CONGO/BRAZZAVILLE: AMBASSADOR WEISBERG'S APRIL 14

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 002553 SIPDIS SIPDIS KINSHASA PASS BRAZZAVILLE E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2016 TAGS: PREL VZ SU CF FR SUBJECT: CONGO/BRAZZAVILLE: AMBASSADOR WEISBERG'S APRIL 14 CONSULTATIONS AT FOREIGN MINISTRY REF: A. ADDIS ABABA 1004 ¶B. KINSHASA 589 Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, reasons 1.4. (b/d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In an April 14 meeting with Ambassador Robert Weisberg, MFA DAS-equivalent Helene Le Gal said that Republic of Congo (ROC) President Sassou Nguesso told the French prior to the African Union's April 13 communique on Chad that the AU would not condemn Sudan. A small group of ROC officials is managing ROC's presence on the UNSC and its presidency of the AU; Le Gal said that so far, the ROC had done an effective job as AU president. She said that, in France's view, the AU's March 10 decision on rehatting AMIS was a "green light" and did not contain hidden obstacles. France was concerned about the recent "Publish What You Pay: incident in the ROC, which underscored the need for transparency concerning financial management issues. She agreed with Ambassador Weisberg that the U.S. and France should consider ways to stress the importance of transparency to the ROC. Le Gal expressed concern about China's offering loans to the ROC tied to oil, saying this could cause problems with the World Bank and IMF. Le Gal had no comment on the Venezuelan UNSC candidacy and African voting intentions, but she mentioned that Venezuela apparently planned to open six additional embassies in Africa. END SUMMARY. ROC a Friend of Chad? ¶2. (C) Ambassador Robert Weisberg, en route to the Republic of Congo (ROC),met with MFA DAS-equivalent Helene Le Gal on April 14. Noting the assistance that Chad President Deby had provided to ROC President Sassou Nguesso in 1997, we asked Le Gal whether this would induce Sassou Nguesso to encourage AU support for Deby in the wake of the recent coup attempt. Le Gal referred to the African Union's Peace and Security Council communique of April 13 (ref A),noting that it did not condemn Sudan directly, although "everybody knows Sudan is supporting the rebels in Chad," she said, point a finger at the Sudanese security services. Le Gal said the GOF had spoken to Sassou Nguesso before the AU PSC meeting, and he said the communique would not condemn Sudan but would rather focus on the rebels. Le Gal noted the strong links between Deby, Sassou Nguesso, Gabon President Bongo, and CAR President Bozize, who tended to support each other. UNSC and AU: A Tight and Compact ROC Team ¶3. (C) Le Gal said that a handful of ROC officials was responsible for managing ROC's tenure on the UNSC and its presidency of the AU. This small group included Sassou Nguesso, Foreign Minister Adada, Adada's Secretary-General and Diplomatic Counselor, and the ROC's Ambassadors in New York, Addis Ababa, and Paris. Le Gal said that these ambassadors were of high quality. She said that ROC energies seemed more directed at managing international rather than domestic issues. So far, the ROC seemed to be doing an effective job as AU president, although its tenure had only begun. She mentioned that the ROC had handled the AMIS rehatting issue relatively well in the AU. Le Gal was confident that the AU's March 10 decision represented a "green light," with no hidden obstacles that might complicate rehatting at a later stage. "If anyone has problems, it will be Sudan, and not the AU," she said. ROC Financial Management Issues ¶4. (C) Le Gal noted ROC's continuing international debt problems and their effect on the ROC's relations with the World Bank and other IFIs. She stressed the need for transparency, and expressed dismay over the "Publish What You Pay" episode (ref B). The arrest and harassment of the two members of the NGO were a "step backward." Le Gal indicated that the GOF had advised the ROC against taking the kinds of action it had taken against "Publish What You Pay." Ambassador Weisberg commented that the American public could become increasingly aware of ROC financial irregularities and would not take kindly to them. Le Gal agreed with Ambassador Weisberg on the need to promote transparency in the ROC and suggested that the GOF and USG, through their missions in Brazzaville, discuss ways to cooperate in this area. She noted that petroleum giant Total, which had an important (but not "privileged") presence in the ROC, was also calling for transparency. PARIS 00002553 002 OF 002 Domestic Issues ¶5. (C) Le Gal said that Sassou Nguesso seemed to be in full control domestically, but she remarked that there had never been a true disarming of various militia groups. She said that some reconciliation on the government's part seems to have taken place with the opposition. She and Ambassador Weisberg compared notes on road and railway construction projects, and the long-discussed but never implemented bridge project that would link Kinshasa and Brazzaville, which the DRC always seemed to scotch. Le Gal and Ambassador Weisberg agreed on the importance of working with the ROC on environmental issues, given the country's resources and rain forests. China ¶6. (C) Le Gal remarked that China had established a presence in ROC, "as it has in all African countries with resources." She said that China offered loans to the ROC tied to oil. She believed that the ROC risked aggravating its problems with the World Bank and IMF if it continued to make such loan arrangements with China, and she indicated that France had counseled the ROC on potential problems with the IFIs regarding the Chinese loans. Venezuela: Courting Africans? ¶7. (C) Ambassador Weisberg queried Le Gal about how Africans viewed the UNSC candidacy of Venezuela. Le Gal offered no definitive information, but she noted her surprise at hearing that Venezuela was planning to open an additional six embassies in Africa. She did not recall the locations. ROC Nationals in France ¶8. (C) Le Gal said in passing that there was not a large population of ROC nationals residing in France, especially when compared with the number of DRC nationals in France. Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm Stapleton