BURUNDIAN PRESIDENT MEETS FNL REBEL GROUP

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 000148

SIPDIS

NOFORN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/22/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS BY NL
SUBJECT: BURUNDIAN PRESIDENT MEETS FNL REBEL GROUP

Classified By: Ambassador to Burundi James Yellin for Reason 1.5D

SUMMARY


1. (U) Burundian President Ndayizeye met in the Netherlands
with a delegation of the PALIPEHUTU-FNL, the only Burundian
rebel group that has not signed a cease-fire. The final
communique calls for: (a) an International Commission of
Investigation into the death of the Apostolic Nuncio; (b) the
need to stop the violence on the ground; (c) an end to the
murderous confrontations between the PALIPEHUTU-FNL and the
CNDD-FDD (another rebel group); and (d) another meeting
without delay in order to discuss questions linked to the
peace process.


2. (C) Comments and Notes: This was the first meeting
between President Ndayizeye and the PALIPEHUTU-FNL, although
the PALIPEHUTU-FNL claimed it had agreed to meet with
Ndayizeye as an individual, and not as President. The
communique suggests the Burundian government and the
PALIPEHUTU-FNL are prepared to try to reach a truce in the
near term. The Head of the Central and Eastern African
Division in the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs told us
that the next meeting between the two sides should take place
within the next few weeks. He also said that the
PALIPEHUTU-FNL would hold a congress in the second half of
February to discuss the Burundi peace process. End Summary.


COMMUNIQUE


3. (U) The following is our informal translation of the
official French text of the communique issued at the end of
the recent meeting in the Netherlands between the Burundian
president and the PALIPEHUTU-FNL, the only Burundian rebel
group that has not signed a cease-fire.


4. (U) Begin Text of Communique:


A. Final Communique of the Meeting between His Excellency
Domitien Ndayizeye, President of the Republic of Burundi, and
the PALIPEHUTU-FNL.


B. From January 18 to 21, 2004, in Oisterwijk in the
Netherlands, discussions took place between His Excellency
Domitien Ndayizeye, President of the Republic of Burundi, and
a delegation of the PALIPEHUTU-FNL led by Mister Ibrahim
Ntakirutimana.


C. The meeting in Oisterwijk is an eloquent demonstration by
the two parties of their will to find means and methods
leading to a suspension of hostilities and to pursue the
search for a durable and inclusive peace.


D. The good will shown by the parties will allow putting an
end to a conflict that has constituted a long ordeal for the
civilian population, and will thus increase the chances of a
permanent peace, of national reconciliation, of
reconstruction, and of the development of the country.


E. At the end of this meeting, the two parties agreed on the
following points:

-- The establishment of an International Commission of
Investigation into the death of the Apostolic Nuncio, without
however placing any obstacles to the national investigation.


-- The need to stop the violence on the ground in order to
build a climate of confidence favorable to dialogue.

-- The wish by both parties to see an end to the murderous
confrontations between the PALIPEHUTU-FNL and the CNDD-FDD.

-- To meet again without delay in order to discuss and
exchange views on questions linked to the peace process in
Burundi.


F. The Netherlands declares itself ready to help the parties
regarding the continuation of the discussions and for
follow-up on the points of agreement between the two parties.


G. The two parties were pleased by the welcome extended to
them by the Government of the Netherlands and thank the
facilitation team for making this meeting possible,
particularly Madame Agnes van Ardenne - van der Hoeven,
Minister of Development Cooperation of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands, for her involvement in an undertaking which
should lead to the conclusion of an overall agreement between
the Government of Burundi and the PALIPEHUTU-FNL on a
cease-fire and on the entry into institutions.


H. Done on January 21, 2004, at Oisterwijk by:
His Excellency Domitien Ndayizeye, President of the Republic
of Burundi

Mister Ibrahim Ntakirutimana, Chief of Delegation of the
PALIPEHUTU-FNL


5. (U) End Text.


6. (S/NF) NOTES


A. The PALIPEHUTU-FNL delegation chief, Ibrahim
Ntakirutimana, is the military chief of staff of the rebel
group, according to a source close to the PALIPEHUTU-FNL.


B. Norbert Braakhuis, Head of the Central and Eastern
African Division in the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
told Poloff Kami Witmer and Yellin on January 22 that the
next meeting between the two sides should take place within
the next few weeks. Braakhuis also said that the
PALIPEHUTU-FNL would hold a congress in the second half of
February to discuss the Burundi peace process, and that if
President Ndayizeye agreed and that if there were adequate
financial controls, the Dutch government would probably help
fund the congress.


C. The communique was not completed until the afternoon of
January 21, several hours after President Ndayizeye had left
the Netherlands. The hang-up was over how to refer to
Ndayizeye in the communique. Ndayizeye wanted to be referred
to as President of the Republic of Burundi, but the
PALIPEHUTU-FNL demurred, offering to refer to him instead as
Father of the Nation.


D. On January 21 a member of the Burundian government
delegation, Pancrase Cimbaye, phoned visiting Ambassador to
Burundi Yellin in The Hague and asked him to try to persuade
PALIPEHUTU-FNL spokesman Pasteur Habimana, who is close to
PALIPEHUTU-FNL leader Agathon Rwasa, to have the communique
refer to Ndayizeye as President. Yellin, Braakhuis and South
African Burundi expert Jan Van Eck (who was in the
Netherlands) cell-phoned Habimana in Burundi. The
PALIPEHUTU-FNL delegation eventually agreed to refer to
Ndayizeye as President. Habimana professed to Yellin that
Father of the Nation sounded more weighty than President.


7. (C) COMMENTS


A. This was the first meeting between the PALIPEHUTU-FNL
and Burundian President Ndayizeye, although the
PALIPEHUTU-FNL claimed that it had agreed to meet with
Ndayizeye as an individual and not as President.


B. The communique suggests that the Burundian government and
the PALIPEHUTU-FNL are prepared to try to reach a truce in
the near term.


C. At the beginning of the meeting, the PALIPEHUTU-FNL had
said that after talking with Ndayizeye it would meet with the
Tutsis but not with a Burundian government delegation,
according to Cimbaye. Absent from the communique is any
reference to a meeting with the Tutsis, but Braakhuis told us
that the PALIPEHUTU-FNL has not dropped this demand.
(PALIPEHUTU-FNL spokesman Habimana told Yellin on January 21
that the PALIPEHUTU-FNL would meet with a government
delegation after meeting with the Tutsis.)


D. The Dutch did an excellent job in organizing and
facilitating the talks between President Ndayizeye and the
PALIPEHUTU-FNL. In addition to the Dutch Minister of
Development Cooperation, who is cited in the communique,
thanks should also go to Central and Eastern African Division
Head Braakhuis.


8. (U) Minimize Considered.
RUSSEL