BURUNDI TALKS WITH FNL TO CONTINUE IN PRETORIA?

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUJUMBURA 000268

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/C

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR PINR BY SF
SUBJECT: BURUNDI TALKS WITH FNL TO CONTINUE IN PRETORIA?

REF: A. BUJUMBURA 267 (NOTAL)


B. BUJUMBURA 237

Classified By: Charge d' Affaires Ann Breiter for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (
D.)


1. (C) The South African facilitation mission has proposed
to hold a special set of talks between the Government of
Burundi (GOB) and the rebel PALIPEHUTU-FNL in Pretoria,
according to South Africa's Institute for Strategic Studies
analyst Jan van Eck. In a conversation on April 6, Van Eck
privately expressed doubts that either the GOB or the FNL
would enthusiastically support the venue for the talks. He
opined that the facilitator had proposed Pretoria in order to
lend status to the proposed discussions and to be able to
draw a wider range of experts into the mediation.


2. (C) Van Eck, who enjoys high level access to both FNL
leaders and to senior government officials, has spent most of
the last two weeks in Burundi. He traveled to Dar es Salaam
during the weekend of April 1 in order to meet with FNL
leaders there. Van Eck said he made that trip in order to
inform FNL leadership there that the GOB believed it had
never agreed to continue discussions on outstanding issues
(reftels.) FNL leaders received the news stoically,
according to Van Eck; he believed the FNL could still be
convinced to return to the table.


3. (C) The FNL's biggest concern, continued Van Eck, remains
their demand that the GOB provide food supplies for their
troops. If the government does not provide sufficient food
rations, the FNL warned Van Eck, their commanders might lose
control over their forces who will be forced to find
alternative means of finding food sources. Van Eck cautioned
that this issue alone could lead to destabilization of the
country, almost without warning.


4. (C) Van Eck downplayed suggestions that the South African
facilitators had expressed concerns about his own
interventions with the FNL (Ref A). He noted that he has
worked closely with the facilitators throughout the process
and would continue to do so, adding that he was prepared to
return to Dar if necessary to intercede with the FNL.
Embassy subsequently learned on April 7 that Van Eck, who had
originally planned to return to Pretoria on April 8. had
deferred his return in favor of a return through Dar es
Salaam to negotiate a venue for talks.
BREITER