C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001411

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2016
TAGS: ENRG EMIN KGIT ETRD PREL PGOV IAEA CG
SUBJECT: MLC CONTINUES EFFORTS TO DISCREDIT KABILA VIA
URANIUM TRAFFICKING CLAIMS

REF: A. KINSHASA 1309

B. KINSHASA 1391

C. KINSHASA 1392

D. KINSHASA 1390

Classified By: EconOff W. Brafman for reasons 1.4 b/d/e.


1. (C) DRC Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba's political
party, the MLC, appears to be continuing its campaign to
discredit and undermine President Joseph Kabila by trying to
convince the international community that the Presidency is
illegally trafficking enriched uranium (reftel A).


2. (C) On September 4, Bemba's Director of Strategy, David
Katalay, told EconOff that Kabila's administration is selling
uranium to Iran, and that Presidential Guard units (GSSP) are
systematically mining uranium at the DRC's Shinkolobwe
uranium mine, which was officially closed by presidential
decree in 2004. Unbeknownst to Katalay, the same EconOff
visited Shinkolobwe in early August and found it to be
abandoned (reftel B).


3. (C) Katalay also offered to help U.S. officials recover
two containers, allegedly holding enriched uranium, that he
says a friend named "Leonard" acquired during the Mobutu era.
He showed EconOff photos of these containers, which looked
nearly identical to the three non-radioactive containers
stored at the DRC's Kinshasa Nuclear Research Center (CREN-K)
(reftel C). Katalay said he wants to help the U.S. recover
the uranium to "prevent it from falling into the hands of
terrorists," but he added that Leonard would have to be paid
for the containers.


4. (C) However, the GDRC continues to deny, both publicly and
privately, involvement in uranium trafficking. In addition to
the denials Post has already reported (reftels A,D), EconOff
contacts in Lubumbashi at the DRC's customs agency (OFIDA)
and office of export-import control (OCC) claim the Times
article is based on information that MLC officials have
fabricated.

Comment
--------------


5. (SBU) Despite persistent rumors and purported proof, Post
still has no credible evidence to support London's August 6
Sunday Times article that alleged that the DRC exported
uranium from Shinkolobwe and that Tanzanian authorities
intercepted a shipment. End comment.
MEECE