CONVERSATION WITH CNDP REPRESENTATIVES

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000684

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO CG
SUBJECT: CONVERSATION WITH CNDP REPRESENTATIVES

REF: KINSHASA 665


1. (SBU) Summary: USAID Goma officer held a private meeting with
CNDP representatives Rene Abandi and Bertrand Bisimwa at their
request August 13. USAID officer stressed that the CNDP should take
meaningful action to demonstrate that they are not completely out of
the Amani process. The CNDP representatives responded positively to
the suggestions proffered by USAID officer, and also stated that the
CNDP military wing had been instructed not to be the ones who
initiate any hostilities. Abandi said that one of the reasons why
Nkunda has been less visible of late is that he is studying English.
End summary.


2. (SBU) USAID Goma officer held a private meeting with CNDP
representatives Rene Abandi and Bertrand Bisimwa at their request
August 13, following up a meeting held between the International
Facilitation and the two CNDP representatives on August 11 (reftel).
Abandi and Bisimwa asked USAID officer what steps the CNDP should
take at this point in the process.


3. (SBU) USAID officer stressed that the CNDP should take
meaningful action to demonstrate that they are not completely out of
the Amani process. The CNDP must take the initiative, or at least
be proactive in trying to stimulate forward progress. Potential
actions that the CNDP could take or be involved in include:

-- Full CNDP demilitarization and evacuation from Kimoka
-- Nkunda's participation in a meeting at Kimoka with
PARECO representatives and FARDC General Mayala
-- Non-disarmed disengagement on a large scale along with
PARECO and the FARDC.


4. (SBU) Abandi responded that the CNDP could probably deliver on
demilitarization and evacuation from Kimoka and that they could
seriously look at the ideas of a meeting at Kimoka and non-disarmed
disengagement. USAID officer stressed that the latter two ideas are
actions that could only be carried out if everyone within the Amani
process wanted to move down those tracks, which is not a foregone
conclusion. Abandi and Bisimwa also stated that the CNDP military
wing had been instructed not to be the ones who initiate any
hostilities.


5. (SBU) The CNDP representatives asked if it is realistic to look
at the possibility of a meeting between Nkunda and a high-level GDRC
official in a third country. USAID officer responded that, while
theoretically possible, it would be a long shot (Note: It is
doubtful that either the GDRC or the Facilitation would want to do
this. End note).


6. (SBU) Abandi said that one of the reasons why Nkunda has been
less visible of late is that he is studying English; both Abandi and
Bisimwa as well are scheduled to go to Kenya to study English.
Separately, both remarked that poor governance is increasingly the
norm in the DRC. Bisimwa said that perhaps what was needed was for
the CNDP to govern a few cities and demonstrate how to do things.
(Note: Abandi disassociated himself from what he termed Bisimwa's
"conclusions." End note).


7. (SBU) Comment: Bisimwa's and Abandi's willingness to seek out
and consider ways to move the Amani process forward represents the
first positive sign out of the CNDP in quite some time, in spite of
the disturbing idea about how the CNDP should govern a few cities.
Still, it will require concrete action on the part of the CNDP to
demonstrate that they are serious about the peace process. End
comment.

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