Senior officials travel to North and South Kivu to present

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000158 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO CG SUBJECT: Senior officials travel to North and South Kivu to present government vision of conference follow-up ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Senior government officials led by Interior Minister Kalume presented the structure of the Peace Program established by Kabila's "Amani" decree to North Kivu Mai-Mai groups and international facilitators February 12 in Goma. They planned similar meetings February 13 with CNDP in Goma and with FRF and perhaps South Kivu Mai-Mai in Bukavu. The delegation was clearly in explanatory mode and appeared to have no negotiating mandate. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) A high-level government delegation from Kinshasa met separately with North Kivu Mai-Mai groups and international facilitators soon after arriving in Goma February 12 to explain Kabila's "Amani" decree, the structure it established and to receive the names of the armed groups' representatives on its various commissions and sub-commissions. The delegation, consisting of Interior Minister Denis Kalume, Kivus Conference President Apollinaire Malu Malu and FARDC Naval Forces Chief of Staff Didier Etumba, planned to meet with CNDP representatives February 13 before traveling to Bukavu to hold similar meetings with FRF and perhaps South Kivu Mai-Mai. ¶3. (SBU) The delegation's meeting with MONUC, U.S., UK and EU facilitators was largely devoted to explanations of the structure established by the decree to operationalize Kivu Conference commitments (septel). (They did not do a very efficient job of presenting it.) Participants also reviewed the planned meeting with CNDP the following day and the logistics of transporting CNDP and FRF representatives to meeting sites in Goma and at Bukavu airport. ¶4. (SBU) This was the first MONUC had heard of the CNDP meeting, but they promised a helicopter on short notice to transport them to Goma. Malu Malu said Nkunda adviser Kambasu Ngeve, who headed the CNDP delegation to the conference, told him that that everything had been set up for them to get to Goma under their own steam, but Governor Julien Paluku wanted to arrange secure passage via MONUC to avoid problems with Congolese security forces. The government delegation invited international facilitators to attend the meeting. MONUC committed to contact Nkunda regarding logistics. ¶5. (SBU) The logistics of transporting FRF from High Plains region of South Kivu in time for the February 13 meeting are more daunting. Past meetings have taken many days to arrange. Implicitly recognizing this, Etumba said he would stay behind in Bukavu for a meeting with FRF if February 13 did not come together as planned. The delegation was scheduled to leave Bukavu to return to Kinshasa on later that evening. ¶6. (SBU) Comment: The delegation was clearly in explanatory mode, which would not bode well for the CNDP meeting if Nkunda's people are expecting negotiations. End comment. GARVELINK