UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINHASA 001056

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS CG
SUBJECT: SA WOLPE IN KINSHASA 1/3: OBJECTIVES AND
INITIATIVES IN THE GREAT LAKES


1. (SBU) Summary: Special Advisor for the Great Lakes Howard
Wolpe visited Kinshasa November 13-17 as the culmination of
his six-country salutatory tour of the region. In his
meetings with senior GDRC decision makers, Wolpe outlined the
Obama Administration's objectives in Central Africa and
proposed next steps in bi- and multilateral
confidence-building measures. GDRC officials accepted this
approach and the programs, but used each opportunity to press
for assistance in developing a capable army under civilian
control. This is the first in a series of cables regarding
Special Advisor Wolpe's Kinshasa meetings. Septels will
report on DRC external relations with Angola and the internal
situation in Eastern DRC. End summary.


2. (SBU) In meetings with ministers and parliamentary
leadership, Wolpe outlined USG objectives in the region as 1)
consolidation of the peace, 2) establishment of local and
regional economic integration, and 3) strengthening of
inter-state cohesion. Wolpe, accompanied by his deputy,
Ambassador James Yellin, clarified consolidation of the peace
to include addressing the problems of the FDLR and the LRA,
eliminating SGBV, and moving toward the next rounds of free
elections scheduled for 2010 (local) and 2011 (national).
President of the Senate Kengo wa Dondo said a durable peace
with economic integration--permitting free movement of
persons, goods, and money--required respect for rule of law
and the DRC was "the weakest link in the region." Kengo said
that army reform in terms of recruitment, training, and
promotion, would lead to stability, a precondition for
economic growth.


3. (SBU) Wolpe proposed regional training initiatives to
develop intra-state and inter-state cohesion. The
centerpiece of the proposals, building upon success with
similar techniques in Burundi and earlier work in the DRC and
Liberia, is a week-long regional retreat of thirty-two key
security sector players, eight each selected by and from the
four respective members of Tripartite Plus. To complement
ongoing traditional diplomacy, the Regional Retreat would be
designed as a conflict management program in which
participants break down communication barriers to allow for
trust building, and deepen their collaborative capacity to
forge a new and sustainable regional security architecture.
Foreign Minister Thambwe Mwamba, Defense Minister Charles
Mwando Nsimba, and Minister for International Cooperation
Raymond Tshibanda, while emphasizing they could not speak for
President Kabila, indicated they saw no reason why Kabila
would not approve the program. Thambwe went on to say that
he would personally speak to the president and advise him to
move quickly on this opportunity. After expressing their
support for the program, these leaders explained that the
priority for the government is building an army that can
protect the borders and maintain internal peace in the face
of militias.


4. (SBU) A parliamentary joint training retreat forms the
second pillar of developing inter-state cohesion. Wolpe
proposed a retreat of 40 parliamentarians, 20 each from
Rwanda and the DRC. In a meeting with parliamentary
leadership led by President of the National Assembly Evariste
Boshab, Wolpe said while in Kigali he had obtained support
for the initiative from Rose Mukantabana, President of the
Rwandan Chamber of Deputies. Boshab said he was in contact
QRwandan Chamber of Deputies. Boshab said he was in contact
via telephone with Mukantabana and he also supports the
retreat idea in general terms. Speaking for the opposition,
MP Thomas Luhaka, vice president of the MLC party, lent his
support to the exchange and spoke of his positive experience
as a participant in a similar program developed by Wolpe.
Majority caucus president MP Gerard Nkulu Mwenze likewise
expressed his support for the program and, notably, his
surprise at Wolpe's positive message, which was in stark
contrast to the usual foreign delegations which arrive only
to "level charges." In a separate meeting, Prime Minister
Adolphe Muzito said the program should be expanded to include
new political leadership and MPs after the elections.


5. (SBU) After expressing support for Wolpe's parliamentary
retreat proposal, Luhaka spoke of the need for USG help in
building a "republican army" that would lead to security
especially in the East. Nkulu added that "a trained army is
the solution to international banditry in the East and petty
warlords who break the peace." Boshab summarized the
thoughts of the parliament: "When it comes to security of the
country, there is no majority or opposition--only one team."



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