AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT KABILA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 008650

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/29/2010
TAGS: CG PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT KABILA

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



1. (C) SUMMARY. Ambassador Swing met with President Kabila
for an hour at latter's Marble Palace Office on December 29.
In response to concerns expressed about the renewed fighting
in Katanga and Equateur Provinces, Kabila defended his
actions as defensive moves in retaliation for Rwandan
offensives in Katanga and Bemba's MLC in Equateur. A senior
DRC delegation is presently holding meetings with President
Chiluba in Lusaka regarding Kabila's allegation that Zambia
may be allowing Rwanda to use its territory to attack
Lubumbashi. Kabila said that he looks forward to meeting
with Congressman Frank Wolf on January 8. Ambassador urged
Kabila to appoint a new UN permanent representative without
further delay. Septel reports on Kabila's discussions with
Burundian President Buyoya. END SUMMARY.



2. (C) Good News.....bad news at year's end
Ambassador Swing and President Kabila met alone for an
hour at latter's Marble Palace office and home in the Binza
section of town. Although showing signs of fatigue, Kabila
was relaxed and in a good mood. (His unofficial number two
and relative, Interior Minister of State Gaetan Kakudji,
waited outside the house during the meeting.) The Ambassador
hailed the passage of UNSCR 1332 and the signature of
disengagement sub-plans, but expressed concern at the renewed
fighting in Katanga and Equateur and the difficult situation
this was creating both inside the DRC and in neighboring
Zambia.



3. (C) "End of the war perceptible if......"
The Ambassador asked whether, notwithstanding these
latest conflicts, it is conceivable that the end of the Congo
war might be approaching with the prolongation of MONUC's
mandate and the signature of the disengagement sub-plans.
Kabila replied affirmatively, saying that the end of the war
is "perceptible" provided the disengagement sub-plans are
effectively implemented and MONUC deploys.
"Unfortunately", Kabila said, Rwanda has chosen to
"re-start" the fighting which he found "surprising". Also,
JP Bemba and his MLC had decided to take the war further
south and to capture Befale. These moves had forced him,
Kabila, to re-position and activate FAC "aviation". He had
also had to reinforce Boende, including moving heavy
equipment there. "Bemba must leave Befale", he said.



4. (C) Talks with Chiluba about Rwanda
The Ambassador also expressed concerns about the serious
situation which the Katanga fighting is creating inside
northern Zambia (Kinshasa 8622). Kabila turned the issue
around to allege Zambian collaboration with Rwanda and the
RPA. He claimed that President Chiluba had authorized Rwanda
to let an RPA brigade transit Zambia to attack Lubumbashi via
Kipushi. The source of his information, Kabila said, is
senior Zambian military leadership, some of whom have ethnic,
familial and linguistic links in Katanga.
As a result of his concern, Kabila said, he had taken
two measures. He had phoned Chiluba personally to express
his "discontent" and to demand that Chiluba cease any further
collaboration with Rwanda and the RPA. Second, he had sent
General Joseph Kabila and Katanga Governor Augustin Katumba
Mwanke to Lusaka this week to follow up with President
Chiluba. During the three days they had been in Lusaka, they
had already seen Chiluba twice, he said. He had instructed
Joseph Kabila to stay longer if necessary to "coordinate" on
the issue with the Zambians. (Kabila claimed that because
Chibula's "security chief" has close ties with Rwanda, he
often gets Chiluba into difficulty, such as in this case.)



5. (C) CODEL Wolf
The Ambassador informed Kabila that Congressman Frank
Wolf would be visiting the Congo (DRC) January 7-10 and urged
Kabila to meet with him and his delegation, noting that they
would also be traveling to Goma and Bukavu. Kabila said that
he expected at present to be in Kinshasa on January 8 and
would be pleased to see the Congressman that morning.



6. (C) A New Congolese Ambassador to UN Urgently Needed
Kabila agreed with the Ambassador both that Andre
Kapanga has represented Kabila and the DRC well as Ambassador
to the UN, and that it would not be in the Congo's interest
to leave this key post vacant very long. Kabila said that,
precisely because it is critical to find someone of Kapanga's
quality, it had taken longer than desired to name a
replacement. He hoped, however, to be able to announce the
name of the new Ambassador soon.



7. (C) COMMENT and other subjects septel.




SWING