DRC/RWANDA: NEED TO REDUCE TENSIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 002091 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR GURNEY PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: DECL. 07/06/11 TAGS: PREL ZI SUBJECT: DRC/RWANDA: NEED TO REDUCE TENSIONS REF: STATE 115515 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 02091 061109Z CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES AUBREY HOOKS. REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) THE CHARGE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF A JULY 3 MEETING ON ANOTHER TOPIC WITH MFA DIRECTOR FOR EUROPE AND THE AMERICAS JONATHAN WUTAWUNASHE TO DELIVER REFTEL TALKING POINTS. CHARGE EXPRESSED STRONG USG CONCERN OVER APPARENT SUPPORT BY THE GDRC FOR EX- FAR/INTERAHAMWE ATTACKS ON RWANDA. THE CHARGE NOTED THAT WE HAD NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE WAS SUPPORTING THESE NEGATIVE FORCES. HE URGED THE GOZ, HOWEVER, TO USE ITS INFLUENCE TO CONVINCE PRESIDENT KABILA TO END SUPPORT FOR THESE FORCES. THIS WAS A CRUCIAL ISSUE, THE CHARGE EMPHASIZED, PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE CURRENTLY DELICATE STAGE OF LUSAKA IMPLEMENTATION. WUTAWUNASHE PROVIDED NO SUBSTANTIVE COMMENT, BUT UNDERTOOK TO CONVEY THE USG'S CONCERNS TO HIS FOREIGN MINISTRY COUNTERPART WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR AFRICAN ISSUES. ¶2. (U) WE WILL SEEK ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO RAISE REFTEL POINTS WITH OTHER APPROPRIATE ZIMBABWEAN OFFICIALS. HOOKS CONFIDENTIAL >