GDRC TERMS UGANDAN THREAT TO INTERVENE

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000488 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL CG UG SUBJECT: GDRC TERMS UGANDAN THREAT TO INTERVENE "UNACCEPTABLE" REF: A. KAMPALA 527 ¶B. KAMPALA 574 ¶1. (U) Summary: Press reports suggesting Uganda's possible intent unilaterally to pursue Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) militants into Congolese territory provoked a pointed response from the GDRC. The Ugandan charge was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 22 March where he was told by Foreign Minister Ramazani that recent rhetoric from Kampala was "particularly unfriendly" and "totally unacceptable." Ramazani suggested that the Tripartite Plus Commission would be the appropriate forum to discuss Uganda's concerns. End summary. ¶2. (U) Foreign Minister Ramazani told Ugandan charge d'affaires Ocana Big Jackson that there were ongoing efforts by both FARDC and MONUC to control armed groups in the Eastern Congo, including in the Garamba Park area where the LRA is reported to be trying to establish a base. Ramazani emphasized the need for joint efforts on the part of "specialized services" of the two countries. He noted that the numerous recent "untimely" public declarations from Kampala are not "of the nature to assure the serenity desired for the indispensible exchange of information." Ramazani added that Uganda's concerns should have been brought to the Tripartite Plus for consideration, rather than being publicly broadcast. ¶3. (U) UNSYG Kofi Annan also mentioned the issue in a press conference in Kinshasa on March 22. Annan stated that "the DRC is a free country, and its neighbors should respect its sovereignty." He made note of cooperation between Uganda and the DRC in regard to armed groups in the volatile Eastern region, and said he believed relations between Uganda and the DRC have been improving. Both Ramazani and Annan referred to the need for continued cooperation in executing the arrest warrants of LRA members handed down by the International Court of Justice in late 2005. ¶4. (SBU) Comment: Given the calamity that befell the DRC after Uganda troops entered its territory in the late 1990s, reports of a possible new incursion hit a very raw nerve. Recent press reports from Kampala that unilateral action is not being planned, along with the GDRC's suggestion to raise the matter in the Tripartite Plus Commission, have served to calm the situation. End comment. MEECE