VZCZCXRO5549
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #0392/01 1261445
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 051445Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7946
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KINSHASA 000392 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS PHUM PREF KPKO CG
SUBJECT:    Kabila, SRSG/P-3 plus two and Angola discuss East, 
Rwanda ties, Kony, food shortages, and air safety 
 
REF:  07 KINSHASA 1409 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  On May 2 President Kabila met with SRSG Doss, 
ambassadors of the P-3 plus 2 nations, and Angola, the first meeting 
in this format in 2008.  Kabila and the European ambassadors 
expressed disappointment - without explicitly blaming each other - 
for slow movement on economic development.  Kabila evinced a clear 
understanding of the major challenges he faces and appeared more 
relaxed than at previous SRSG/P-3 plus 2 fora.  He promised to hold 
monthly meetings with the group, also agreeing to instruct his 
economic development team to meet with the donor community to 
discuss a request from European donors to monitor progress in this 
area, a possible sign that current tensions between donors and 
recipients, heretofore characterized by mutual recriminations of 
inaction, may transition to a more collaborative phase.  The 
president did not seem anxious over what the SRSG and ambassadors 
fear is a looming food shortage crisis in the DRC.  Kabila was upset 
by Rwandan president Kagame's absence in New York in April and 
blamed Rwanda for failure to take steps to renew DRC-Rwanda 
diplomatic ties.  Kabila said it was time to bring under control 
("maitriser") Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony by military force and 
asked for intelligence on Kony and his men.  Kabila did not, 
however, intimate he would invite Uganda to take part in efforts to 
deal with Kony.  SRSG noted, and Kabila concurred, that provincial 
and local elections cannot be held until 2009.  Angola's presence at 
the meeting, requested by Kabila, possibly signals an effort to 
bring greater North-South balance to these P-3 plus 2 meetings.  End 
summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) For the first time in 2008 Democratic Republic of the 
Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila met with the UN Secretary 
General's Special Representative (SRSG) and representatives of the 
UN Security Council's Permanent Three (P-3) members (U.S., UK, 
France), together with non-permanent SC members Belgium and South 
Africa ("plus 2").  Also invited, at Kabila's request, was the 
Angolan charge d'affaires (the ambassador is currently absent), the 
first time that country has participated in a P-3 plus two meeting. 
DRC officials at the meeting included Foreign Minister Antipas 
Mbusa, presidential chief of staff Raymond Tshibanda, diplomatic 
advisor Marcellin Chissambo, and roving ambassador Seraphin Ngwej. 
The meeting was the first for new SRSG Alan Doss.  All P-3 plus two 
nations were represented at the ambassadorial level. 
 
Situation in the East 
--------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Doss began with a presentation on the four areas of 
concern (his statement was coordinated with the P-3 plus two 
ambassadors and Angolan representatives at a meeting the day 
before), giving a short summary of each.  Doss specified each area: 
the situation in the DRC's eastern region; economic development 
issues; air safety and provincial/municipal elections.  On the 
situation in the East of the country, Doss reviewed developments 
since the last Kabila-SRSG/P-3 plus 2 meeting on December 20,2007 
(reftel) highlighting efforts to implement the December 9, 2007 
Nairobi Communique and the agreements reached January 23) at the 
National Conference in Goma (the "Amani Process").  The SRSG 
expressed guarded optimism that efforts to bring about an end to the 
fighting in the East were progressing but noted that much remained 
to be done.  He expressed satisfaction that the Defense Minister, 
who originally resisted the idea, has agreed to create thematic 
groups to approach the issue of military reform and military action 
against militias in the East.  He noted that gender-based violence 
continues to be a major problem and also referred to a new area of 
concern, i.e., recent violence in the western province of Bas-Congo. 
 Doss stated that the Bas-Congo was very different from the 
Democratic Republic of the Congo's eastern region and that progress 
in economic development would go a long way to solving the Bas-Congo 
problem. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The French and Belgian ambassadors referred to bilateral 
programs their countries are sponsoring to train a DRC rapid 
reaction force (RRF), including a French program now underway in the 
Bas-Congo as part of an effort to create a military force for 
humanitarian relief efforts within member nations of the Africa 
Union's Economic Community of Central Africa States (French acronym: 
 CEEAC).  The French ambassador noted that the French-trained 
contingent could be deployed to the East if necessary.  Both 
ambassadors also congratulated the GDRC for the defense minister's 
willingness to set up thematic groups to discuss Security Sector 
Reform (SSR), a decision which could contribute to enhancing the 
military's effectiveness in going after the militia groups. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The British ambassador noted that the current situation is 
an improvement over that when the President last met with the 
 
KINSHASA 00000392  002 OF 004 
 
 
SRSG/P-3 plus 2, if only because there now exists a "global plan" 
against insurgent forces, a plan that included Nkunda, the FDLR and 
all other groups.  He asked Kabila how the P-3 plus two might help 
in implementing the plan.  He also expressed concern over the 
continuing problem of gender-based violence and asked the President 
for his thoughts on P-3 plus two help in this area as well.  The 
South African ambassador asked Kabila for his analysis of the 
situation in the East four months after the signing of the Goma 
agreements and what the international community might do 
specifically to help.  The U.S. ambassador praised Kabila for his 
leadership in trying to implement the Nairobi and Goma accords and 
reiterated requests from the UK and South African ambassadors that 
he, Kabila, specify what specific actions the P-3 plus two might 
take to help the DRC. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Responding to Doss' and the ambassadors' comments and 
questions, Kabila noted with satisfaction that Father Apolinnaire 
Malu Malu, his choice to oversee implementation of the Amani 
process, was doing a good job.  The ceasefire, albeit fragile, was 
holding.  Nonetheless, the "point of no return," which Kabila 
described as the time when so many militia members will have been 
demobilized that further fighting will not be possible, has not yet 
been reached.  On July 23, the six-month date from the signing of 
the Goma agreement, a comprehensive evaluation of all efforts will 
be carried out.  He referred to upcoming meetings in Rome and 
Kinshasa with the ex-FAR/FDLR to persuade those groups' leaders to 
demobilize.  This will "give people a chance to avoid fighting."  He 
emphasized that "our vision on stability in East has not ever 
changed.  The process in place is the way forward," he stressed, but 
"is not the only way."  He also emphasized the need to address 
impunity and punish criminals; failure to do so, he stated, was to 
fail to give the state the authority it needed to end the insurgency 
in the East once and for all. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) On SSR, Kabila acknowledged he personally had not played 
an active role on this issue but instead had waited for donors to 
come forward with their proposals for help.  He thanked the French 
ambassador for France's training of a RRF battalion, but noted that 
much more was needed.  In a lighter moment, he said he was not good 
in math, but "if we only train battalions one by one it will take 
quite some time to get where we need to be."  He continued:  "I am a 
man in a hurry on military training.  And I also want a plan to 
train Congolese trainers."  He then alluded to the sad state of 
Congolese institutes for senior training, lamenting that many such 
entities simply no longer exist, including a senior staff college 
for military officers, a special school for engineers, senior 
management, etc. 
 
Missed meeting with Kagame; relations with Rwanda 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Doss and several ambassadors raised the importance of 
restoring diplomatic relations between the DRC and Rwanda as called 
for under the Nairobi Communique.  The Angolan charge asked Kabila 
if he was disappointed over the absence of Rwandan president Kagame 
in New York recently at what was expected to be a summit between the 
two leaders to discuss progress on a peace agreement in the East. 
He also asked the president for his take on the results of the 
meetings in New York.  The Belgian ambassador criticized Rwanda for 
its lack of cooperation in providing a list of FDLR suspects.  The 
U.S. ambassador referred to U.S. efforts to get the Rwandans to 
cooperate with the DRC on demobilization.  SRSG Doss "deplored" 
Kagame's failure to appear in New York.  Kabila replied that "it is 
very irritating when partners are not sincere."  He asked 
rhetorically "Are the Rwandans really for peace?  Who knows?  Is the 
ex-FAR or the DRC the problem?  No, but the Rwandans want us to 
solve their problem for them."  On restoring diplomatic ties, Kabila 
said in essence that the Rwandans had not taken the steps needed to 
show they are interested in restoring ties and that the DRC could 
not be expected to do this unilaterally.  It was necessary and 
important to have relations with Rwanda, Kabila stressed, but this 
must proceed in stages and Rwanda had to do its part. 
 
Time to take care of Kony by force 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶10.  (SBU) In discussing fighting in the East, Kabila volunteered 
that the time had come to use force to deal with ("maitriser" in 
French) the continued predations in the DRC of the renegade faction 
of the Lord's Resistance Army headed by Joseph Kony.  Failure to 
remove Kony immediately, Kabila asserted, would mean he will 
continue to recruit Congolese to fight for him.  Kabila made an 
appeal for help in obtaining intelligence on Kony and his movements 
but did not leave an opening for possible Ugandan intervention in 
this effort. 
 
KINSHASA 00000392  003 OF 004 
 
 
 
Economic Development and looming food shortages 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶11. (SBU) Several ambassadors asked Kabila if he would consider 
setting up a meeting with the donor community to establish 
mechanisms to review progress on all fronts of Kabila's ambitious 
economic development agenda (the five priority sectors for economic 
and human development, or "cinq chantiers" in French).  Without 
stating their reasons for the meeting request or blaming the DRC 
explicitly, the French and Belgian ambassadors clearly hinted there 
was frustration (with the Congolese) over failures to move forward 
on development projects.  Avoiding the defensive posture he assumed 
in past meetings with the SRSG/P-3 plus two on this sensitive issue, 
Kabila said simply:  Yes, we understand your frustration, because 
we, the Government and the people of the Congo, are also very 
frustrated," referring specifically to the need for "broken 
promises" of funding to repair infrastructure.  The UK ambassador 
made similar comments but cast them in a different light.  Noting 
that Kabila had spoken on Millennium development goals in early 
April in New Delhi, he said he would welcome "your leadership in the 
area of economic development to achieve more urgency, more 
coordination, and more accountability to you."  Kabila then 
surprised his interlocutors by saying that he was willing to set up 
a meeting to discuss development.  He did not state, however, 
whether he agreed the meeting would set up the evaluation mechanisms 
requested by the French and Belgians.  He stipulated that he would 
not attend the meeting but would make sure that the highest-ranking 
members of his development affairs team would be there and requested 
that the meeting take place before May 15 (no reason for that date 
was given). 
 
¶12.  (SBU) The British ambassador noted that the emerging world food 
crisis was like a "traffic accident in slow motion."  Coordination 
was needed to prepare a response to higher prices and shortages. 
The South African ambassador followed, noting that in South Africa 
and Senegal special mechanisms were recently created to deal with 
this issue and asked if similar structures existed in the DRC.  The 
U.S. ambassador assured the president that the U.S. stood ready to 
help in this area.  "What can we do?" he asked pointedly.  Kabila 
replied that his government believed that the solution to food 
shortages in the Congo, which had tremendous agricultural potential, 
was to increase food production.  He noted that this year the 
government was buying 500 tractors to mechanize production in an 
effort to speed up the availability of locally grown food.  He 
expressed confidence the GDRC could meet this challenge and noted 
that it has approached the FAO for technical support.  He also 
mentioned the need to improve roads to get produce to markets. 
Kabila added that an important contribution to the solution would be 
for countries that export food stop turning their food into fuel, 
thereby causing food shortages in the countries they export to. 
Attempting to inject humor into his comments, Kabila said the issue 
was one of "starving to death in the poor countries due to a lack of 
food," or "dying in the rich countries from climate change because 
of putting too many hydrocarbon emissions into the air." 
 
Air Safety 
---------- 
 
¶13.  (SBU) Doss and European ambassadors mentioned heightened 
concerns over air safety in light of the April 15 crash of a DC-9 in 
Goma.  The French and Belgian ambassadors noted that the problem was 
not related to equipment and infrastructure problems only, but also 
to a lack of enforcement of air transportation safety regulations by 
DRC officials.  The French ambassador called for setting up a 
working group to stimulate the adoption of corrective measures in 
the aviation sector.  Kabila responded only that his Minister of 
Transportation would brief the government on May 5 on all aspects of 
the problem and on possible solutions. 
 
Provincial, local elections 
--------------------------- 
 
¶14. (SBU) SRSG Doss referred to a review he has made of the status 
of preparations for provincial and local elections, the last step in 
the popular selection of DRC leaders as called for under the new 
constitution.  Although it was widely believed these elections would 
be held in the second half of 2008, this would not be possible given 
a number of obstacles.  Doss did not elaborate on the obstacles, 
except to mention that electoral lists needed updating.  Doss stated 
it was important, however, to hold the elections as soon as 
possible, preferably by the summer of 2009.  Kabila said he had not 
foreseen that such important obstacles existed but now recognized 
that the postponement until 2009 was necessary.  He urged Doss to 
use the 2005 electoral list as the basis for the upcoming polls; 
 
KINSHASA 00000392  004 OF 004 
 
 
Doss agreed the 2005 list would indeed be updated. 
 
¶15.  (SBU) Comment:  Throughout the meeting Kabila was clearly in 
command of the subject matter and at ease with his interlocutors, 
even using humor at several junctures.  There was no repeat here of 
the tense appearance and defensive posture he has assumed at 
previous meetings of this group, which the president has almost 
certainly viewed as a continuation of the old and, for him, 
meddlesome CIAT mechanism (the Sun City accords-created body to 
ensure international community participation in the DRC's transition 
to democratic rule).  Pleasant surprises at the May 2 meeting were 
Kabila's voluntary announcements that he would meet monthly with the 
SRSG and P-3 plus 2, that his economic development team would meet 
with the donor community, and that he believes the time has come to 
use force in dealing with Kony.  Disappointing was his lack of 
appetite to take the initiative in renewing diplomatic relations 
with Rwanda, although domestic political opposition here to renewed 
ties helps explain his passivity on this front.  Angola's presence 
at the meeting is new; we suspect Kabila may see the addition to the 
group of his neighbor and ally as a way to achieve greater 
North-South balance within the P-3 plus two setting.  End Comment.