VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0148 0482359
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 172359Z FEB 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5869
INFO RUEHLGB/AMEMBASSY KIGALI IMMEDIATE 0313

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000148 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2019 
TAGS: UNSC POLS
SUBJECT: (C) RWANDAN MISSION UNCOOPERATIVE ON FDLR NAME 
SUBMISSIONS TO DRC SANCTIONS COMMITTEE 
 
REF: A. STATE 000731 
     ¶B. KIGALI 000025 
     ¶C. STATE 003354 
     ¶D. KIGALI 000054 
 
Classified By: 
Ambassador Susan Rice for reasons 1.4 (b,d) 
 
1 (C) SUMMARY: USUN requested Rwanda to amend its original 
proposal for the designation of members of the FDLR rebel 
group for UN targeted sanctions to include U.S.-provided 
information in four official statements of case.  The Rwandan 
mission on 11 February rejected this suggestion, claimed no 
guidance from Kigali and made clear that the mission did not 
intend to take any further action regarding these 
submissions.  USUN proposes that we not try to have another 
round of engagement with the Rwandans, but rather move 
forward immediately in the DRC Sanctions Committee by 
collaborating with the UK, France, Belgium on the statements 
of case.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (C) USUN discussed with the Rwandan UN mission next steps 
for designating members of the FDLR rebel group in the UN 
Security Council's Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) 
Sanctions Committee (Ref A).  USUN requested that Rwanda 
amend its original designation request to include 
U.S.-provided information in the statements of case.  USUN 
explained why including this information was necessary to 
ensure the Committee could move forward quickly on the basis 
of accurate information.  (NOTE: Rwanda originally submitted 
19 names of individuals associated to the FDLR to the DRC 
Committee for targeted sanctions (Reftels B,C).   The United 
States, United Kingdom, France, and Belgium placed a hold on 
the request believing that the evidentiary information was 
incomplete.  These four countries have since assembled 
adequate information to justify designation, but on only four 
of the original nineteen names.  The Rwandan mission has 
complained that the Sanctions Committee has not moved faster 
on its original proposal.  END NOTE). 
 
¶2.  (C) On February 11, Alfred Nderabasa from the Rwandan 
mission told USUN that Rwanda had no intention of 
resubmitting the names.  Nderebasa explained that Rwanda had 
already submitted its original proposal in spring 2008 and no 
further action was required on Rwanda's part.  He noted that 
Rwandans were &at the mercy of the U.S., since the U.S. was 
the only state that had a problem with their prior 
submission, so (they) are waiting for instructions from the 
U.S.."  When asked if the Rwandan Mission had received 
guidance from Kigali regarding possibly resubmitting the four 
names, Ndereabasa said, "no, we already submitted the names. 
Nothing has changed with the submissions.  Can you imagine 
the Rwandans going back after submitting 19 names and now 
saying that we only have four? That makes no sense." (NOTE: 
Per Ref D, Embassy Kigali confirmed with their counterparts 
in Capital that the Rwandan Mission in New York had been 
instructed to resubmit the names.  The Rwandan Mission in New 
York apparently has not received those instructions or has 
decided not to follow them. END NOTE) 
 
¶3.  (C) USUN proposes that instead of engaging in yet another 
round with the Rwandans, the U.S./UK/France/Belgium instead 
move ahead on the basis of our own original proposal, which 
would include the most accurate information in the four 
statement of cases. The UK, France, and Belgium appear 
amenable to moving forward on the name submissions.  We note 
that both the Rwandans and our European colleagues are deeply 
frustrated with how long it has taken to move forward on 
these high-priority designations, especially considering the 
fast pace of developments in the DRC.  Because additional 
delays or procedural maneuvers will undermine U.S. 
credibility and make it more difficult for us to work on 
future designations in the DRC, we recommend moving forward 
rapidly. 
Rice