VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJB #0466/01 1761349
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 251349Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0390
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS BUJUMBURA 000466 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/C 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL BY
SUBJECT: NKURUNZIZA'S FACE-TO-FACE WITH FNL'S RWASA 
KICKSTARTS BURUNDI'S PEACE PROCESS 
 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary: In an unprecedented meeting, Burundi 
President Pierre Nkurunziza and PALIPEHUTU-FNL rebel leader 
Agathon Rwasa met privately on June 18 in Dar es Salaam, 
marking a significant milestone in the resuscitation of the 
September 2006 ceasefire agreement.  The two men agreed that 
the FNL would submit a list of FNL  political prisoners, 
whose release will help to revive the ceasefire process.  In 
closing their tte--tte, President Nkurunziza and Mr. Rwasa 
exchanged personal telephone numbers to show their commitment 
to heading off additional roadblocks to the ceasefire 
implementation.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U)  Burundi,s President Pierre Nkurunziza met with 
PALIPEHUTU-FNL head Agathon Rwasa on June 18 in Dar es 
Salaam.  At a June 20 briefing in Bujumbura conducted for the 
diplomatic corps, the Burundi Special Representative for the 
President of the African Union, Ambassador Mamadou Bah, and 
the United Nations Secretary General Executive Representative 
in Burundi, Youssef Mahmoud, reported that the meeting 
between the Nkurunziza and Rwasa ended with agreement over 
the following points: 
-  There is a commitment to reviving the JVMM process in 
fully implementing the September 2006 ceasefire agreement; 
-  The PALIPEHUTU-FNL will provide Burundi,s Ministry of 
Justice a list of what the FNL considers  political 
prisoners,; 
-  Nkurunziza and Rwasa will give instructions to their 
respective parties to continue the implementation of the 
ceasefire agreement; and 
-  Each time an issue arises which threatens the continuation 
of the peace process, Nkurunziza and Rwasa will personally 
take measures to ameliorate the situation.  The two leaders 
exchanged personal telephone numbers in support of this 
decision. 
 
---------------------------- 
Behind Closed Doors 
---------------------------- 
 
¶3.   (U)  Mr. Mahmoud explained that after a seemingly 
intractable blockage of progress with the Joint Verification 
Mechanism and Monitoring (JVMM) process, the African Union 
(AU) and the United Nations in Burundi (BINUB) requested the 
regional intervention team, including South Africa,s 
President Thabo Mbeki and President Jakaya Kikwete of 
Tanzania, to help kickstart the implementation process of the 
September 2006 ceasefire agreement.  Prior to the meeting in 
Dar es Salaam, President Kikwete and the facilitation team 
met with Rwasa and others on the margins of the event to 
define the objectives for the gathering and to offer their 
assistance and participation if necessary.  Tanzanian 
President Kikwete, expressing his desire for direct 
involvement and delaying his departure for Uganda, first met 
separately with President Nkurunziza and the FNL rebel 
leader.  Bah and Mahmoud could not provide the details of 
these preparatory meetings.  Upon the completion of the 
Kikwete meetings, Nkurunziza and Rwasa finally met privately 
behind closed doors. 
 
¶4.  (U)  As a condition for the resumption of the JVMM, the 
PALIPEHUTU-FNL has consistently requested the release of 
 political prisoners,.  In his discussions with President 
Nkurunziza, Rwasa agreed to submit a list of perhaps 2,000 to 
3,000 names of imprisoned FNL members whom he considers to be 
 political prisoners,.  The Government of Burundi,s 
(GOB,s) Ministry of Justice will then determine whether the 
individuals on the list are  political prisoners, or 
 criminals, per the ceasefire agreement.  In response to a 
question concerning the surprisingly high number of 
combatants on the list, Ambassador Bah suggested that it may 
have been better to consider a wider range of names rather 
than for either side to pre-determine individual eligibility. 
 Ambassador Bah speculated as well that the source for the 
number of potential  political prisoners, may have been 
Tanzanian newspapers and not a figure necessarily agreed upon 
during the private meeting between the two leaders. 
 
¶5. (U)  In responding to another query, Ambassador Bah 
addressed the perceived absence of any movement on the 
question of  power-sharing, as the PALIPEHUTU-FNL is 
integrated into facets of the military and the government. 
Ambassador Bah speculated that the question of 
 power-sharing, was, in all likelihood, discussed during 
the meeting, but that each side may have been lacking the 
political support at the meeting to fully discuss the issue 
and to make progress.  In Ambassador Bah,s view, the issue 
 
is no longer a question of reshuffling to achieve numerical 
balance but rather one of a more strategic nature.  The 
absence of any mention of these discussions does not, 
however, indicate that it was not a topic at some level, Bah 
stressed. 
 
-------------------- 
What next? 
-------------------- 
 
¶6.  (U)  According to Ambassador Bah and Mr. Mahmoud, 
President Nkurunziza and Rwasa may meet again in Bujumbura; 
however, it is unclear when Mr. Rwasa might travel to 
Burundi,s capital city.  Mahmoud stressed that everyone 
involved in the continuation of the peace process, including 
the diplomatic corps and international organizations, needs 
to be vigilant to any signs or maneuvers which would delay 
the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.  He asked that 
the United Nations and regional partners take the necessary 
steps to encourage continued dialogue and progress.  He 
opined that everyone needs to  keep their ears to the 
ground, for future roadblocks to success.  The World Bank 
representative to Burundi, Allasane Sow, emphasized that 
further delays with the ceasefire implementation will hamper 
Burundi,s ability to meet international financial 
benchmarks. 
 
¶7.  (U)  When queried on the future role of the facilitators 
in the peace process, Mr. Mahmoud stressed the importance of 
a universal message of mutual trust and confidence, a common 
comprehension of the issues, and seeking practical measures 
for removing blockages to progress.  Mr. Mahmoud also 
suggested that it is necessary to  de-politicize, this 
meeting between Nkurunziza and Rwasa and, instead, support 
the ongoing facilitation beyond the technical aspects to make 
significant progress in the JVMM.  Ambassador Bah added that, 
despite the PALIPEHUTU-FNL,s desire to have international 
observers present during all negotiations, no parties outside 
of the Burundian government should participate in the 
meetings as these  interferences, only serve to 
 politicize, the process. 
 
¶8.  (U)  Both Ambassador Bah and Mr. Mahmoud characterized 
the atmosphere of the Dar es Salaam meetings as friendly and 
jovial.  GOB officials and PALIPEHUTU-FNL members greeted 
each other casually and amicably.  There did not appear to be 
any hidden agendas or reservations in the manner or content 
of speeches given by either side, according to Bah and 
Mahmoud.  They commented that the congeniality can best be 
exemplified by the concluding group photo, with the two major 
players standing side by side, and everyone in smiles. 
 
------------- 
Comment 
------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU)  The Nkurunziza-Rwasa meeting clearly indicates that 
both men are making good-faith efforts towards 
reconciliation.  The apparent conviviality between not only 
the principals but also their respective teams during the 
meetings belied the initial expectations of international 
observers.  This may suggest that the gap between the two 
sides may be narrower than previously thought and that 
prospect for ultimate reconciliation are commensurately more 
promising.  Both men recognize that Burundi,s long-term 
stability and economic development depend to a large extent 
on the country,s ability to achieve a durable peace.  The 
evolution of this process may ultimately depend, in turn, on 
their willingness to use their personal  hotline, which 
they opened in Dar es Salaam.  End Comment. 
MOLLER