AMBASSADOR RICE'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT KABILA

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 000492 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL USNC KPKO CG SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR RICE'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT KABILA Classified By: Ambassador William J. Garvelink for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: After the May 19 UN Security Council meeting with President Kabila, Ambassador Rice had a bilateral session with the Congolese president. Ambassador Rice told Kabila the new Administration looked forward to a cooperative working relationship with the Congo and congratulated him on the new relationships he has forged with Rwanda and Uganda. She urged the president to take bold steps to end corruption, promote respect for human rights and to end impunity in the east. She urged the president to prosecute five senior Congolese military officers accused of rape. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Following the meeting of UN Security Council members with President Kabila, Ambassadors Rice and Garvelink had a private bilateral meeting with the president. Ambassador Rice congratulated Kabila on the progress he has made since his election and stated that the Obama administration looked forward to a cooperative relationship. She emphasized that the United States wanted to work with the Congo to build its democratic institutions and extend state authority across the country, and help to professionalize the Congolese military. ¶3. (C) Ambassador Rice emphasized that it was vitally important for the government to pay, feed, and equip its forces. She stressed the importance of respecting human rights and ending impunity, particularly in the east. She referred to MONUC's list of five FARDC officers who are guilty of rape but remain in their positions in the military and urged Kabila to keep his commitment to deal with these offenders. (Note: The list of individuals was given to President Kabila during his earlier meeting with the UN Security Council delegation and in that meeting Kabila assured the delegation that the officers would be brought to justice. End note.) ¶4. (C) Ambassador Rice stressed the importance of strengthening the justice system and respecting the rule of law and asked President Kabila if he thought MONUC could do more to assist in these efforts. President Kabila said yes, especially in the reform of the justice system and in police training. Ambassador Rice added that MONUC could perhaps do more but that it had to be a partnership with the DRC government and that the government had to take some bold measures to begin these reforms. ¶5. (C) As they discussed the FARDC's military capacities in the eastern part of the country, Ambassador Rice offered that it might be useful to swap out some military units in the east that were recently integrated with rapacious CNDP soldiers for some better trained units from different parts of the country. Kabila quickly replied that he was intending to do just that. He said several units were in training and the switch would take place in three months. ¶6. (C) At the end of session, President Kabila said he would be attending the General Assembly meeting in New York in September and then he would be traveling to Haiti. He did not offer any explanation as to why he would be visiting Haiti. The meeting then ended, lasting approximately 20 minutes. ¶7. (C) Comment: President Kabila was visibly pleased to receive greetings from the Obama administration and welcomed continued cooperation with the United States. He acknowledged the need for reform of the military and justice systems and affirmed his willingness to work more closely with MONUC to achieve these reforms. End Comment. ¶8. (U) Ambassador Rice cleared this cable. BROCK