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TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7512
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1756
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA PRIORITY 0470
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RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0241

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 000819 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/30/2018 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM DRC CH BE
SUBJECT: BELGIUM DIPLOMATS IN DISARRAY OVER CONGO 
 
REF: A. BRUSSELS 719 
     ¶B. KINSHASA 465 
 
Classified By: POLCOUNS LGURIAN for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) 
 
¶1.  (C)  SUMMARY: Diplomatic relations between Belgium and 
the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are at a low point 
as Congolese officials reacted negatively to recent public 
comments Belgian Foreign Minister Karel de Gucht made 
regarding poor governance, lack of transparency, corruption 
and disrespect for human rights in the Congo.  These 
statements reiterate the broad criticisms de Gucht raised 
while on a trip to the DRC April 16-23 (ref a).  De Gucht 
claims he gave the same message privately to Congolese 
President Kabila during the trip.  The Congolese closed their 
consulate in Antwerp and recalled their ambassador from 
Brussels, although the closure and recall may be for other, 
unrelated reasons.  The Congolese government ordered the 
Belgians to close their consulates in Bukavu and Lubumbashi, 
though Belgian officials continue to operate their 
consulates.  Prime Minister Yves Leterme reportedly expressed 
doubts about his foreign minister's diplomacy style, while 
supporting his message.  Leterme publicly expressed the hope 
relations between Belgium and the Congo will soon return to 
normal as he tries to reach President Kabila by phone.  He 
may suggest to Kabila sending a special envoy to work out 
their differences. It will be a test of Leterme's diplomatic 
skills to deal with Kabila in such a way as to move forward 
in their relations without damaging his domestic image. End 
Summary. 
 
¶2.  (C)  Jozef Smets, MFA Africa expert and Great Lakes 
Contact Group envoy, was open and frank about the current 
crisis in Belgian/Congolese relations and the resulting 
fallout within the Belgian government. Smets told poloff he 
was not surprised by the backlash reaction from the Congo. 
Smets was on the trip with de Gucht; he said their meeting 
with President Kabila in which de Gucht talked about evidence 
of corruption, human rights issues, and the lack of good 
governance and transparency in government and finance and 
economics, did not go well.  De Gucht was particularly 
concerned about the Congolese failure to renew the mandate 
for UN experts on human rights in the Congo and about their 
assertion that human rights were no longer problematic. 
Smets noted de Gucht had visited the Congo numerous times and 
given Kabila similar, though discreet, messages of concern 
but, seeing no changes, de Gucht had decided to go public 
with tough messages for the government. 
 
¶3.  (C)  The first conversations were publicized in the Congo 
and news reports made it appear de Gucht humiliated Kabila. 
Although Smets says there is a general consensus here that de 
Gucht's message is correct, e.g., there is corruption in high 
places and the DRC government record of human rights is poor, 
the issue is the sensitivity of the perception of a former 
colonial nation humiliating a democratically elected African 
leader.  Adding fuel to the fire, the Belgian press actively 
reported numerous differences of opinion on Belgian/Congolese 
relations and the Congolese closed their consulate in Antwerp 
and recalled their ambassador from Brussels (although the 
closure and the recall may be for other, unrelated reasons). 
Although ordered to close their consulates in the DRC, the 
Belgians continue to work in their offices in Bukavu and 
Lubumbashi  Smets believes the issues will be settled given 
time and said Belgium will remain fully engaged in the DRC 
despite this crisis. 
 
¶4.  (C)  Leterme did talk to Congolese PM Gizenga May 27 and 
continues to try to reach President Kabila by phone. 
According to Smets, Leterme's message points will include: 
asking the Congolese to postpone closing the Belgian 
consulates, stressing the importance to the Goma peace 
process of the consulate in Bukavu; asking if Kabila will 
receive the Belgian Ambassador to the DRC; and mentioning a 
plan to send a high level special envoy to Kinshasa to work 
out the problems.  This message, Smets noted, adds to the 
sensitivities within the Belgian government since sending a 
special envoy would in effect be telling de Gucht he can no 
longer do the job there.  There are also press stories 
Leterme has pulicly distanced himself from de Gucht; Leterme 
reportedly called de Gucht twice to explain he really agrees 
with de Gucht's message. 
 
¶5.  (C)  There is some concern de Gucht's statements will 
cause the Congo to turn away Belgian interests and favor more 
the Chinese for economic development. China is said to have 
given the Congo a USD 9 billion loan in return for access to 
important mining sites.  Another version is the Chinese have 
a deal that, in exchange for 10 million tons of copper, they 
will build 3500 km. of roads and 3250 km of railways for the 
Congo.  The market price of 10 million tons of copper is USD 
70 billion and the estimated value of the new roads and 
railways is USD 6.5 billion.  Kabila allegedly will get USD 
500 million in kickbacks from the Chinese. 
 
¶6.  (C)  Two legal cases in Belgium add new fodder for 
comment.  The Congolese Interior Minister Kalume is involved 
in a court case in Belgium on money laundering practices. 
Recently a Belgian judge decided to freeze Kalume's 
(considerable) assets in Belgium.  The second case involves 
the arrest of Congolese opposition leader Jean-Pierre Bemba 
on an ICC warrant (ref b).  A Belgian judge ruled Bemba must 
be held in custody until his transfer to the Hague to face 
the ICC charges.  His lawyer is appealing, asking for Bemba's 
release on bail. The Belgian authorities made the arrest 
after receiving information Bemba was about to leave Belgium. 
 (NOTE:  Bemba had also applied for a visa at the U.S. 
Embassy in Brussels.  Lacking approval from the Department to 
issue the visa, the visa was not granted.  END NOTE.) 
 
 ¶7.  (C)  In an earlier meeting with visiting AF Office 
Director Karl Wycoff, Belgian MFA Africa hands stressed that, 
because of the many familial and historic ties between 
Belgium and the Congo, any mistake in Congo policy quickly 
becomes a domestic political issue in Belgium.  There are 
many power centers in Belgium in the Congo debate -- the 
Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs, the President of 
the Parliament, the regional governments and (quietly) the 
monarchy itself.  Also, although Belgium,s economic 
interests in the Congo are much less than in the past, 
Belgium remains concerned that Congo,s rich resources be 
used for the best interests of the Congo.  Finally, Belgium 
feels strongly other countries in Europe and Africa continue 
to look to Belgium to take the lead in the Congo. 
 
¶8.  (C)  Comment:  The DRC is one of Belgium's top priority 
foreign policy concerns and the latest diplomatic flare-ups 
are provoking discussions on future involvement there.  The 
DRC was a top item on the Council of Ministers agenda and 
will be a focus for future sessions.  One goal of the April 
trip was to present to the Congolese a unified Belgian 
government message; the recent dissension in Belgium makes it 
difficult for any Belgian message critical of the DRC 
government to be effective.  The Belgians, from all 
indications, plan to remain engaged and to keep open the 
lines of communication with the Congolese government.  The 
Belgians asked their Consul Generals to remain at their posts 
for now and have not recalled the Belgian ambassador.  It 
will be a test of Leterme's diplomatic and political skills 
to deal with Kabila in such a way as to move forward their 
relations without damaging his domestic image and making the 
Congo even more of a football in Belgium's already difficult 
political debates.  End Comment.