C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 000195

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2016
TAGS: PREL AO RW CG EU
SUBJECT: GROWING ANGOLAN MISTRUST OF RWANDA?

Classified By: Ambassador Roger Meece. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).


1. (C) During a February 1 dinner for visiting Belgian
Foreign Minister De Gucht, the Angolan Ambassador, Mawete
Joao-Batista, made several interventions conveying mistrust
of Rwandan government intentions and motives in the region.
Joao-Batista is dean of the diplomatic corps in Kinshasa, and
a member of the MPLA, Angola's ruling party. He is generally
viewed as well-informed about developments in both capitals.


2. (C) While speaking in measured tones appropriate to the
occasion, Joao-Batista nonetheless repeatedly spoke up
questioning the GOR's interests and activities. He
speculated, for example, about possible Rwandan involvement
or support for recent security problems in North Kivu
province, and underscored past Kigali ties to dissident
Congolese officers Nkunda and Mutebusi (note: both now
subject to DRC arrest warrants). At another point, the Dean
implied that successful DRC elections would not serve
Rwanda's interests. When there was discussion, primarily
among European Ambassadors and Belgian MFA officials
regarding the proposal for a European Union standby military
force for the DRC, Joao-Batista wondered about possible
unspecified negative reaction(s) by the GOR to establishment
of such a force. He opined that the GOR would presumably not
welcome this kind of intervention designed to help bring
stability to the eastern DRC or facilitate successful
elections.


3. (C) In and of themselves, Joao-Batista's comments were not
particularly strident, but they did seem to offer
substantially greater criticism of the Rwandan government
than the Dean had previously conveyed. There was as well a
consistency to many of his comments during the dinner
implying an underlying mistrust of Rwandan intentions and
policies. In a subsequent conversation with one of the
senior Belgian MFA officials accompanying De Gucht, the
Belgian visitor commented to the Ambassador that he too had
been struck by the critical line of Rwanda taken by the
Angolan during the dinner.


4. (C) Comment: It is not clear what inspired the Dean to
seem to step up critical comment of Rwanda, and we are in no
position from here to assess the tenor of thinking in Luanda.
Perhaps Joao-Batista wanted to unburden himself of long-held
thoughts, and the Belgian FM offered a useful opportunity.
Perhaps he has been influenced by renewed recent controversy
in the DRC set off by renewed security problems in North Kivu
regarding dissident General Nkunda, who is widely viewed as
having strong ties to Kigali. The Angolan relationship is a
critical one for Kinshasa. The GDRC needs continued Angolan
good will and support; Luanda presumably is strongly
motivated to do what it can to maintain a friendly government
in Kinshasa. If Joao-Batiste's comments do in fact reflect
renewed growing suspicion of Kigali in Kinshasa, Luanda, or
both capitals, it would obviously be unhelpful to efforts to
eventually normalize relations among the past active
belligerent governments of the Great Lakes region. End
summary.
MEECE


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