SENIOR ADVISER SHORTLEY'S MEETING WITH SRSG DOSS AND

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000521 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO CG UN SUBJECT: SENIOR ADVISER SHORTLEY'S MEETING WITH SRSG DOSS AND AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE NGWEJ REF: A. Kinshasa 463 B. Kinshasa 488 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: SRSG Alan Doss told AF Senior Adviser Tim Shortley June 2 that international supervision will be necessary at brassage centers for ex-combatants from North and South Kivu. He and Shortley agreed that disarmament and relocation or repatriation of FDLR members will be important to pressure Nkunda to send his own troops to brassage. Congolese Ambassador-at-Large Seraphin Ngwej cautioned that the GDRC is having difficulties convincing local communities to accept relocation of former FDLR combatants. Shortley and Doss agreed that that return to Rwanda should be the first option. Shortley suggested that re-establishing diplomatic relations between the DRC and Rwanda is critical to accelerate cooperation on the FDLR and Nkunda. End summary ¶2. (SBU) A/S Frazer's Senior Adviser Tim Shortley, joined by EU Great Lakes Special Envoy Roeland van de Geer, discussed progress in the Goma and Nairobi processes with SRSG Alan Doss and GDRC Ambassador-at-Large Seraphin Ngwej June 2. DCM and POLOFF (notetaker) also participated in the meeting at MONUC headquarters in Kinshasa. ¶3. (SBU) Prior to Ngwej's arrival, Doss said that international supervision will be necessary at brassage centers. He said this should include U.S., EU and MONUC representatives. He also called for lengthening the time each ex-combatant spends in brassage; the current process of 45 days does not provide for sufficient training. Shortley and van de Geer noted that Defense Minister Chikez had balked at sending ex-CNDP combatants to the brassage center at Luberizi in South Kivu (septel). ¶4. (SBU) Doss cited the May 26-27 Kisangani conference (reftels) and agreed that disarmament and relocation or repatriation of FDLR members will be important to pressure Nkunda to send a commensurate number of his own troops to brassage. Shortley noted that demilitarized zones and the presence of a non-FARDC force in formerly CNDP-controlled areas will be essential points for Nkunda. He said the Amani program will have to work out how to return state authority to formerly CNDP-controlled areas. ¶5. (SBU) With Ngwej joining the meeting, van de Geer outlined a proposed agenda for the upcoming Nairobi process Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) session in Gisenyi, Rwanda, including a proposal that Ngwej present the GDRC's view of the Kisangani conference. Van de Geer stressed that it will be important to highlight the success of the conference in promoting FDLR-RUD disarmament and address how to convince other FDLR elements to join the process. ¶6. (SBU) Ngwej cautioned that the GDRC is having some difficulties convincing communities to accept relocation of FDLR combatants and their dependents. He said that financing a reinsertion/reintegration strategy could diminish this resistance. Shortley and Doss agreed that funding for relocation will be important, but that return to Rwanda should be the first option in any case. Doss said that, at the least, FDLR ex-combatants should be moved as far away as possible from the Rwandan border, which may be enough to reassure the Rwandan government. Ngwej insisted that the primary goal is disarmament. He said that fewer combatants will be willing to do so if relocation is seen as a temporary measure. ¶7. (SBU) Participants discussed at length re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the DRC and Rwanda. Ngwej said that holding back diplomatic relations is the only leverage the DRC has over Rwanda. He called on the U.S. and EU to facilitate talks between Presidents Kabila and Kagame. Shortley said that the two do meet: the problem is not a lack of meetings, but a lack of trust and lack of capacity in Congo to implement what has already been agreed. ¶8. (SBU) Finally, Ngwej complained about a lack of pressure on Nkunda to turn over Bosco Ntaganda, his chief of staff, who was recently indicted by the ICC. Van de Geer noted that Nkunda had never stated definitively he would protect Bosco, and that the Goma process International Facilitation would raise the issue in forthcoming meetings with Nkunda. ¶9. (SBU) Comment: Concerns expressed by Ngwej about financing the follow up to Kisangani are serious and will require a serious effort to convince donors to contribute to the process. Ngwej recognized the urgent need to improve bilateral relations with Rwanda and was open to further U.S. assistance. End comment. ¶10. (U) This message has been approved by Senior Adviser Shortley. GARVELINK