CNDP REQUESTS DRC PARLIAMENT ROLE IN NAIROBI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 001166 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS PHUM PREF KPKO CG SUBJECT: CNDP REQUESTS DRC PARLIAMENT ROLE IN NAIROBI TALKS KINSHASA 00001166 001.6 OF 002 ¶1. CNDP Spokesman Bertrand Bisimwa sent a letter, dated December 25, requesting that the presidents of the DRC National Assembly and Senate, Vital Kamerhe and Leon Kengo wa Dondo, respectively, participate as facilitators in negotiations between the CNDP and GDRC in the Nairobi political talks. The CNDP claims that the presence and influence of the parliamentary leaders in Nairobi would facilitate a rapid conclusion to the peace negotiations. Unofficial embassy translation follows. Original French version is at paragraph 3. ¶2. Begin unofficial translation of CNDP letter of request: Bwiza, December 24, 2008 Information copies to: -- 1. Chief Olesegun Obasanjo, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General for Central Africa and principal mediator for the crisis in the east of the DRC, in Nairobi, Kenya; -- 2. Mr. Benjamin Mkapa, AU Emissary for the Great Lakes region and co-mediator for the crisis in the east of the DRC, in Nairobi, Kenya; -- 3. Ambassador Alan Doss, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in the DRC, Kinshasa. RE: Request for facilitation in the Nairobi negotiations To the Honorable: -- President of the National Assembly, Kinshasa; -- President of the Senate, Kinshasa; Honorable Presidents: On behalf of the political directorate of our movement, we have the honor to address to you the present message, to make you aware of our great concern regarding your absence from the negotiations between our movement and the Government of Kinshasa, currently underway in Nairobi, Kenya. Our Movement remains convinced that, in your capacity as accredited representatives of the Congolese people, the support of your two parliamentary institutions in the aforementioned discussions is of capital importance, not only because of your good offices vis-`-vis the parties to facilitate the rapid conclusion of an agreement, but also because of your role as the guardian of the People's interests. Therefore, as one of the two parties to the ongoing peace process, our Movement requests your presence at the Nairobi negotiations as facilitator and asks you to kindly exercise your influence vis-`-vis the Government of the Republic, the other party to the negotiations, to obtain agreement on this issue, because a lasting and definitive peace in the east in particular, and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in general, is at stake. Please accept, Honorable Presidents, the expression of my greatest consideration. For the political directorate of the CNDP, the Chairman Laurent Nkunda Mihigo, Major General End unofficial translation of CNDP statement ¶3. Begin original French version of CNDP statement: BWIZA, LE 24 DCEMBRE 2008 TRANSMIS COPIE POUR INFORMATION A: -- 1. SON EXCELLENCE CHIEF OLUSEGUN OBASANDJO, ENVOYE SPECIAL DU SECRETAIRE GENERAL DES NATIONS-UNIES POUR L'AFRIQUE CENTRALE ET MEDIATEUR PRINCIPAL DANS LA CRISE A L'EST DE LA RDC A NAIROBI/KENYA; -- 2. SON EXCELLENCE MONSIEUR BENJAMIN MKAPA, EMISSAIRE DE L'UA DANS LA REGION DES GRANDS-LACS ET COMEDIATEUR DANS LA CRISE A L'EST DE LA RDC A NAIROBI/KENYA; -- 3. SON EXCELLENCE MONSIEUR L'AMBASSADEUR ALLAN DOSS, REPRESENTANT SPECIAL DU SECRETAIRE GENERAL DES NATIONS - UNIES EN RDC A KINSHASA/GOMBE. KINSHASA 00001166 002.3 OF 002 OBJET: DEMANDE DE FACILITATION DANS LES NEGOCIATIONS DE NAIROBI AX HONORABLES: -- MONSIEUR LE PRESIDENT DE L'ASSEBLEE NATIONALE A KINSHASA/PALAIS DU PEUPLE/LINGWLA; -- MONSIEUR LE PRESIDENT DU SENAT A KINSHAS/PALAIS DU PEUPLE/LINGWALA; HONORABLES MESSIEURS LES PRSIDENTS, AU NOM DE LA DIRECTION POLITIUE DE NOTRE MOUVEMENT, NOUS AVONS L'HONNEUR DE VUS ADRESSER LA PRESENTE POUR VOUS FAIRE PART DE NOTRE TRES GRANDE PREOCCUPATION AU SUJET DE VOTRE ABSENCE AUX NEGOCIATIONS ENTRE NOTRE MOUVEMENT ET LE GOUVERNEMENT DE KINSHASA QUI SE TIENNENT PRESENTEMENT DANS LA CAPITALE KENYANE, NAIROBI. NOTRE MOUVEMENT RESTE CONVAINCU QU'EN VOTRE QUALITE DES REPRESENTANTS ATTITRES DU PEUPLE CONGOLAIS, L'APPORT DE VOS DEUX INSTITUTIONS PARLEMENTAIRES AUXDITES DISCUSSIONS EST D'UNE IMPORTANCE CAPITALE AUSSI BIEN A TRAVERS LES BON OFFICES AUPRES DES PARTIES POUR FACILITER LA CONCLUSION RAPIDE D'UN ACCORD MAIS AUSSI PAR VOTRE RLE DE SENTINELLE DES INTERETS DU PEUPLE. AINSI,EN SA QUALITE DE L'UNE DES DEUX PARTIES AU PROCESSUS DE PAIX EN COURS, NOTRE MOUVEMENT SOLLICITE VOTRE PRESENCE AUX NEGOCIATIONS DE NAIROBI EN QUALITE DE FACILITATEUR ET VOUS PRIE DE BIEN VOULOIR EXERCER VOTRE INFLUENCE SUR LE GOUVERNEMENT DE LA REPUBLIQUE, L'AUTRE PARTIE AUX NEGOCIATIONS, POUR OBTENIR SON ACCORD A CE SUJET, CAR LA PAIX DURABLE ET DEFINITIVE A L'EST DU PAYS EN PARTICULIER ET EN REPUBLIQUE DEMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO EST A CE PRIX. CNDP CONGRES NATIONAL POUR LA DEFENSE DU PEUPLE REPUBLIQUE DEMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO VEUILLEZ AGREER, HONORABLES MESSIEURS LES PRESIDENTS, L'EXPRESSION DE NOTRE TRES HAUTE CONSIDERATION. POUR LA DIRECTION POLITIQUE DU CNDP LE CHAIRMAN LAURENT NKUNDA MIHIGO GENERAL MAJOR End original French version of CNDP statement GARVELINK