BELGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER AN INCOVENIENT GUEST IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000435

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM BE CG
SUBJECT: BELGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER AN INCOVENIENT GUEST IN
KINSHASA


Classified By: PolOff Tracy Naber, reasons 1.4 b/d


1. (SBU) Summary: Belgian Foreign Minister Karel de Gucht
had frank criticism for both sides involved in the March
22-23 violence in Kinshasa during his April 10-12 visit to
the DRC. He reiterated Belgium's desire for a post-CIAT
mechanism for political dialogue and discussed governance
issues with parliamentary leaders. He characterized his
last-minute meeting with President Kabila as "extremely frank
and open." End summary.


2. (U) Belgian Foreign Minister Karel de Gucht arrived in
Kinshasa April 10 for a three-day visit, his fifth to the DRC
during his tenure. The DRC was the second stop on a
multi-country African tour, which began in Liberia and
includes Zambia, Angola, Rwanda, and Burundi.


3. (U) De Gucht met with President Kabila, Minister of
Foreign Affairs Mbusa Nyamwisi, key National Assembly
deputies including President Vital Kamerhe, senior ministers,
and several chief of mssion. His remarks at a large
reception April 10 to Congolese officials and members of the
diplomatic corps were filmed by a Belgian TV crew.

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Criticism for both sides in March 22-23 unrest
-------------- -


4. (U) De Gucht criticized both sides in last month's
clashes in Kinshasa. In a clear reference to Senator
Jean-Pierre Bemba, de Gucht told National Assembly deputies
"it is unacceptable that members of the opposition have
private militia." He denounced the "aggressive and
provocative behavior" of opposition forces and said "the
monopoly of force remains with the legitimate government."
At the same time, he condemned the "premature and
disproportionate" use of force by the Congolese army,
language picked up from an earlier, controversial statement
issued by EU Ambassadors in Kinshasa. He called for an
acceleration of military reforms, saying "the first lesson to
draw from the fighting is the need for a better and swifter
process of national disarmament, demobilization, and
reintegration into society" of combatants. He promised
Belgian assistance but called on the Congolese government to
take the lead on reforms.

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"Recess is over" for new leaders
--------------


5. (SBU) De Gucht pointedly asked whether "recess was really
over" (referring to President Kabila's inaugural address when
Kabila said "recess"-- or "playtime" -- was over). He said
that government needs to show the population tangible
results, adding that it is not acceptable that "people who
voted for democracy should see their efforts stymied by the
political class" and criticized indirect senatorial and
gubernatorial elections as "not transparent." He said the
DRC would profit from a "frank and open" partnership between
their two countries. He listed a number of areas where
Belgium could work with the DRC, including health, education,
and army integration, and underlined the particular
importance of the mining sector. He also announced the
opening of a Belgian Consulate in Bukavu, South Kivu.

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A post-CIAT "mechanism for dialogue"
--------------


6. (C) De Gucht pushed privately and publicly for the
establishment of post-CIAT "mechanism for dialogue," calling
for the body to be "quick, flexible, and effective." De
Gucht said he had just come from Monrovia, where he met with
newly-elected President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and saw how
such a mechanism could work. (Comment: The mechanism in
Liberia is a economic coordination group and not the sort of
post-CIAT mechanism for political dialogue and "oversight"
that Belgium has been promoting. The Belgian Ambassador told
us that de Gucht did not raise this topic with President
Kabila.
End comment.)

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A last-minute meeting with President Kabila
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KINSHASA 00000435 002 OF 002




7. (C) On April 11, de Gucht met with Foreign Minister Mbusa
Nyamwisi and ministerial members of the steering committee on
reconstruction before leaving for a conference in Lubumbashi.
(Note: At a separate meeting with Ambassador Meece on April
11, the Foreign Minister later characterized de Gucht's visit
as "not easy." End comment.) When meeting with the press
immediately after his meeting with Nyamwisi, de Gucht
complained that neither President Kabila nor Prime Minister
Antoine Gizenga had agreed to meet with him. He was
interrupted, however, with the news that Kabila would see
him.


8. (C) In comments to the press, de Gucht called his
80-minute meeting with Kabila "extremely frank and open." He
was accompanied by the Belgian Ambassador, and Kabila had
Presidency Political and Diplomatic Advisor Marcelin Cishambo
with him. The Belgian Embassy's political counselor told us
de Gucht was happy he did not have to "make any concessions"
to Kabila. After the meeting, de Gucht told the press that
Kabila "did not share the opinion of the European Union"
about the March 22-23 events, which 14 resident ambassadors
had previously condemned. Kabila made no comment on the
80-minute meeting. De Gucht flew to Lubumbashi later that
day for a conference on transparency in the mining sector.


9. (C) Comment: De Gucht's visit was difficult for all
involved. Kabila and his circle have long bristled at de
Gucht's often outspoken charged public remarks, and de
Gucht's repeated calls for a post-CIAT mechanism have further
strained relations. Presidency hardliners were also unhappy
that de Gucht reportedly announced his visit before asking
for Congolese concurrence and that the Belgians had
criticized the government for the March violence. End
comment.
MEECE