VZCZCXRO4520
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #1267/01 3170921
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130921Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7113
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KINSHASA 001267 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KWMN PINS PREF MOPS CG
SUBJECT:  RWANDA, DRC ISSUE JOINT COMMUNIQUE IN NAIROBI ADOPTING 
JOINT APPROACH TO ENDING CONFLICT IN THE KIVUS 
 
¶1.  (U) On November 10, the Government of the Democratic Republic of 
the Congo and the Government of Rwanda agreed to a Joint Communique 
in French and English that confirms a common approach to end the 
threat posed to peace and stability in both countries and the Great 
Lakes Region.  (Note:  Full text of Joint Communique is at para 5. 
End note).  The communique reiterates previous bilateral agreements 
between the GDRC and Rwanda as well as regional agreements made in 
the context of the Tripartite Plus Commission regarding 
neutralization of the ex-Far/Interahamwe (see footnote one), but 
also states that the presence of irregular Congolese armed groups in 
eastern DRC pose an equal threat to peace and security in the DRC 
and the entire Great Lakes region. The GDRC was represented by 
Foreign Minister Mbusa and President Adviser Ngwej.  The Government 
of Rwanda was represented by Foreign Minister Murigande and 
President Special Envoy to the Great Lakes, Ambassador Sezibera. 
 
¶2.  (U) The communique was achieved after almost 9 hours of 
negotiations between the Government of the DRC and Rwanda 
representatives facilitated by the Assistant Secretary General for 
Department of Political Affairs, Haile Menkerios.  Menkerios was 
supported by the MONUC Force Commander, the Chief of Staff for the 
UN/Resident Representative for DRC, and the Political Affairs 
officer for the Department of Peacekeeping Operations in New York. 
The communique was witnessed by the European Union Special Envoy, 
Roland van der Geer, and State Department Senior Advisor to 
Assistance Secretary Frazer for Conflict Resolution, Timothy 
Shortley. 
 
¶3.  (U) The decision to hold the meeting in Nairobi to reconcile the 
competing FDLR plans between the GDRC and the GOR came after UN/DPA 
Haile Menkerios met with President Kabila on November 3.  Menkerios 
proposed to President Kabila that he reconcile the Congolese plan 
and the comments from Rwanda on the margins of the International 
Conference on the Great Lakes in Nairobi to avoid endless exchange 
of proposals and counter proposals.  Both the GDRC and GoR 
appreciated the efforts of the UN and the flexibility of both the EU 
and the U.S. to attend and witness the agreement.  End comment. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Comment:  Although the discussions were largely cordial 
and mild tempered, many heated exchanges occurred around the alleged 
lack of will by the DRC, and the failing of the international 
community, to deal with the FDLR since 1994 regardless of the many 
agreements concluded since the 1999 Lusaka Accords.  Similarly, the 
DRC charged Rwanda with failing to cut off support for Nkunda and 
prevent support being provided by any group.  Both the DRC and 
Rwanda asked for the international community to provide adequate 
support to deal with the FDLR and the illegal armed groups in the 
DRC and to ensure adequate protection of civilian populations.  Both 
DRC and Rwanda also challenged MONUC to be more aggressive against 
negative forces and illegal militias in eastern DRC. 
 
¶5.  The full text of the agreement is as follows: 
 
Begin text of joint communique: 
 
Joint Communique of the Government of the Democratic Republic of 
Congo and the Government of the Republic of Rwanda on a common 
approach to end the threat posed to peace and stability in both 
countries and the Great Lakes Region 
 
We, the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the 
Government of the Republic of Rwanda, having met in Nairobi on 9 
November 2007, have agreed on a common approach to address the 
threat posed to our common security and stability by the 
ex-FAR/Interahamwe.  The meeting was facilitated by the United 
Nations, in the presence of United States and the European Union. 
 
We, consistent with the commitments made in the Lusaka Cease Fire 
Agreement of 1999, which set out modalities for the disarmament and 
repatriation of all foreign armed groups, including the 
ex-FAR/Interahamwe, in the territory of the DRC; the bilateral 
agreement signed in Pretoria on 30 July 2002 between the Governments 
of the DRC and Rwanda; the Principles on Good Neighbourly Relations 
and Cooperation between the DRC and Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda of 25 
September 2003; the Pact on Security, Stability and Development in 
the Great Lakes Region of 15 December 2006; and the various 
commitments made within the framework of the Tripartite Plus 
Commission, including the commitments made by the Tripartite-plus 
Members in Lubumbashi on 8 June 2007 and Kampala on 17 September 
2007; to eliminate the threat posed by illegal armed groups through 
peaceful and military means, taking into account the action plan 
presented by the Government of the RDC to address the problem of the 
ex-FAR/Interahamwe on 3 October 2007 and the response and 
counter-proposal made on this plan by the Government of Rwanda: 
 
Have reiterated the following: 
 
KINSHASA 00001267  002 OF 004 
 
 
 
¶1.  Peace and Security in the DRC and the Great Lakes Region can 
only be achieved once the threat posed by all foreign and national 
armed groups in the DRC and their politico-military organizations is 
addressed; 
 
¶2.  The ex-FAR/Interahamwe constitutes a major threat to peace and 
security of Rwanda, the DRC, and the countries in the Great Lakes 
Region in general, as well as to the Congolese population; 
 
¶3.  The presence of irregular Congolese armed groups in eastern DRC 
equally poses a threat to peace and security in the DRC and the 
entire Great Lakes Region; 
 
¶4.  We both reaffirm our commitment to respect and uphold each 
other's sovereignty, and reiterate our commitment to fully cooperate 
and implement a common approach to dismantle the ex-FAR/Interahamwe 
as a genocidal military 
 
organization operating in the territory of the DRC; 
 
¶5.  We fully commit to prevent the direct or indirect support- 
political, material or human - to any national and foreign armed 
group operating in the DRC; 
 
¶6.  We shall share information, and address issues of common concern 
through existing mechanisms, in particular the Joint Verification 
Mechanism (JVM) and the Tripartite Plus Commission; 
 
¶7.  We shall immediately assign the members to the JVT in Goma and 
Gisenyi as well as in Bukavu and Cyangugu; 
 
¶8.  We commit to refrain from any negative propaganda against each 
other. 
 
¶9.  The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo commits to: 
 
(a) Prepare, by 1st  December 2007, a detailed plan to disarm and 
address the threat posed by the ex-FAR/Interahamwe. MONUC will be 
requested to provide support to the planning and subsequent 
implementation consistent with its mandate and capacities. The plan 
will be shared with the Rwandan Government by 1st December 2007; 
(b) Launch military operations, as a matter of urgency, to dismantle 
the ex-FAR/Interahamwe as a genocidal military organization in the 
DRC. Such operations should be simultaneously conducted with 
operations to dismantle illegal armed groups in North and South 
Kivu; 
(c) Identify and commit the necessary resources to implement the 
military components of the plan; 
(d) The plan shall include the following elements: 
 
i) reactivation and streamlining, in parallel with military 
pressure, existing efforts to sensitize ex-FAR/Interahamwe elements 
to disarm and repatriate to Rwanda; 
ii) temporary relocation of disarmed ex-FAR/Interahamwe elements to 
reception centres/cantonment sites in the DRC; registration by MONUC 
under the existing DDRRR procedures and repatriation of those who 
choose to return to Rwanda; 
iii) with the help of relevant international organizations, moving 
of the disarmed ex-FAR/Interahamwe who do not wish to return to 
Rwanda and who are not wanted for genocide by Rwandan justice or the 
International Criminal tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), away from the 
border until their condition is normalized; 
iv) arrest and handing over to the ICTR and Rwanda of those indicted 
for crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes. 
 
(e) Refrain from statements in support of any armed group in the 
DRC; 
(f) Publicize the contents of this joint communique. 
 
¶10.  The Government of the Republic of Rwanda commits to: 
 
(a) Take all necessary measures to seal its border to prevent the 
entry into or exit from its territory of members of any armed group, 
renegade militia leaders, Nkunda's group in particular, and prevent 
any form of support - military, material or human - being provided 
to any armed group in the DRC; 
(b) Share with the Government of the DRC and MONUC a list of wanted 
"genocidaires" (all categories); 
(c) Refrain from statements in support of any armed group in the 
DRC; 
(d) Encourage, through appropriate programs, ex-FAR/Interahamwe 
members and their dependents to return home and facilitate their 
effective socio-economic reintegration; 
(e) Publicize the contents of this joint communique. 
 
 
KINSHASA 00001267  003 OF 004 
 
 
¶11. The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the 
Government of the Republic of Rwanda agree to: 
 
(a) Establish strict border controls and prevent illicit 
cross-border movement of combatants or recruits, arms, military 
material, food or medical support for any armed groups; 
(b) Refrain from aiding and abetting (arming, facilitating movement, 
allowing recruitment, financing, providing sanctuary, etc) any armed 
group; 
(c) Call upon all Congolese associated with the ex-FAR/Interahamwe 
to leave the group immediately and definitely; disarmed combatants 
that are found to be Congolese or are eligible to become Congolese 
in accordance with relevant national legislation, shall not be 
subject to repatriation; these will be registered, and a list 
identifying them will be shared with the Government of Rwanda; 
(d) Cooperate in bringing to justice those accused of having 
committed war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide; 
(e) Commit to take all necessary measures to encourage and enable 
refugees to return home; 
(f) Commit to actively support and facilitate the provision of 
humanitarian assistance to civilians in need, irrespective of 
political and ethnic affiliation; 
(g) Undertake to minimize the negative impact of the agreed 
operations against the ex-FAR/Interahamwe on civilian populations 
and take measures to ensure the protection of civilians, as well as 
compliance of their forces with international humanitarian and human 
rights law; 
(h) Commit to continuously share intelligence on the implementation 
of these actions through the existing bilateral mechanism. 
 
¶12. The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the 
Government of the Republic of Rwanda call upon the International 
Partners witnessing this Communique, and other partners the two 
signatories to this Communique may agree on: 
 
(a) To mobilize support to help implement the commitments expressed 
in this Communique; 
(b) To actively support the protection of civilians and the 
provision of humanitarian assistance to IDPs, refugees and those in 
need. 
 
¶13. MONUC will protect civilians, in accordance with its mandate, 
against the negative impact of operations against the 
ex-FAR/Interahamwe and monitor compliance with recognized standards 
of international humanitarian and human rights law. 
 
¶14. The signatories of this Communique urge the Security Council to 
pass a resolution establishing sanctions against the 
Ex-FAR/Interahamwe and call upon all Member States to prevent all 
fund-raising, mobilization or propaganda activities of the 
ex-FAR/Interahamwe. 
 
¶15. The United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, the 
United States, South Africa and other partners the two signatories 
to this Communique may agree on, together with Representatives of 
the two parties, shall be invited to facilitate and monitor the 
implementation of this agreement. 
 
Nairobi, 9 November 2007 
 
For the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo 
Antipas Mbusa Nyamwisi 
State Minister of Foreign Affairs 
 
For the Government of the Republic of Rwanda, 
Charles Murigande 
Minister of Foreign Affairs 
 
For the United Nations 
Haile Menkerios 
Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs 
 
For the European Union, 
Roeland van de Geer, Special Representative 
 
For the United States of America 
Timothy Shortley 
Senior Advisor to the Assistant 
Secretary Jendayi Frazer for 
 
SIPDIS 
Conflict Resolution 
Department of State 
 
 
Footnote:  (1) The term ex-FAR/Interahamwe used in this text shall 
be understood as referring to all Rwandan armed groups on Congolese 
soil, irrespective of their denomination (ex-FAR, Interahamwe, ALIR, 
 
KINSHASA 00001267  004 OF 004 
 
 
FDLR, RUD-Unana, Rasta etc.) 
 
End text joint communique. 
 
¶6.  (U) This message has/has been cleared by Mr. Shortley. 
 
Brock