VZCZCXYZ0026
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLGB #1060 3191324
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 151324Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4912
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS KIGALI 001060 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO PINR PINS RW CG
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON JOINT DRC-RWANDAN COMMUNIQUE 
 
 
¶1. Rwandan media, taking their cue from senior GOR officials, 
have given positive coverage of the Nairobi Joint Communique 
on a common approach to end the threat posed to peace and 
security in the Great Lakes Region.  On Monday, November 12, 
pro-government daily "New Times" ran  under the headline 
"Congo agrees to FDLR disarmament plan" a review of the 
communique and commitments made by the DRC and Rwandan 
governments.  The same day Foreign Minister Charles Murigande 
hosted a press conference for local media to discuss the 
communique.  Under the headline "Congo committed to fight 
FDLR, the "New Times" on November 13 quoted Murigande as 
stating that a "new era" in Congolese-Rwandan relations was 
starting.  Murigande reportedly went on to say that "In the 
(Nairobi) meeting I witnessed a change in attitude and 
language on the part of Congolese officials...a new era is 
starting in which DRC will not tolerate any of its officers 
to work with a force declared the enemy of the state." 
Murigande was, the story continued, optimistic that the 
Congolese government would rein in military officers accused 
of collaborating with the FDLR.  News coverage on public and 
private radio stations, while more cursory, also reflected 
the Foreign Minister's upbeat assessment of the agreement. 
Murigande made similar comments during an interview with 
VOA's Francophone service broadcast on November 12. 
 
¶2. The upbeat press coverage and comments by senior GOR 
officials following the Nairobi meeting are a decided 
contrast to media coverage during October of alleged DRC 
collusion with the FDLR and GOR dismissal of the DRC's draft 
plan for disarming the group.  Throughout the month, the "New 
Times" provided extensive coverage to allegations of official 
DRC-FDLR collusion, including interviews with FDLR soldiers 
allegedly captured by Congolese rebel general Laurent Nkunda 
during fighting with FARDC units, and human rights abuses 
allegedly committed by the FARDC, FDLR, and other rebel 
groups.  The paper also carried an op-ed by Rwandan Special 
Envoy to the Great Lakes Region, Ambassador Richard Sezibera, 
on collaboration between the FARDC and FDLR. 
 
¶3. Comment: The GOR's strong public support for the Nairobi 
agreement and praise for the DRC's changed attitude appears 
to reflect an effort by the GOR to meet its commitment to 
publicize the contents of the joint communique and to refrain 
from any negative propaganda against the DRC. End comment. 
ARIETTI