VZCZCXRO9013
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #0997/01 3171504
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 121504Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8759
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000997 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO PHUM PREF CG
SUBJECT:    Foreign Minister Thambwe's November 11 
            briefing on Nairobi, SADC summits 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  Foreign Minister Alexis Thambwe Mwamba convoked 
ambassadors November 11 for a briefing on the summits in Nairobi on 
November 7 and in Johannesburg on November 9.  Nairobi had 
reaffirmed the Amani and Nairobi processes as the "only framework" 
for resolving the conflict in the eastern DRC.  The DRC is willing 
to renew diplomatic relations with Rwanda but will do so gradually, 
probably by first opening consulates along the border.  The joint "4 
by 4 commission" (four Congolese, four Rwandans) would continue its 
regular meetings.  Press reports are true that GDRC has called for a 
cessation of hostilities in the Ituri district to allow LRA troops 
to go to designated areas on the Southern Sudan border in 
anticipation of the signing of a peace agreement with the government 
of Uganda.  Relations with Uganda are improving; joint 
Ugandan-Congolese military patrols within the DRC are under 
consideration.  Support from SADC members for the GDRC, as decided 
at the November 9 summit, will contribute to a definitive peace 
agreement in the east.  Thambwe will leave soon to consult with 
ECCAS members to enlist their support for the DRC.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Foreign Ministry notified embassies in the evening 
hours of November 10 that Minister Thambwe wished to meet the next 
morning to update P-5 and other UN Security Council ambassadors on 
the just-ended Nairobi and Johannesburg summits.  Present were 
ambassadors of China, France, Russia, the UK, Belgium, and South 
Africa plus the U.S. Charge.  Also invited was the ambassador of 
Angola.  MONUC's senior political advisor represented SRSG Doss. 
Seated beside Foreign Minister Thambwe was new defense minister 
Charles Mwanda Nsimba. 
 
Nairobi reaffirms existing framework 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Thambwe characterized the Nairobi discussions as 
"intense and very frank."  He asserted that the summit's two most 
important decisions were: (1) to insist on the continuation of a 
ceasefire in the conflict zone and to restore the ceasefire by force 
if it is broken; and (2) that the Nairobi and Amani processes remain 
the "only framework" for dealing with the conflict.  Regarding the 
latter, he said this meant there would be "no face-to-face meetings 
between Kabila and Nkunda."  The minister noted that the GDRC had 
high expectations for the "Facilitation Commission" of former 
presidents Olesegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and Benjamin Mpaka of 
Tanzania to ensure implementation of the Nairobi Communique and the 
Amani accords.  He also stated that his government understood these 
processes applied equally to the FDLR and the CNDP. 
 
Rwandan-Congolese relations 
--------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The French ambassador asked if progress had been made in 
Nairobi on resuming diplomatic relations between the DRC and Rwanda. 
 Thambwe answered that the GRDC has taken steps to rid the Rwandan 
compound in Kinshasa of squatters so that it can be renovated in 
time for the return of its occupants.  The Congolese public, 
however, which believed that most of Nkunda's army consisted of 
Rwandans, was not yet ready to accept a Rwandan diplomatic presence 
here.  Thambwe stated that the government was more likely to adopt a 
gradual approach, in coordination with the GOR, setting up two 
Congolese consulates in Rwanda just inside the border and 
authorizing the Rwanda Government to do likewise just inside the 
DRC. 
 
Shuttle diplomacy to continue 
----------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) French ambassador also encouraged Thambwe to maintain a 
dialogue with Rwanda.  Minister noted that each government's 
four-member delegations would continue with regular meetings, 
shuttling back and forth between the two capitals in an effort to 
keep the lines of communication open and to advance certain goals. 
Thambwe called this effort the "4X4 commission." 
 
Cessation of hostilities with LRA 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) U.S. charge asked Thambwe if he had seen press reports 
from Southern Sudan regarding a meeting between President Kabila and 
SS Vice-President Reik Marchar during the Nairobi summit.  Thambwe 
replied that he was present with Kabila at the meeting and that the 
press reports were correct.  In this connection he noted that: 
 
-- Kabila has agreed to open a corridor so that LRA soldiers can go 
to the South Sudanese border to lay down their arms and repatriate 
to Uganda. 
 
 
KINSHASA 00000997  002 OF 002 
 
 
-- The FARDC will not shoot at LRA members proceeding north in the 
corridor to the border with South Sudan. 
 
-- Kabila has agreed to allow members of the Cessation of 
Hostilities Monitoring Team (CHMT) to work alongside MONUC forces 
based in Dungu and other areas inside DR Congo to monitor the 
movement and activities of the LRA. 
 
-- These agreements are based on the DRC's desire to help Uganda in 
getting Kony to adhere (I said "sign"; the Minister responded 
"adhere") to the demobilization agreement. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Earlier in the meeting Thambwe stated that relations with 
Uganda were improving rapidly.  The two countries had "common 
economic interests," including joint efforts to exploit petroleum 
deposits in Lake Albert.  He stated the DRC was giving consideration 
to allowing the Ugandan military into the DRC to conduct operations 
with the FARDC against vis-a-vis groups. 
 
SADC summit and possible ECCAS meeting 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Thambwe did not speak at length regarding the SADC summit. 
 He noted that participants had decided to create three military 
commissions (evaluation, technical, and surveillance) which would 
travel shortly to the DRC to report on the situation.  He mentioned 
the national composition of each commission.  (Note:  Angola will 
participate in all three.  End note.) Thambwe expressed confidence 
that SADC's support would contribute to the quest for peace in the 
region. Thambwe ended the meeting by noting that he would leave soon 
to consult with several Central African nations and that ECCAS might 
also convene a summit in the near future to discuss the situation in 
the eastern Congo. 
 
BROCK