Kabila tells new Belgian foreign minister he wants good

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000027 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/01/28 TAGS: PREL PGOV PNAT EAID MASS SOCI BE CG SUBJECT: Kabila tells new Belgian foreign minister he wants good relations; bemoans Western donors blaming him personally for Congo's problems CLASSIFIED BY: SBrock, DCM, State, Front Office; REASON: 1.4(B),(D) ¶1. (C) Summary: Belgium's DRC ambassador Dominique Struye briefed P-3 ambassadors and others January 23 on the meeting between new Belgian foreign minister Steven Vanackere and President Joseph Kabila on January 19 in Katanga. Struye portrayed Kabila as intent on repairing the DRC's damaged relationship with Belgium, but also as someone who is discouraged by what he (Kabila) believes is a higher standard applied by Westerners to the DRC than the standard they apply to other countries. Kabila, the Belgians now believe, suffers emotionally because of Western donors' "analysis of blame." Kabila shuns international gatherings because he is highly sensitive to other leaders' finger-pointing and media accusations. Belgium's desire to mend fences with the DRC is behind this new characterization of Kabila (Vanackere's predecessor Karel de Gucht was openly critical of the DRC president). But other factors, including a realization that Kabila has made progress on some fronts, may also play a part. End summary. King Albert invited to 50th anniversary events ¶2. (C) The briefing, at Struye's residence, included UK and French ambassadors, U.S. and South African chargC)s, and SRSG Alan Doss. Struye began by noting that Kabila came across as engaging and articulate during the two-hour long meeting, held at Kabila's farmhouse some two hours from Lubumbashi. The Belgian diplomat said he and the other members of his delegation were surprised at the farm's modest appearance: one small building with spartan furniture and no amenities. Kabila began by asking (no formal written request has yet been made, Struye said later),that King Albert be the guest of honor at ceremonies marking the Congo's 50th anniversary of independence on June 30. Vanackere said he had heard reports the government was considering inviting the monarch and would convey Kabila's verbal invitation. Vanackere, Struye noted, was non-commital as to whether the King would attend. ¶3. (C) In a separate meeting, Belgian poloff opined to polcouns that the king would almost certainly attend unless some embarrassing political event/situation in the DRC were to occur before June 30. Belgian poloff noted that Vanackere raised sensitive issues in general terms - human rights violations, press freedom, and elections in 2011. Kabila, who often recoils when international interlocutors raise these topics, appeared relaxed and thoughtful in responding, according to Belgian poloff. ¶4. (C) Note: Struye later told chargC) that Kabila's invitation is sincere and is, logically, politically motivated. The King's presence would symbolize the normalization of Congolese-Belgian ties after two years of strained relations and would be a sign of international confidence in Kabila and the DRC. It would also, Struye continued, meet with approval from most average Congolese citizens who recall the current King's brother, Baudouin, as a statesman who gave the country its independence. We sense that Belgians, like others, are not immune from self-deception. But it is also true that many Congolese do in fact regard the colonial period with nostalgia, given the DRC's disastrous history as an independent nation. End note. ¶5. (C) Kabila then referred to the state of DRC-Belgian relations, expressing his belief that the bilateral relationship between two countries was once again on a solid footing. Struye noted in his briefing that the new foreign minister came across as sympathetic to the Congolese in attendance at the meeting (including the foreign and defense ministers) and that Kabila's optimistic take on the relationship is due in large measure to the departure of foreign minister Karel de Gucht, whom the president disliked personally. Uncharacteristically candid for a diplomat, Struye said several times during the presentation that the relationship could "only improve" because de Gucht is no longer the foreign minister. (Note: The DRC press prominently ran Belgian press accounts of de Gucht criticizing Vanackere for meeting with Kabila. End note.) KINSHASA 00000027 002 OF 002 Rules for DRC are not same as for others ¶6. (C) Kabila, Struye said, then referred to Westerners' perceptions of the DRC. Kabila was clearly offended that Westerners use what he calls an "analyse de culpabilization" (analysis of blame) when looking at the problems in the Congo. Instead of taking into account significant improvements in the country since Kabila took over (January, 2001),Westerners fixate on specific problems and then talk about only those problems and Kabila's failure to solve them when discussing the DRC. Kabila contrasted the DRC with Afghanistan, where Westerners had provided significantly higher levels of aid, yet did not hold the leaders of that country personally responsible for not solving intractable problems. Kabila feels great psychological pain, Struye believes, because he is held to a different standard that that which is applied to many other leaders. Struye ventured Kabila shuns international gatherings because foreign leaders use such occasions to bring to his attention his many failures and because the foreign press is eager to criticize him. ¶7. (C) Comment: Dominique Struye, an accomplished diplomat who served as ambassador to the United States just prior to coming to Kinshasa, was not necessarily speaking on behalf of the Belgian government. We suspect, nonetheless, that he was reflecting the views of the new foreign minister in that Kabila should no longer be seen by the Belgian government as a one-dimensional, entirely-negative leader. Belgium's desire to mend fences with its former colony, which were damaged seriously by de Gucht's and Kabila's dislike of each other, explain in part Kabila's new image for the Belgians. But we also believe the Belgians have come to the realization that Kabila has made progress on some fronts, particularly with regard to his willingness to reopen business deals with China in order to obtain an agreement with the IMF. A man of little action but even fewer words, Kabila has also not stood in the way of others, including Europeans and Americans, from advising him on needed changes in the military, although such advice frequently goes unheeded. Finally, the Belgians may also understand that Kabila, for all his imperfections, is the elected president and is likely to remain in power for some time to come. End comment. GARVELINK