DEMARCHE ON MODIFYING THE ARMS EMBARGO UNDER UNSC

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 000956 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/07/2010 TAGS: PGOV PREL CG UN SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON MODIFYING THE ARMS EMBARGO UNDER UNSC DR CONGO SANCTIONS REF: A. SHRENI E-MAIL 08/06/2007 ¶B. STATE 107223 Classified By: PolCouns DBrown, reasons 1.4 b/d ¶1. (U) The perception of a general arms embargo directed at the DRC, including armed forces operating under central government command authority, has become a major source of irritation to President Kabila and senior GDRC officials generally. These concerns have been expressed frequently and strongly, including during the UNSC visit to Kinshasa earlier this year, and presumably sparked the DRC Mission July 18 letter seeking clarification of the terms of the embargo. We believe the view of the GDRC has been clearly articulated a number of times, specifically that a government broadly recognized as legitimately formed as a result of democratic elections, has a right to purchase needed arms and munitions, and equip its integrated brigades operationg under national command authority, particularly in areas as eastern DRC where illegal armed groups pose an ongoing threat to secure and stable conditions. ¶2. (C) SRSG Swing has privately told us that based on his initial review of the USG proposals, he had sent a generally favoarable assessment of these proposals to DPKO in New York. We believe it unlikely, however, that the SRSG or any other UN employee here will take a public stance regarding an issue currently being debated among Security Council members, particularly one involving apparently divergent views among the Perm 5. MEECE