DRC: MFA OFFICIALS COMMENT ON SRSG SWING AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 002158

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/30/2015
TAGS: PREL KDEM CG FR
SUBJECT: DRC: MFA OFFICIALS COMMENT ON SRSG SWING AND
ELECTIONS

REF: PARIS 2110 (NOTAL)

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt
for reason 1.4 (b/d).


1. (C) At a March 29 meeting with Embassy Africa watcher
largely devoted to Sudan/Darfur (Reftel),MFA A/S-equivalent
for Africa Bruno Joubert and DAS-equivalent Jean-Christophe
Belliard offered comments on Amb. Swing's tenure as SRSG
(France was very supportive of his efforts) and elections in
DRC (need to maintain momentum).

MONUC/Swing
--------------

2. (C) The French said they were impressed by Amb. Swing's
performance as SRSG and regretted that recent events have
clouded his record. They stressed the extremely difficult
circumstances prevailing in DRC and how the situation had
worsened in recent months, particularly with respect to
MONUC's ability to operate effectively. Joubert commented
that the current period could be characterized as the end of
"MONUC I." Despite MONUC's problems, Amb. Swing "has done
well" and "we like his work," said Joubert. Joubert noted
the sometimes exaggerated expectations placed on peacekeepers
who often lacked motivation and suffered from low morale.
Joubert observed that Amb. Swing had received criticism over
issues not completely within his control, as had happened to
Jacques Klein (referring to similar problems when Klein was
head of UNTAES in Croatia). Joubert added that a search for
a replacement for Amb. Swing might prove futile -- "we
probably can't find anyone better."

DRC Elections
--------------

3. (C) Commenting on the issue of elections, Joubert said
that, with the failure to meet the elections planned for June
30, it was imperative that the Congolese maintain credible
momentum for carrying out a revised election timetable, if
for no other reason than to forestall a public backlash. The
GDRC had to provide plausible explanations why the June 30
date could not be met and at the same time show that it had a
plan for moving the process forward. Joubert thought that
the head of the electoral commission, Apolinaire Malu-Malu,
was the official who should take the lead in clarifying
matters for the Congolese public. Belliard said that one
useful step would be for the GDRC to make progress on issuing
voter ID cards, as a way of showing progress toward holding
elections. If the public did not perceive progress, there
could be an "explosion," he cautioned. Joubert and Belliard
stressed at several points the need for the GDRC to produce
"something tangible" in dealing with a public made skeptical
by the impossibility of maintaining the proposed June 30
elections timetable.


4. (C) Joubert and Belliard commented on possible
presidential candidates, saying that VP Bemba would run and
that VP Ruberwa would not.


5. (C) Asked about French Ambassador Georges Serre, formerly
France's "Mr. Africa" in the Jospin government, Joubert
replied that, despite having been in Kinshasa for nearly
three years, Serre was not moving on.
LEACH