VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJB #0577/01 2291134
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 171134Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0492
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS BUJUMBURA 000577 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/C AND INR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREF PREL BY
SUBJECT: BURUNDI: PEACE BUILDING COMMISSION RECEIVES UPDATE 
ON FNL AND BUDGET IMPASSE 
 
REF: A. BUJUMBURA 556 
 
     ¶B. BUJUMBURA 563 
     ¶C. BUJUMBURA 564 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  The Peace Building Commission in New York 
was briefed on the latest developments in Burundi surrounding 
stalled negotiations with the FNL and the budgetary impasse 
in Burundi's Parliament via an August 13 video conference. 
South African Ambassador Mdu Denis Lembede reported that 
Tanzanian President Jacaya Kikwete stated if the FNL did not 
soon return unconditionally to negotiations with the GOB they 
must leave Tanzania, and Tanzanian Ambassador Francis Mndolwa 
called on the international community for assistance. 
Opposition parties in the Burundian Parliament who had 
refused to participate in legislation, exacerbating the 
budget crisis, have agreed in principle to return to the 
legislative process, and will vote on new budget proposals. 
End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) Executive Representative for the Secretary General 
(ERSG) in Burundi, Youssef Mahmoud, along with South African 
Ambassador Mdu Denis Lembede, German Ambassador Thomas 
Mangartz, and IMF representative Israel de la Piedra briefed 
the Peace Building Commission (PBC) in New York on August 13. 
 Via video conference from the UN Integrated Mission in 
Burundi's (BINUB) headquarters in Bujumbura, they addressed 
the stalled negotiations between the Government of Burundi 
(GOB) and the lone remaining rebel group PALIPEHUTU-FNL 
(FNL), and the budgetary impasse in Parliament exacerbated by 
a stalemate between political parties. 
 
 
Small Progress with FNL 
----------------------- 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) South African Ambassador Lembede told the PBC and 
the assembled Diplomatic Corps that Tanzanian President 
Jacaya Kikwete had delivered this message to the FNL: if the 
FNL delegation failed to return to negotiations with the GOB 
they must leave Tanzania. Tanzanian Ambassador Francis 
Mndolwa interjected at this point, asking why the FNL,s 
behavior had remained so "unpredictable."  Not waiting for an 
answer, Ambassador Mndolwa postulated that the FNL was 
supported by "outside" forces, acknowledging that he did not 
know their identity.  He pointed out that although the FNL,s 
accounts in Burundi are frozen, they still have assets in 
banks in other countries.  Tanzania needed help to address 
this source of FNL funding, Ambassador Mndolwa said, and 
called on the international community for assistance. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Ambassador Lembede stated further that in 
conversations with the FNL, as recently as the morning of 
August 13, they had offered little of substantive value to 
advance the cease-fire process.  He reported that FNL leader 
Agathon Rwasa had increased to $54,000 his request to 
facilitate the FNL,s move from Dar Es Salaam, an amount more 
than four times originally requested. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The South African and Tanzanian Ambassador's spoke 
with one voice concerning the FNL,s return to negotiations 
with the GOB.  Ambassador's Lembede and Mndolwa, 
respectively, stated authoritatively that the FNL,s return 
must be unconditional and soon. 
 
 
Positive Signs on the Budget Impasse 
------------------------------------- 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) German Ambassador Thomas Mangartz briefed the PBC on 
the legislative blockage in the Burundian Parliament, noting 
particularly the budget impasse (Reftel A) and the "empty 
chair" position taken by the political opposition. 
Ambassador Mangartz informed the PBC that opposition leaders 
in the Parliament had agreed in principle to relent on their 
"empty chair" policy, and would vote on new proposals, 
hopefully alleviating the legislative stalemate.  Taking 
advantage of the Constitutional requirement that two-thirds 
of Parliament be in attendance for legislation to pass into 
law, some opposition parliamentarians had refused to 
participate in the legislative process, rendering the 
Parliament unable to address the budget crisis. 
 
¶7. (SBU) IMF country representative for Burundi Israel de la 
Piedra reported that the IMF, in its just completed mission 
to Burundi (Reftel B), foundQhe country's budget process 
 
complicated by good governance problems.  He noted 
questionable payments to the private Burundian petroleum 
distributor, Interpetrol, amounting to more than one and a 
half percent of GDP. (Reftel C)  De la Piedra pointed out 
that, positively, the Government of Burundi (GOB) is 
addressing the potential Interpetrol scandal, saying if the 
IMF is satisfied with GOB progress then international donors 
will remain engaged. 
 
 
What Can the PBC Do? 
-------------------- 
 
 
¶8. (SBU) When asked by the Belgian representative on the PBC 
what help the Commission can offer, ERSG Mahmoud emphasized 
the need of a fact-finding mission by the PBC.  He added that 
if the current situation with the FNL and the budget crisis 
worsens, the PBC should then take a more active role, but 
cautioned against adding "additional voices" at this time. 
It is important, he said, that the parties involved not see 
BINUB, or the PBC, as taking sides. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Ambassador Lembede told the PBC that the FNL had no 
"particular deadline" to respond to offers put forward by the 
GOB.  When Egypt's representative on the PBC asked which 
international actors should be called upon to assist in 
alleviating the GOB,s impasse with FNL, Ambassador Lembede 
said that the international community's most important 
contribution would be to "speak with one voice" to the FNL. 
 
MOLLER