VZCZCXYZ0016
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKI #0932/01 1641454
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 131454Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4107
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1097

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 000932 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/C MAHEEHA ASHRAF, JULIE HUNTER 
INF FOR JENNIFER PEKKINEN, JOHN BERNSTEN 
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER GREG D'ELIA 
 
FROM BRAZZAVILE EMBASSY OFFICE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2016 
TAGS: PREL AU PINR UNSC ASEC CF
SUBJECT: CONGO/BRAZZAVILLE: JUNE EDITION, 
"BRAZZA IN BRIEF" - THE HOMECOMING 
 
REF: A. (A) KINSHASA 00578 
     ¶B. (B) KINSHASA 00589 
 
Classified By: CDC Mark J. Biedlingmaier, Reasons 1.4(B)(D) 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY:  ROC President Denis Sassou-Nguesso is 
expected to return to Brazzaville on June 13 following 
widely-publicized visits to New York for his June 2 address 
to the United Nations on HIV/AIDs, June 5 meeting in 
Washington with President Bush and Secretary Rice, and a 
brief visit with King Mohammed VI in Morocco to discuss 
possible membership in the African Union.  Sassou  postponed 
his return to Brazzaville by several days to visit his 
daughter,  Edith, wife of Gabon President Omar Bongo, who had 
taken ill in Paris.  Other Ministry observers noted that the 
side-trip might have been scheduled to reinvigorate talks 
with members of the Paris Club on debt relief issues 
following Sassou's meetings with World Bank and IMF officials 
during his Washington visit.  The after-glow of Sassou's 
acclaimed "foreign policy triumphs", as reported by TeleCongo 
and other local media, may be short-lived as he tackles 
persistent domestic and economic issues on the homefront 
before heading off for the next round of t 
ravels to Banjul in late June for the African Union Summit, 
June 28 - July 2, as an invitee to the G-8 Meeting in St. 
Petersburg, Russia, July 14-17, and also recently announced, 
for a month-long vacation to Spain before returning to Congo 
to celebrate National Day in Dolisie on August 15.  END 
SUMMARY 
 
--------------- 
NO GUTS, NO GAS 
--------------- 
 
¶2. (C) One of the most pressing items stacked in Mr. Sassou's 
inbox will be the Presidential Decree awaiting his signature 
to increase prices for gasoline and diesel fuel by 14% and 
17%, respectively.  The new price structure will be 495 F/CFA 
per liter for gasoline (USD $0.97), 345 F/CFA per liter for 
diesel (USD $0.68), and a split standard for aviation jet 
fuels, 290 F/CFA for domestic flights (USD $0.57) and 400 
F/CFA for international flights (USD $0.78).  Prior to his 
departure for Washington, IMF Resident Representative Yaya 
Moussa was roundly criticized by Ministry of Finance and 
Ministry of Hydrocarbon officials for "imposing" this new 
price structure as a precondition for HIPC debt relief and 
favorable passage of Decision Point earlier this year, but in 
private, one-on-one discussion with Sassou on May 28, Moussa 
reported that the President was fully aware that "actions, 
rather than words," would now be expected from him and the 
Republic of Congo to satisfy its creditors and international 
partners. 
 Sassou clearly anticipated that transparency issues, audit 
and accounting practices for SNPC, and commitments to PRGF 
would dominate talks with Mr. Wolfowitz, the IMF and 
Secretary Rice.  In anticipation of the price increases, 
 
SIPDIS 
hoarding of stocks and long gas lines have spread throughout 
downtown Brazzaville, much to the dismay of the average 
Congolese, who find it difficult to comprehend increasing 
prices in one of Africa's richest oil-producing regions. 
Everyone is resigned to the fact that, once the Presidential 
Decree is promulgated, prices will jump across the board for 
taxi and bus transport, domestic consumer goods and products 
imported to Pointe Noire and Brazzaville. 
 
-------------------- 
WE WANT TO BE HEARD? 
-------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) The month-long demonstration by 150-200 former and 
retired workers of ONPT-SOTELCO (National Post and 
Telecommunications Agency) ended abruptly with the appearance 
of several jack-boot, black-suited Presidential Guards to the 
rallying spot in downtown Brazzaville, located between the 
Central Post Office and French Embassy Compound.  ONPT was 
among the first state-owned companies to be privatized by the 
government in 2000-2001, resulting in the early retirement or 
dismissal of approximately 1500 workers.  The former workers 
claimed that a new, smaller successor company, SOTELCO, 
Congolese Telecommunication Company, should be responsible 
for the payment of severance packages and up to 86 months of 
unpaid salaries.  Following protracted negotiations between 
the Council of Ministers and ONPT representatives, the 
government initially agreed to pay the salary arrears in 
 
January 2006; however, employees received only one month's 
wages.  After talks between the sides broke down in late 
March, a sit-in was anno 
unced for May unless a compromise could be reached with 
Minister of Telecommunication, Mr. Philippe Mvouo.  The daily 
demonstrations attracted an expressive group of activists 
intent on disrupting the solitude of the downtown business 
district by chanting protest slogans, clanging pots, pans and 
other metal objects, and occasionally disrupting traffic.  No 
doubt hoping to restore peace and tranquility prior to 
Sassou's return this week, the fully-armed and imposing 
Presidential Guard members appeared at the site on June 9 and 
effectively impeded the right to assemble.  No resistance was 
displayed; no force used. 
 
---------------------- 
AFRICA-STYLE DEMOCRACY 
---------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Ministers from across Africa met in Brazzaville, June 
8-11, to approve a draft "Charter on Democracy," a follow-on 
document to the Lome Declaration on Unconstitutional Changes 
of Governments in Africa, which would set guidelines on 
elections and good governance, and will be put forward for 
ratification at the African Union's Head of State Meeting in 
the Gambia, July 1-2.  A participant in the conference, South 
Africa Embassy DCM Coen vanWyk, reported on a dizzying series 
of discussions held throughout the weekend which centered on 
how "African democracy" differed from that of other nations, 
and that if a system worked for them, there might be a reason 
not/not to change the status quo.  He said the assembly was 
dumb-struck by comments offered by Prime Minister Isidore 
Mvouba urging caution at the onset of the ministerial.  In 
his remarks, Mvouba stated that "Africans must avoid mere 
imitation and propose texts adapted to African states, texts 
that contribution to the installation of peaceful democracy a 
cross the continent."  The ministers eventually reached 
agreement on the 55-article draft charter which explicitly 
condemns coup d'etats, criticizes corruption, and commits 
governments to promoting a free press, citizens' 
participation in democracy and transparency in government. 
The document also prohibits the practice of "modifying" a 
nation's constitution in order to extend a president's 
mandate in office.  By coincidence, the "Charter of 
Democracy" ministerial took place just days after Nigerian 
President Obansajo dismissed six members of his Cabinet for 
having supported an amendment in Parliament to reject a plan 
which would have allowed him to seek a third term in 2007. 
 
--------------- 
A HOUSE DIVIDED 
----------------- 
 
¶5. (C) Rumors persist amongst members of the Diplomatic 
Corps, ministry insiders and opposition newspapers on an 
"impending shake-up" in the Sassou-Nguesso Cabinet.  Likely 
candidates for early retirement still include:  Minister of 
Health, Dr. Alphonse Gando; Minister of Finance, Pacifique 
Issiobeka; Minister of Transportation, Andre Okombi Salissa; 
and talk of combining the three separate ministries of 
Education under the guidance of Madame Rosalie Kama, 
currently, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education and 
Literacy.  The strongest resistance would most likely come 
from Minister Okombi-Salissa, a close confidant of the 
President's daughter, Edith Bongo, and, in control of a 
private militia which, in the past, has apparently resorted 
to physical threats and harassment to silence critics opposed 
to his private, less-than-transparent, business dealings. 
The Pool region remains quiet and will be lavished with 
attention during this year's Congo National Day, August 15, 
when the President is expected to sho 
wcase a host of renovation and successful infrastructure 
projects in Dolisie to government officials and invited 
guests, including the Diplomatic Corps, for the annual 
celebration.  Embassy Brazzaville is working closely with a 
Belgian entrepreneur, Rodolphe Andersen, under contract by 
the Government of Congo to rehabilitate the once 
state-of-the-art Dolisie Hospital, to provide funding through 
a DoD Humanitarian Assistance Grant to medical equipment and 
supplies. 
 
¶6. (C) Post has received no further updates on the 
negotiations underway with former President Pascal Lissouba, 
in exile in Paris, on an amnesty agreement or terms and 
 
conditions for his return to Republic of Congo.  Observers 
note that Sassou-Nguesso, the master strategist, could 
conceivably deliver him to an adoring crowd of Pool 
well-wishers at the Dolisie August 15th National Day event, 
thereby cementing his year-long campaign for peace and 
reconciliation.  The 2007 legislative election will be just 
around the corner.   The only issue which might offset 
Sassou's march toward stability is yet another rumor that the 
Speaker of Parliament may led a walk-out on June 15 to 
protest the President's lack of governmental reforms and the 
ever-encroaching influence of his family members on business 
dealings in Congo and overseas. 
 
¶7. (U) And yes, inauguration of the Savoran deBrazza 
mausoleum, and return of the famed explorer's remains, will 
finally take place in October 2006 to commemorate the 101st 
anniversary of the founding of Brazzaville.  Reserve seating 
required. 
 
¶8. (U) Embassy Brazzaville Office - Biedlingmaier 
 
MEECE