DEMARCHE DELIVERED: DRC INTENDS TO VOTE BEFORE DEADLINE ON

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000437 SENSITIVE SIPDIS PASS TO TREASURY (DSCHMERIN) DEPT FOR EEB/OMA (DFREUDENWALD) DEPT FOR EEB/ODF (CLAITINEN) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EFIN PREL KV CG SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: DRC INTENDS TO VOTE BEFORE DEADLINE ON KOSOVO'S IMF AND WB MEMBERSHIP REF: A) STATE 33629 B) STATE 43681 ¶1. (SBU) Econoff delivered reftel demarche to Mr. Marcel Kasongo, Chief of Staff to the DRC Central Bank Governor, and to Mr. Faustin Mpako, Chief of Staff to the Minister of Finance, on May 4, sharing background and talking points on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB) Board of Governors votes for Kosovo's membership. Kasongo told Econoff that Central Bank Governor Jean-Claude Kasongo, who is the DRC's Governor to the IMF, is well aware of the May 5 deadline and plans to submit his vote on time. Kasongo acknowledged the April 7 letter from the IMF was received and routed through the Central Bank's Department of Research. He said the letter, along with the Department of Research's recommendation, was now waiting for Governor Masangu's signature before submission as the DRC's IMF Board of Governors vote. Kasongo said he could not share whether the DRC will vote "yes," "no," or "abstain" because Masangu has not yet signed the final submission. ¶2. (SBU) Mpako promised to share the information and recommendation with Minister of Finance Athanase Matenda, who is the DRC's Governor for the WB's International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, International Finance Corporation, and International Development Association. Mpako said Minister Matenda had not yet considered the issue, but said he will share the Minister's intentions before the June 3 deadline. Both Governor Masangu and Minister Matenda were recently in Washington, DC for the IMF/WB Spring Meetings, and Mpako said the Minister has been preoccupied since their return with the macroeconomic issues in the DRC. GARVELINK