US embassy cable - 04THEHAGUE148

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 000148 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/22/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MOPS, BY, NL 
SUBJECT: BURUNDIAN PRESIDENT MEETS FNL REBEL GROUP 
 
Classified By: Ambassador to Burundi James Yellin for Reason 1.5D 
 
SUMMARY 
 
1.  (U) Burundian President Ndayizeye met in the Netherlands 
with a delegation of the PALIPEHUTU-FNL, the only Burundian 
rebel group that has not signed a cease-fire.  The final 
communique calls for:  (a) an International Commission of 
Investigation into the death of the Apostolic Nuncio; (b) the 
need to stop the violence on the ground; (c) an end to the 
murderous confrontations between the PALIPEHUTU-FNL and the 
CNDD-FDD (another rebel group); and (d) another meeting 
without delay in order to discuss questions linked to the 
peace process. 
 
2.  (C) Comments and Notes:  This was the first meeting 
between President Ndayizeye and the PALIPEHUTU-FNL, although 
the PALIPEHUTU-FNL claimed it had agreed to meet with 
Ndayizeye as an individual, and not as President.  The 
communique suggests the Burundian government and the 
PALIPEHUTU-FNL are prepared to try to reach a truce in the 
near term.  The Head of the Central and Eastern African 
Division in the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs told us 
that the next meeting between the two sides should take place 
within the next few weeks.  He also said that the 
PALIPEHUTU-FNL would hold a congress in the second half of 
February to discuss the Burundi peace process.  End Summary. 
 
 
COMMUNIQUE 
 
3.  (U) The following is our informal translation of the 
official French text of the communique issued at the end of 
the recent meeting in the Netherlands between the Burundian 
president and the PALIPEHUTU-FNL, the only Burundian rebel 
group that has not signed a cease-fire. 
 
4.  (U) Begin Text of Communique: 
 
A.  Final Communique of the Meeting between His Excellency 
Domitien Ndayizeye, President of the Republic of Burundi, and 
the PALIPEHUTU-FNL. 
 
B.  From January 18 to 21, 2004, in Oisterwijk in the 
Netherlands, discussions took place between His Excellency 
Domitien Ndayizeye, President of the Republic of Burundi, and 
a delegation of the PALIPEHUTU-FNL led by Mister Ibrahim 
Ntakirutimana. 
 
C.  The meeting in Oisterwijk is an eloquent demonstration by 
the two parties of their will to find means and methods 
leading to a suspension of hostilities and to pursue the 
search for a durable and inclusive peace. 
 
D.  The good will shown by the parties will allow putting an 
end to a conflict that has constituted a long ordeal for the 
civilian population, and will thus increase the chances of a 
permanent peace, of national reconciliation, of 
reconstruction, and of the development of the country. 
 
E.  At the end of this meeting, the two parties agreed on the 
following points: 
 
-- The establishment of an International Commission of 
Investigation into the death of the Apostolic Nuncio, without 
however placing any obstacles to the national investigation. 
 
 
-- The need to stop the violence on the ground in order to 
build a climate of confidence favorable to dialogue. 
 
-- The wish by both parties to see an end to the murderous 
confrontations between the PALIPEHUTU-FNL and the CNDD-FDD. 
 
-- To meet again without delay in order to discuss and 
exchange views on questions linked to the peace process in 
Burundi. 
 
F.  The Netherlands declares itself ready to help the parties 
regarding the continuation of the discussions and for 
follow-up on the points of agreement between the two parties. 
 
G.  The two parties were pleased by the welcome extended to 
them by the Government of the Netherlands and thank the 
facilitation team for making this meeting possible, 
particularly Madame Agnes van Ardenne - van der Hoeven, 
Minister of Development Cooperation of the Kingdom of the 
Netherlands, for her involvement in an undertaking which 
should lead to the conclusion of an overall agreement between 
the Government of Burundi and the PALIPEHUTU-FNL on a 
cease-fire and on the entry into institutions. 
 
H.  Done on January 21, 2004, at Oisterwijk by: 
His Excellency Domitien Ndayizeye, President of the Republic 
of Burundi 
 
Mister Ibrahim Ntakirutimana, Chief of Delegation of the 
PALIPEHUTU-FNL 
 
5.  (U) End Text. 
 
6.  (S/NF) NOTES 
 
A.  The PALIPEHUTU-FNL delegation chief, Ibrahim 
Ntakirutimana, is the military chief of staff of the rebel 
group, according to a source close to the PALIPEHUTU-FNL. 
 
B.  Norbert Braakhuis, Head of the Central and Eastern 
African Division in the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 
told Poloff Kami Witmer and Yellin on January 22 that the 
next meeting between the two sides should take place within 
the next few weeks.  Braakhuis also said that the 
PALIPEHUTU-FNL would hold a congress in the second half of 
February to discuss the Burundi peace process, and that if 
President Ndayizeye agreed and that if there were adequate 
financial controls, the Dutch government would probably help 
fund the congress. 
 
C.  The communique was not completed until the afternoon of 
January 21, several hours after President Ndayizeye had left 
the Netherlands.  The hang-up was over how to refer to 
Ndayizeye in the communique.  Ndayizeye wanted to be referred 
to as President of the Republic of Burundi, but the 
PALIPEHUTU-FNL demurred, offering to refer to him instead as 
Father of the Nation. 
 
D.  On January 21 a member of the Burundian government 
delegation, Pancrase Cimbaye, phoned visiting Ambassador to 
Burundi Yellin in The Hague and asked him to try to persuade 
PALIPEHUTU-FNL spokesman Pasteur Habimana, who is close to 
PALIPEHUTU-FNL leader Agathon Rwasa, to have the communique 
refer to Ndayizeye as President.  Yellin, Braakhuis and South 
African Burundi expert Jan Van Eck (who was in the 
Netherlands) cell-phoned Habimana in Burundi.  The 
PALIPEHUTU-FNL delegation eventually agreed to refer to 
Ndayizeye as President.  Habimana professed to Yellin that 
Father of the Nation sounded more weighty than President. 
 
7.  (C) COMMENTS 
 
A.   This was the first meeting between the PALIPEHUTU-FNL 
and Burundian President Ndayizeye, although the 
PALIPEHUTU-FNL claimed that it had agreed to meet with 
Ndayizeye as an individual and not as President. 
 
B.  The communique suggests that the Burundian government and 
the PALIPEHUTU-FNL are prepared to try to reach a truce in 
the near term. 
 
C.   At the beginning of the meeting, the PALIPEHUTU-FNL had 
said that after talking with Ndayizeye it would meet with the 
Tutsis but not with a Burundian government delegation, 
according to Cimbaye.  Absent from the communique is any 
reference to a meeting with the Tutsis, but Braakhuis told us 
that the PALIPEHUTU-FNL has not dropped this demand. 
(PALIPEHUTU-FNL spokesman Habimana told Yellin on January 21 
that the PALIPEHUTU-FNL would meet with a government 
delegation after meeting with the Tutsis.) 
 
D.  The Dutch did an excellent job in organizing and 
facilitating the talks between  President Ndayizeye and the 
PALIPEHUTU-FNL.  In addition to the Dutch Minister of 
Development Cooperation, who is cited in the communique, 
thanks should also go to Central and Eastern African Division 
Head Braakhuis. 
 
8.  (U) Minimize Considered. 
RUSSEL