VZCZCXRO4987
RR RUEHMR RUEHPA
DE RUEHKI #0350/01 0611218
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 021218Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3298
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1026

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 KINSHASA 000350 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/C MADEEHA ASHRAF, PLEASE PASS TO AMB. WEISBERG; 
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER GREG D'ELIA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2016 
TAGS: PREL PINR ECON EAID AMGT ASEC CF
SUBJECT: CONGO/BRAZZAVILLE:  FEBRUARY EDITION, 
"BRAZZA-IN-BRIEF" MONTHLY ISSUES REPORT 
 
REF: A. KINSHASA 00015 
 
     ¶B. KINSHASA 00041 
     ¶C. KINSHASA 00147 
 
Classified By: Charge d'affaires, a.i., Mark J. Biedlingmaier 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
SASSOU-NGUESSO:  Travel, Triumphs and Treason? 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶1.  (C)  President Denis Sassou-Nguesso continued his shuttle 
diplomacy in February with visits to Tripoli, Libreville, 
Kinshasa and Paris to solidify his well-publicized image as 
the man of "peace and reconciliation" following election as 
Chairman of the African Union in late January.  In turn, he 
welcomed Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny to Brazzaville to 
mediate the impasse over creating a national unity government 
and scheduling elections for Ivory Coast by 2006.  Shortly 
thereafter, Sassou-Nguesso hosted King Mohammed VI of Morocco 
for a two-day State Visit which included a lavish sit-down 
dinner for 900 guests in an air-conditioned tent on the 
grounds of the Palais du Peuple.  The King inaugurated a 
nationwide vaccination campaign against early childhood 
diseases and offered sizeable grants on technical and 
commercial cooperation, but apparently left the Republic of 
Congo without a firm commitment from Morocco (as reportedly 
requested by Sassou) to join the African Union, reversing 
King Hassan II's de 
cision to withdraw from its predecessor body, the 
Organization of African Unity (OAU).  Sassou-Nguesso invited 
the diplomatic corps and all ministry officials to a rather 
self-serving "congratulatory cocktail" on February 8 to 
receive well wishes from the community, and used this 
opportunity to buttonhole selected embassies for assistance 
on a variety of issues.  He asked that the United States be 
more vocal in its support for approval of IMF Decision Point 
debt relief for the Congo, schedule a White House Oval Office 
visit at the earliest opportunity for him to elaborate on AU 
issues and agenda with President Bush, and, to attract 
interest from a major U.S. chain to build a luxury hotel and 
convention center in Brazzaville so that he could be "not the 
nation's innkeeper, but rather, the African region's 
innkeeper" to high-level delegations and dignitaries. 
 
 
¶2.  (C)  One of Sassou-Nguesso's wishes was granted on 
February 24 following a consensus agreement by the World Bank 
Board and Managing Directors to approve  HIPC 
(Highly-Indebted Poor Countries) debt relief for the Congo. 
The IMF Board is expected to ratify the proposal at its 
meeting on March 3, which includes annual review of triggers 
pertaining to sustained good governance, poverty growth 
reduction facilitation, and financial audits conducted in 
accordance with international standards.  In a meeting with 
Finance Minister Pacifique Issiobeka on February 26, Charge 
d'affaires reviewed key elements of the agreement and noted 
that "the ball was squarely in Congo's court" following this 
long march toward Completion Point, and after trying to 
refocus world attention on the basic needs of the Congolese 
people following the highly-critical Global Witness report 
and devastating editorials in the London Times, Wall Street 
Journal and other international press.  Sassou-Nguesso 
apparently instructed Issiobeka to rel 
ay his sincerest appreciation for Department and embassy 
support on the successful outcome, and said he considers the 
United States a "true friend of Congo."  The following day at 
the routine airport departure ceremony for the President's 
February 27 - March 4 trip to Paris, news circulated quickly 
among the diplomatic corps representatives of the heroic 
efforts by President Jacques Chirac to secure debt relief for 
the Congo, this following a call he purportedly made to the 
White House to insist that President Bush put World Bank 
President Wolfowitz "in-line" and to demand a positive vote 
by the U.S.  Thus, the question remains Mr. Sassou, "true 
friend" of George or Jacques? 
 
¶3.  (C)  Having recently retained the services of  legal 
titans Plato Cacheris, Michael Ledeen and John Richards 
(Trout-Cacheris, PLLC, Washington, DC) to sort through the 
Kensington, Sphynx-Berumda, Walker International and other 
vulture fund court-case decisions rendered by the Royal Court 
of London in 2005, President Sassou-Nguesso should be well 
equipped to handle the charge of high treason leveled by Mr. 
Joseph Kignoumbi Kia Mboungou.  Mr. Mboungou, representative 
of the UPADS (Pan-African Union for Social Democracy), 
published a well-documented, four-page letter to the 
 
KINSHASA 00000350  002 OF 004 
 
 
President of Parliament detailing alleged violation of 
President Sassou-Nguesso's duty to respect and defend the 
Constitution, to protect the public well being, and, to 
develop the nation and its natural resources.  He cited 
Articles 38, 39 and 47 of the Constitution of 20 January 2002 
and condemned Sassou for "crimes of high treason", "acts of 
corruption and illicit enrichment leading to the dilapidation 
of public services", and, "indisc 
riminate pillaging" punishable under the law.  Charge 
d'affaires met with Mr. Cacheris and his team (upon 
instruction from their new client) to assess the state of 
play from the embassy's perspective.  Now that debt relief 
seems assured from IMF/World Bank, it is anticipated that 
Cacheris will seek to negotiate an out-of-court settlement 
with the vulture fund creditors.  As for Mr. Mboungou and the 
charge of high treason?  Odds are, if Mr. Cacheris could 
successfully defend Monica Lewinsky, the rehabilitation of 
Denis Sassou-Nguesso should soon follow.  Mr. Mboungou, rest 
your case. 
 
--------------------------------- 
WHEELS OF DEMOCRACY CHURN FORWARD 
--------------------------------- 
 
 ¶4.  (U)  Following the widely-publicized celebratory event 
in Kinshasa on February 4 to promulgate the new Democratic 
Republic of Congo Constitution and Spring electoral process, 
attention in Brazzaville has turned toward the 2007 
legislative and 2009 presidential campaigns for the Republic 
of Congo.  MONUC, and in particular, former Ambassador Bill 
Swing, have received high marks for their deft management of 
the voter registration process, campaign monitoring and 
election-day poll observer activities.  Various academics, 
prominent journalists, civil society representatives and NGOs 
have expressed hope that the international community will 
offer similar support, oversight and mentoring to the ROC as 
well as it prepares for 2007 and 2009.  Mr. Bayi 
Sinibaguy-Mollet, the National Coordinator of CEPAREC (Center 
for Partnership Exchange, Support and Reinforcement of 
Capacity), made a compelling presentation to the embassy for 
support to implement a multi-region, USD $450,000 program of 
workshops, seminars, commu 
nity awareness and involvement projects to inform and educate 
the voting public.  NDI (National Democratic Institute) 
sponsored workshops in December 2005 and January 2006, 
attended by over 300 representatives from civil society 
groups, opposition parties, and NGOs under the chairmanship 
of host-government Minister of the Interior and 
Decentralization, Francois Ibovi.  The central themes of 
these events were "Collaboration Among Political Parties," 
and "Rules and Responsibility of Political Parties: 
Commitment to Good Governance."  Post would appreciate 
guidance, and ideally, temporary duty support assistance, to 
work with CEPAREC, NDI, International Republic Institute 
(IRI), or the International Foundation for Election 
Strengthening (IFES) to capture and maintain the momentum and 
interest generated in the electoral process and surfacing at 
the grass-roots level. 
 
¶5.  (U)  Related to the above, the Swedish Foundation for 
Human Rights held a conference this month on the 
"Harmonization of National Laws with International Treaties," 
a follow-on to the Foundation's well received February 2004 
"Conference on the Evaluation and Perspectives of the 
Congolese Civil Society in the Reinforcement of Peace, 
Democracy and Human Rights."  The embassy participated in the 
February 8 kick-off of the PNDDR (National Program on 
Disarmament, Demobilization and Reinsertion of Combatants), 
and Steering Committee meeting on February 25 that featured a 
very candid and informative presentation by Belgian Central 
African Affairs expert, Ms. Sophie da Camara.  UNDP has 
invited the embassy to become more actively engaged on this 
issue, and to join the Embassy of South Africa and UNDP in 
plans to strengthen regional cooperation on containment of 
small arms/light weapons and related disarmament issues. 
This partnership was raised during the recent visit to 
Brazzaville by  Col. Kelly Langdorf, regi 
onal director for Central Africa, Office of the Deputy 
Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs, however, 
further guidance on possible next steps is required from the 
Department of Defense and Department of State in order to 
proceed in an informed fashion. 
 
¶6.  (C)   In response to President Sassou-Nguesso's comments 
in Khartoum to Secretary Rice that the United States military 
had "neglected" Congo in recent years, post is pleased to 
 
KINSHASA 00000350  003 OF 004 
 
 
report that arrangements for the March 21-25 USN Emery Land 
ship visit to Pointe Noire and ship rider program offered to 
host-government naval officers are proceeding full-speed 
ahead.  Post has been advised by Presidency Secretary 
General, Ambassador Daniel Owessa, that Sassou plans to 
attend either the VIP dinner aboard ship, tentatively 
scheduled for March 24, and perhaps a larger event hosted for 
the American expat and diplomatic communities earlier in the 
week.  On a slightly smaller scale, "Facing the Congo" author 
Jeffrey Tayler has completed approximately two-thirds of his 
river voyage via dugout pirogue from Impfondo to the port of 
Brazzaville.  Extensive media coverage is planned for his 
anticipated arrival on March 15, and the Office of the 
Presidency will schedule a photo-op with Sassou-Nguesso to 
mark successful comple 
tion of this historic journey.  Tayler will publish an 
article for Men's Journal and perhaps another book, which no 
doubt could bring favorable world attention to the Republic 
of Congo. 
 
--------------------------------- 
IN THE LOOP - BRAZZAVILLE EDITION 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (U)  Cons/Econ Officer responded to complaints filed by 
an American firm, Intervision Foods of Atlanta, Georgia, and 
the U.S. Poultry and Egg Export Council, after the Minister 
of Commerce, Adelaide Moundele-Ngolo, announced plans on 
February 22 for a complete ban on the importation of poultry 
and poultry products to the Republic of Congo, including 
those from the United States.  The matter was demarched to 
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce and 
Office of the Presidency, however, senior Republic of Congo 
officials stated that they could not "discriminate in favor" 
of the United States although they understood Avian Flu and 
the H5N1 virus had not yet been detected in the continental 
United States.  Later that day, the Ministry of Commerce 
released a statement noting that waivers to this policy may 
be requested and would be reviewed on a case-by-case, 
country-by-country basis. 
 
¶8.  (U)  In response to President Sassou-Nguesso's wishes to 
have Republic of Congo serve as the "region's innkeeper" (see 
para 1),  Brazzaville will serve as the venue for several 
international conferences in the near future, to include: 
the "Continental Consultative Committee Meeting on Universal 
Access to Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support" (March 
6-8); the "First African Union Conference for Ministers in 
Charge of Railway Transport" (April 10-14); and in late May, 
the Central African Ministers Conference on Protection of the 
Environment.  To level the playing field, an official 
delegation headed by the Mayor of Brazzaville, Hugues 
Ngouelondele (son-in-law of the President), traveled to 
Washington, D.C., February 7-15, to attend the "United Cities 
and Local Governments Conference."  It was subsequently 
announced that the mayors of Brazzaville and Washington, D.C. 
had signed a cooperative agreement on February 10 to 
establish a "Sister-City Relationship" between capitals. 
Plans for celebrations of "B 
razzaville Week in D.C." and "D.C. Week in Brazzaville" to 
promote local services, culture and products are underway. 
 
 
¶9.  (U)  An Office of Foreign Missions advisory team will 
arrive in Brazzaville March 1 to settle outstanding tax 
exoneration and VAT issues with the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs and Ministry of Finance to clear way for the 
Brazzaville NEC contractor bid conference in early May and 
project ground-breaking anticipated by early Fall 2006.  In 
the meantime, FSN MGT section staff currently assigned to the 
Joint Administrative Office in Kinshasa will transition to an 
interim office site at the BDEAC Bank building in Brazzaville 
upon completion of DS-mandated security upgrades and VSAT 
installation within the next 3 months.  This move will 
significantly improve embassy management operations and our 
ability to report effectively on developments in the Republic 
of Congo, not to mention considerable cost savings to the 
USG.  A long-term lease for the Chief of Mission residence 
(CMR) was signed with the Minister of Construction on 
February 22, following protracted negotiations, and the 
property was recently surveyed by 
an OBO/IF design team to plan for Embassy Brazzaville's first 
official CMR since the 1997 ordered evacuation of post at the 
onset of Congo's civil war. 
 
¶10.  (U)  We are also pleased to announce that FSO Robert 
 
KINSHASA 00000350  004 OF 004 
 
 
Weisberg received full Senate confirmation of his nomination 
as Ambassador to the Republic of Congo on February 10 and 
will be arriving in Brazzaville to lead his Country Team by 
late April. 
 
¶11.  (U)  And in case you were wondering - yes, construction 
of the Savoran da Brazza mausoleum continues as its glacial 
place.  The saga has taken yet another peculiar twist with 
word that President Sassou-Nguesso, during a private visit 
with the Dali Lama late last year, was advised that his time 
(power) in office would soon come to an end, unless Sassou, a 
Freemason, could retrieve secret documents safeguarded by an 
indigenous tribe to inter with da Brazza's mortal remains. 
To date, emissaries sent to collect these mystical documents 
have been repeatedly thwarted in their attempts.  Watch this 
space. 
 
¶12.  (U)  Embassy Brazzaville Office. 
DOUGHERTY