This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 000038 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/09/2015 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO KJUS CG UG
SUBJECT: DRC SATISFIED WITH ICJ RULING, STILL CONSIDERING 
REPARATIONS AMOUNT 
 
Classified By: PolOff CBrown, reasons 1.4 b/d. 
 
¶1. (C) While delivering demarche January 6 to new Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs Chief of Staff Jacques Djoli (septel), PolOff 
and Djoli discussed the December 19 International Court of 
Justice (ICJ) ruling against Uganda.  The Court ruled that 
Uganda "violated the principles of non-use of force in 
international relations and of non-intervention" and "that it 
violated its obligations under international human rights law 
and international humanitarian law."  Djoli said the GDRC was 
satisfied with the Court's decision and considered it a sign 
that justice was fairly and finally being carried out against 
those who had invaded and violated the DRC's territory during 
the 1998-2003 war. 
 
¶2. (C) Djoli said the Ministry of Justice was preparing the 
GDRC's official response to the ICJ ruling and is examining 
the Court's decision to determine how much to demand in 
reparations. Immediately following the Court's decision, the 
GDRC's spokesman said Kinshasa would seek 6-10 billion USD 
from Uganda. Djoli admitted, however, that the Congolese have 
no clear strategy regarding the compensation issue, due to 
the lack of communication between various ministries 
(Justice, Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation, Interior) 
that could claim jurisdiction on the matter. Djoli also said 
there had been no formal discussions between GDRC and GOU 
officials, except for one informal meeting between the two 
countries' foreign ministers at a conference in Ethiopia in 
late December. Djoli said the issue would likely be discussed 
more formally during the next Tripartite meeting. 
 
¶3. (C) Djoli said the 6-10 billion USD figure for reparations 
was appropriate in relation to Uganda's violations. Djoli 
pointed out, though, that this figure is two to three times 
the size of the GOU's annual budget (and about five times the 
GDRC's), and it would therefore be unlikely for the GDRC to 
collect anywhere near that amount. 
 
¶4. (C) Comment: Despite the ICJ's clear ruling in favor of 
the DRC, few expect Uganda ever to pay billions of dollars in 
reparations.  The court victory is therefore likely to be 
more of a moral one.  Congolese media have widely applauded 
the ruling, and have suggested that Rwanda (which, unlike 
Uganda, refused to recognize the ICJ's jurisdiction) is 
equally culpable for its intervention in the war. End comment. 
MEECE 
 
 
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