DISPEL OPPOSITION FEARS, OKITUNDU SAID THE
GDRC IS ASKING PRESIDENT BONGO TO TAKE COMPLETE CHARGE OF
LIBREVILLE II, WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR THE END OF JANUARY. THE
FOREIGN MINISTER DID NOT ELABORATE ON THE SPECIFICS OF THE
GOB'S COMING RESPONSIBILITIES. HOWEVER, THEY ARE LIKELY TO
INCLUDE THE FORUM'S AGENDA AS WELL AS LOGISTICAL SUPPORT IN
ARRANGING FOR THE TRANSPORTATION, LODGING, AND FEEDING OF
WHAT IS LIKELY TO BE SEVERAL HUNDRED CONGOLESE PARTICIPANTS.



9. (C) COMMENT: ALTHOUGH HIS "PACKAGING" OF KABILA'S POLICIES
IS MORE ATTRACTIVE, AND HIS PRESENTATION OF THE ISSUES FAR
LESS EMOTIONAL THAN HIS PREDECESSOR'S, IT IS ALSO APPARENT
THAT OKITUNDU'S MARGIN OF MANEUVER IS EXTREMELY NARROW -- IN
CONTRAST TO THAT OF HIS EARLIER HUMAN RIGHTS PORTFOLIO -- AS
THIS LATEST CONVERSATION APTLY ILLUSTRATES.
SWING