DEMARCHE RESPONSE: EU WILL ENCOURAGE DRC TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 000316 SIPDIS FOR AF/C LAMORA FOR IO/PSC VON BEHREN E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2019 TAGS: KPKO PREL PHUM UNSC CG IN EUN SUBJECT: DEMARCHE RESPONSE: EU WILL ENCOURAGE DRC TO SUPPORT INDIAN PEACEKEEPERS REF: STATE 18863 Classified By: Political Min-Couns Christopher Davis for reasons 1.4 b and d. ¶1. (C) Poloff delivered reftel demarche March 4 to Sandra Paesen, administrator for Central Africa at the European Council Secretariat, who committed to assist in delivering the message to President Kabila. Paesen was unaware of the issue, but sympathetic to the concern that withdrawal of the Indian peacekeepers from MONUC could leave a security gap in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. She noted that the European Union has been criticized by NGOs, think tanks and members of the public for not sending troops of its own to eastern DRC. Withdrawal of the Indians could reignite that debate, something the EU would like to avoid, she said. Paesen said she will convey the reftel message to contacts in Kinshasa, including the Minister of Defense, during her upcoming trip to DRC with EU Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Roeland Van de Geer March 16-21. ¶2. (C) Paesen expressed her opinion that a public statement from Kabila is unlikely since he is currently unpopular in the east and might see his favorability ratings drop more if he publicly supported Indian peacekeepers, some of whom are under investigation for wrongdoing. She suggested that behind-the-scenes interventions by Kabila with the Government of India might be more productive. She agreed that the issue was pressing and said she would share our concerns with others in the EU, both in Brussels and in Kinshasa. MURRAY .