NEW CONGOLESE FOREIGN MINISTER UPBEAT, BUT STILL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000396

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/02/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO KDEM CG RW
SUBJECT: NEW CONGOLESE FOREIGN MINISTER UPBEAT, BUT STILL
DEFINING HIS COURSE

REF: A. KINSHASA 336

B. KINSHASA 338

Classified By: PolCouns DBrown, reasons 1.4 b/d


1. (C) Summary. During the Ambassador's first official call
March 20 (Note: two days prior to the outbreak of violence
in Kinshasa. End note.),new Foreign Minister Mbusa appeared
in an upbeat mood. He spoke positively of the March 16
Tripartite Plus talks in Kigali, calling them "the best
ever." Mbusa hedged a bit in talking about renegade General
Laurent Nkunda, reporting that the Rwandans had pointed out
an apparent contradiction in the GDRC position of
simultaneously maintaining an arrest warrant even while
striking deals with Nkunda. Mbusa expressed confidence that
a border dispute with Angola can be resolved amicably. As
reported reftels, Mbusa also acknowledged demarches about
proposed additions to the arms trafficking sanctions list,
and USG concerns over Zimbabwe, but offered little
substantive comment. With his political power base in North
Kivu apparently strengthened, Mbusa appears ready to take on
the bigger stage of the foreign ministry, but is still
defining his course. End summary.


2. (SBU) Minister of State for External Relations and
International Cooperation Antipas Mbusa Nyamwisi provided the
Ambassador with a readout March 20 of the recent
Tripartite-Plus meetings in Kigali during the first official
call by the Ambassador since Mbusa took office. Mbusa
appeared upbeat and positive (despite the recent unexpected
death of his wife). The meeting took place two days before
the outbreak of violence in Kinshasa between government
forces and the militia of Senator and former Vice President
Jean-Pierre Bemba. PolCouns and two Mbusa counselors sat in.


3. (C) Mbusa, who headed the Congolese Tripartite-Plus
delegation, expressed satisfaction with the results of the
March 16 meeting in Kigali. He said he had participated in
many past meetings and characterized this one as "the best
ever." He asserted that he sensed from Rwanda for the first
time a strong desire to turn the page and move forward. He
said all parties, including the DRC, need to deal with the
skeletons of the past "which are still there." He reported
that Rwanda definitely wants to resume diplomatic relations
with the DRC, and said President Paul Kagame told him he was
targeting late June for doing so.


4. (C) Mbusa said that he had held some meetings with
Rwandan officials on the margins of the Tripartite Plus
meeting. He reported that Rwandans had pointed out a
contradiction in GDRC policy, as Kinshasa maintained an
outstanding arrest warrant for Nkunda even while negotiating
agreement(s) with him. Mbusa said the Rwandans had a point,
and asked about U.S. policy toward Nkunda. The Ambassador
noted that the U.S. had already put Nkunda on its sanctions
list, as Mbusa knew, but said it would be difficult to go
further without knowing the GDRC's own position, especially
if that position is changing. Mbusa hedged, implicitly
acknowledging that there were divergent views within the
government, and eventually said he had asked for a ten-day
"moratorium" for publication of the Tripartite Plus "most
wanted" list, suggesting this would give the government time
to review its position or for the situation to evolve.
(Comment: We think such resolution or shift in prevailing
GDRC sentiment regarding Nkunda is unlikely in the short
term. In any event, the GDRC has failed the release the list
to-date. End comment.) Mbusa also mentioned that Ituri
militia leader Peter Karim had been discussed by Tripartite
Plus participants.


5. (C) Mbusa, who co-chaired the Congolese delegation which
met with Angolan counterparts March 13 to review a border
dispute, expressed optimism that it could be settled
amicably. He said Angola had encountered a similar situation
with Namibia, which was resolved by establishing a 60 km
frontier zone in which populations could circulate freely.
He characterized partisan agitation about the issue in
Kinshasa as "post-electoral politics."


6. (C) As reported reftels, the Ambassador took the
opportunity to deliver demarches regarding proposed additions
to the arms trafficking list, and the current situation in
Zimbabwe. Mbusa was generally supportive of the arms
trafficking sanctions process but offered little substantive
comment regarding the proposed additions, and promised no
action regarding Zimbabwe, although he characterized the

KINSHASA 00000396 002 OF 002


situation there as "catastrophic."


7. (C) Comment: The DRC's elections helped consolidate
Mbusa's political base in North Kivu province, and he seems
ready to assume a somewhat bigger role from his new Foreign
Minister position. He appears, however, still to be feeling
out his job and his political strategy, with both somewhat
works in progress. While Mbusa has a well-established record
of being able to shift political positions overnight, he
continues to be open and receptive to the USG. His status
within the new Kinshasa political line-up, and his
relationships with the President, Prime Minister, ministerial
colleagues and others in the political class will bear
watching to get a better sense of his eventual influence and
power. End comment.
MEECE