CONGO/BRAZZAVILLE: FEBRUARY EDITION,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 KINSHASA 000350

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/C MADEEHA ASHRAF, PLEASE PASS TO AMB. WEISBERG;
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER GREG D'ELIA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2016
TAGS: PREL PINR ECON EAID AMGT ASEC CF
SUBJECT: CONGO/BRAZZAVILLE: FEBRUARY EDITION,
"BRAZZA-IN-BRIEF" MONTHLY ISSUES REPORT

REF: A. KINSHASA 00015


B. KINSHASA 00041

C. KINSHASA 00147

Classified By: Charge d'affaires, a.i., Mark J. Biedlingmaier

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SASSOU-NGUESSO: Travel, Triumphs and Treason?
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1. (C) President Denis Sassou-Nguesso continued his shuttle
diplomacy in February with visits to Tripoli, Libreville,
Kinshasa and Paris to solidify his well-publicized image as
the man of "peace and reconciliation" following election as
Chairman of the African Union in late January. In turn, he
welcomed Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny to Brazzaville to
mediate the impasse over creating a national unity government
and scheduling elections for Ivory Coast by 2006. Shortly
thereafter, Sassou-Nguesso hosted King Mohammed VI of Morocco
for a two-day State Visit which included a lavish sit-down
dinner for 900 guests in an air-conditioned tent on the
grounds of the Palais du Peuple. The King inaugurated a
nationwide vaccination campaign against early childhood
diseases and offered sizeable grants on technical and
commercial cooperation, but apparently left the Republic of
Congo without a firm commitment from Morocco (as reportedly
requested by Sassou) to join the African Union, reversing
King Hassan II's de
cision to withdraw from its predecessor body, the
Organization of African Unity (OAU). Sassou-Nguesso invited
the diplomatic corps and all ministry officials to a rather
self-serving "congratulatory cocktail" on February 8 to
receive well wishes from the community, and used this
opportunity to buttonhole selected embassies for assistance
on a variety of issues. He asked that the United States be
more vocal in its support for approval of IMF Decision Point
debt relief for the Congo, schedule a White House Oval Office
visit at the earliest opportunity for him to elaborate on AU
issues and agenda with President Bush, and, to attract
interest from a major U.S. chain to build a luxury hotel and
convention center in Brazzaville so that he could be "not the
nation's innkeeper, but rather, the African region's
innkeeper" to high-level delegations and dignitaries.



2. (C) One of Sassou-Nguesso's wishes was granted on
February 24 following a consensus agreement by the World Bank
Board and Managing Directors to approve HIPC
(Highly-Indebted Poor Countries) debt relief for the Congo.
The IMF Board is expected to ratify the proposal at its
meeting on March 3, which includes annual review of triggers
pertaining to sustained good governance, poverty growth
reduction facilitation, and financial audits conducted in
accordance with international standards. In a meeting with
Finance Minister Pacifique Issiobeka on February 26, Charge
d'affaires reviewed key elements of the agreement and noted
that "the ball was squarely in Congo's court" following this
long march toward Completion Point, and after trying to
refocus world attention on the basic needs of the Congolese
people following the highly-critical Global Witness report
and devastating editorials in the London Times, Wall Street
Journal and other international press. Sassou-Nguesso
apparently instructed Issiobeka to rel
ay his sincerest appreciation for Department and embassy
support on the successful outcome, and said he considers the
United States a "true friend of Congo." The following day at
the routine airport departure ceremony for the President's
February 27 - March 4 trip to Paris, news circulated quickly
among the diplomatic corps representatives of the heroic
efforts by President Jacques Chirac to secure debt relief for
the Congo, this following a call he purportedly made to the
White House to insist that President Bush put World Bank
President Wolfowitz "in-line" and to demand a positive vote
by the U.S. Thus, the question remains Mr. Sassou, "true
friend" of George or Jacques?


3. (C) Having recently retained the services of legal
titans Plato Cacheris, Michael Ledeen and John Richards
(Trout-Cacheris, PLLC, Washington, DC) to sort through the
Kensington, Sphynx-Berumda, Walker International and other
vulture fund court-case decisions rendered by the Royal Court
of London in 2005, President Sassou-Nguesso should be well
equipped to handle the charge of high treason leveled by Mr.
Joseph Kignoumbi Kia Mboungou. Mr. Mboungou, representative
of the UPADS (Pan-African Union for Social Democracy),
published a well-documented, four-page letter to the

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President of Parliament detailing alleged violation of
President Sassou-Nguesso's duty to respect and defend the
Constitution, to protect the public well being, and, to
develop the nation and its natural resources. He cited
Articles 38, 39 and 47 of the Constitution of 20 January 2002
and condemned Sassou for "crimes of high treason", "acts of
corruption and illicit enrichment leading to the dilapidation
of public services", and, "indisc
riminate pillaging" punishable under the law. Charge
d'affaires met with Mr. Cacheris and his team (upon
instruction from their new client) to assess the state of
play from the embassy's perspective. Now that debt relief
seems assured from IMF/World Bank, it is anticipated that
Cacheris will seek to negotiate an out-of-court settlement
with the vulture fund creditors. As for Mr. Mboungou and the
charge of high treason? Odds are, if Mr. Cacheris could
successfully defend Monica Lewinsky, the rehabilitation of
Denis Sassou-Nguesso should soon follow. Mr. Mboungou, rest
your case.

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WHEELS OF DEMOCRACY CHURN FORWARD
--------------


4. (U) Following the widely-publicized celebratory event
in Kinshasa on February 4 to promulgate the new Democratic
Republic of Congo Constitution and Spring electoral process,
attention in Brazzaville has turned toward the 2007
legislative and 2009 presidential campaigns for the Republic
of Congo. MONUC, and in particular, former Ambassador Bill
Swing, have received high marks for their deft management of
the voter registration process, campaign monitoring and
election-day poll observer activities. Various academics,
prominent journalists, civil society representatives and NGOs
have expressed hope that the international community will
offer similar support, oversight and mentoring to the ROC as
well as it prepares for 2007 and 2009. Mr. Bayi
Sinibaguy-Mollet, the National Coordinator of CEPAREC (Center
for Partnership Exchange, Support and Reinforcement of
Capacity),made a compelling presentation to the embassy for
support to implement a multi-region, USD $450,000 program of
workshops, seminars, commu
nity awareness and involvement projects to inform and educate
the voting public. NDI (National Democratic Institute)
sponsored workshops in December 2005 and January 2006,
attended by over 300 representatives from civil society
groups, opposition parties, and NGOs under the chairmanship
of host-government Minister of the Interior and
Decentralization, Francois Ibovi. The central themes of
these events were "Collaboration Among Political Parties,"
and "Rules and Responsibility of Political Parties:
Commitment to Good Governance." Post would appreciate
guidance, and ideally, temporary duty support assistance, to
work with CEPAREC, NDI, International Republic Institute
(IRI),or the International Foundation for Election
Strengthening (IFES) to capture and maintain the momentum and
interest generated in the electoral process and surfacing at
the grass-roots level.


5. (U) Related to the above, the Swedish Foundation for
Human Rights held a conference this month on the
"Harmonization of National Laws with International Treaties,"
a follow-on to the Foundation's well received February 2004
"Conference on the Evaluation and Perspectives of the
Congolese Civil Society in the Reinforcement of Peace,
Democracy and Human Rights." The embassy participated in the
February 8 kick-off of the PNDDR (National Program on
Disarmament, Demobilization and Reinsertion of Combatants),
and Steering Committee meeting on February 25 that featured a
very candid and informative presentation by Belgian Central
African Affairs expert, Ms. Sophie da Camara. UNDP has
invited the embassy to become more actively engaged on this
issue, and to join the Embassy of South Africa and UNDP in
plans to strengthen regional cooperation on containment of
small arms/light weapons and related disarmament issues.
This partnership was raised during the recent visit to
Brazzaville by Col. Kelly Langdorf, regi
onal director for Central Africa, Office of the Deputy
Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs, however,
further guidance on possible next steps is required from the
Department of Defense and Department of State in order to
proceed in an informed fashion.


6. (C) In response to President Sassou-Nguesso's comments
in Khartoum to Secretary Rice that the United States military
had "neglected" Congo in recent years, post is pleased to

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report that arrangements for the March 21-25 USN Emery Land
ship visit to Pointe Noire and ship rider program offered to
host-government naval officers are proceeding full-speed
ahead. Post has been advised by Presidency Secretary
General, Ambassador Daniel Owessa, that Sassou plans to
attend either the VIP dinner aboard ship, tentatively
scheduled for March 24, and perhaps a larger event hosted for
the American expat and diplomatic communities earlier in the
week. On a slightly smaller scale, "Facing the Congo" author
Jeffrey Tayler has completed approximately two-thirds of his
river voyage via dugout pirogue from Impfondo to the port of
Brazzaville. Extensive media coverage is planned for his
anticipated arrival on March 15, and the Office of the
Presidency will schedule a photo-op with Sassou-Nguesso to
mark successful comple
tion of this historic journey. Tayler will publish an
article for Men's Journal and perhaps another book, which no
doubt could bring favorable world attention to the Republic
of Congo.

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IN THE LOOP - BRAZZAVILLE EDITION
--------------


7. (U) Cons/Econ Officer responded to complaints filed by
an American firm, Intervision Foods of Atlanta, Georgia, and
the U.S. Poultry and Egg Export Council, after the Minister
of Commerce, Adelaide Moundele-Ngolo, announced plans on
February 22 for a complete ban on the importation of poultry
and poultry products to the Republic of Congo, including
those from the United States. The matter was demarched to
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce and
Office of the Presidency, however, senior Republic of Congo
officials stated that they could not "discriminate in favor"
of the United States although they understood Avian Flu and
the H5N1 virus had not yet been detected in the continental
United States. Later that day, the Ministry of Commerce
released a statement noting that waivers to this policy may
be requested and would be reviewed on a case-by-case,
country-by-country basis.


8. (U) In response to President Sassou-Nguesso's wishes to
have Republic of Congo serve as the "region's innkeeper" (see
para 1),Brazzaville will serve as the venue for several
international conferences in the near future, to include:
the "Continental Consultative Committee Meeting on Universal
Access to Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support" (March
6-8); the "First African Union Conference for Ministers in
Charge of Railway Transport" (April 10-14); and in late May,
the Central African Ministers Conference on Protection of the
Environment. To level the playing field, an official
delegation headed by the Mayor of Brazzaville, Hugues
Ngouelondele (son-in-law of the President),traveled to
Washington, D.C., February 7-15, to attend the "United Cities
and Local Governments Conference." It was subsequently
announced that the mayors of Brazzaville and Washington, D.C.
had signed a cooperative agreement on February 10 to
establish a "Sister-City Relationship" between capitals.
Plans for celebrations of "B
razzaville Week in D.C." and "D.C. Week in Brazzaville" to
promote local services, culture and products are underway.



9. (U) An Office of Foreign Missions advisory team will
arrive in Brazzaville March 1 to settle outstanding tax
exoneration and VAT issues with the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Ministry of Finance to clear way for the
Brazzaville NEC contractor bid conference in early May and
project ground-breaking anticipated by early Fall 2006. In
the meantime, FSN MGT section staff currently assigned to the
Joint Administrative Office in Kinshasa will transition to an
interim office site at the BDEAC Bank building in Brazzaville
upon completion of DS-mandated security upgrades and VSAT
installation within the next 3 months. This move will
significantly improve embassy management operations and our
ability to report effectively on developments in the Republic
of Congo, not to mention considerable cost savings to the
USG. A long-term lease for the Chief of Mission residence
(CMR) was signed with the Minister of Construction on
February 22, following protracted negotiations, and the
property was recently surveyed by
an OBO/IF design team to plan for Embassy Brazzaville's first
official CMR since the 1997 ordered evacuation of post at the
onset of Congo's civil war.


10. (U) We are also pleased to announce that FSO Robert

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Weisberg received full Senate confirmation of his nomination
as Ambassador to the Republic of Congo on February 10 and
will be arriving in Brazzaville to lead his Country Team by
late April.


11. (U) And in case you were wondering - yes, construction
of the Savoran da Brazza mausoleum continues as its glacial
place. The saga has taken yet another peculiar twist with
word that President Sassou-Nguesso, during a private visit
with the Dali Lama late last year, was advised that his time
(power) in office would soon come to an end, unless Sassou, a
Freemason, could retrieve secret documents safeguarded by an
indigenous tribe to inter with da Brazza's mortal remains.
To date, emissaries sent to collect these mystical documents
have been repeatedly thwarted in their attempts. Watch this
space.


12. (U) Embassy Brazzaville Office.
DOUGHERTY