BRITISH INSTRUCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE DEATH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000353 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6 X5 TAGS: PREL ZI CG UK SUBJECT: BRITISH INSTRUCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT KABILA CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR REASONS 1.5 B AND D. ¶1. (C) BRITISH DEPUTY HIGH COMMISSIONER IAN HAY- CAMPBELL (PROTECT) SHARED THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTION, CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 00353 01 OF 02 181550Z CLASSIFIED "RESTRICTED," THAT HE HAD RECEIVED FROM LONDON DATED JANUARY 18 WITH RESPECT TO THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT KABILA. THE BRITISH ARE PLAYING CATCH-UP HERE AND HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO SECURE AN APPOINTMENT WITH ANYONE AT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO DELIVER THE DEMARCHE. WE TRANSMIT IT FOR DEPARTMENT'S INFORMATION. WITH THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF THE INSTRUCTION TO KAMPALA AND KIGALI TO SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE TO MUGABE THAT THEY WILL NOT SEEK TO IMPOSE A NEW LEADER IN KINSHASA, THE POSITIONS LONDON TAKES APPEAR TO ADHERE CLOSELY TO OUR OWN. ¶2. (C) BEGIN TEXT: SUMMARY THE PARALYSIS IN KINSHASA PROVIDES THE EXTERNAL PLAYERS WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE LUSAKA FORWARD. INSTRUCTIONS TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO SEIZE THE INITIATIVE. DETAIL WE ARE TRYING TO ASSESS THE IMPLICATIONS OF EVENTS IN KINSHASA ON THE INTERNAL POLITICAL SITUATION, LUSAKA AND MONUC DEPLOYMENT. BUT WITH NO FORMAL STATEMENT FROM GDRC ABOUT KABILA'S DEATH AND NO POLICY STATEMENT FROM THE NEW LEADERSHIP, IT IS TOO EARLY TO MAKE SENSIBLE JUDGEMENTS. WE WILL PROVIDE A CONSIDERED ASSESSMENT ONCE THE DUST HAS SETTLED. WHILE A VACUUM REMAINS IN KINSHASA, THERE IS A DANGER CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 00353 01 OF 02 181550Z THAT LUSAKA PARTIES MIGHT TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE. WE MUST URGE THEM NOT TO DO SO. RATHER, THEY SHOULD SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WAYS OF MAKING PROGRESS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF LUSAKA AND THE KAMPALA AND HARARE DISENGAGEMENT PLANS. THERE ARE ALREADY INDICATIONS OF MOVEMENT IN THIS DIRECTION. MUGABE AND NUJOMA ARE REPORTED TO BE PLANNING AN EARLY SUMMIT; THE AFRICA/FRANCE SUMMIT IN YAOUNDE WILL DISCUSS THE CRISIS (THOUGH WITH MOST OF THE KEY PLAYERS LIKELY TO BE ABSENT, IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN ACHIEVE); RWANDA AND UGANDA HAVE ISSUED STATEMENTS URGING THE DRC TO IMPLEMENT LUSAKA. WE MUST CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THE NON-CONGOLESE BELLIGERENTS TO DO ALL THEY CAN TO MAKE PROGRESS. ACTION ADDRESSEES SHOULD SEEK AN EARLY OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING POINTS AT A SUITABLY SENIOR LEVEL: - WE ARE LOOKING FOR NEW LEADERSHIP IN KINSHASA TO RESTORE STABILITY, - WILL URGE THEM TO BRING ABOUT THE CONDITIONS FOR MONUC TO DEPLOY, - CONCERNED THAT NONE OF THE PARTIES SEEK TO TAKE PROFIT MILITARILY FROM THE UNCERTAINTY IN KINSHASA, - HOPE YOU WILL DO ALL YOU CAN TO DEFUSE MILITARY TENSIONS AND GET IMPLEMENTATION OF LUSAKA UNDERWAY, - THERE IS A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO LAUNCH NATIONAL DEBATE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 00353 01 OF 02 181550Z AS ENVISAGED IN LUSAKA. FOR KAMPALA AND KIGALI ONLY: - HOPE YOU WILL SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE TO MUGABE AND DOS SANTOS THAT YOU WILL NOT SEEK TO IMPOSE A NEW LEADER IN KINSHASA, - ENCOURAGE YOU TO ENGAGE CONSTRUCTIVELY IN TAKING FORWARD IMPLEMENTATION OF DISENGAGEMENT PLAN. FOR HARARE, WINDHOEK AND LUANDA ONLY: - AN EARLY MEETING OF ALLIES VITAL. HOPE YOU WILL ALSO HAVE EARLIER CONTACTS WITH UGANDA/RWANDA. COOK END TEXT. CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ3002 PAGE 01 HARARE 00353 02 OF 02 181550Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 DS-00 EUR-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 VCE-00 NSAE-00 SSO-00 SS-00 DSCC-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /000W -------------- B81AA6 181550Z /38 O 181550Z JAN 01 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8024 INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY KINSHASA AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY KIGALI AMEMBASSY KAMPALA AMEMBASSY LUANDA AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 000353 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6 X5 TAGS: PREL ZI CG UK SUBJECT: BRITISH INSTRUCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT KABILA IRVING CONFIDENTIAL >