US embassy cable - 00KINSHASA8562

UNCLAS KINSHASA 008562 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL 
SUBJECT: CONGOLESE DELEGATION HOPES TO SEE NEW 
ADMINISTRATION 
 
 
REF: A. SWING/HARTLEY TELECON 
     B. DECEMBER 26 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED -- PROTECT ACCORDINGLY 
 
 
1. (SBU) As reported (Ref), Presidential Cabinet Director 
Georges Buse phoned the Ambassador evening of December 26 to 
inform him that President Kabila had instructed him to lead a 
Congolese (DRC) government delegation to the US to hold 
discussions with the administration of President-elect Bush. 
Minister of Justice Mwenze Kongolo would also be a member of 
the delegation, Buse said. 
 
 
2. (SBU) The Ambassador said that he would report Buse's 
conversation to Washington and share with him any response. 
The Ambassador reminded Director Buse that the transition had 
only recently begun and the inauguration was still some three 
weeks away.  He pointed out the added complexity of arranging 
meetings in a transition between administrations.  He also 
urged Buse to seek the assistance of the Congolese Ambassador 
in Washington with regard to the delegation's visit. 
 
 
3. (SBU) Morning of December 27, the Ambassador met with 
Foreign Minister Okitundu to inform him, inter alia, of 
Buse's phone call.  Okitundu gave the impression that this 
was the first time he had heard of this particular 
delegation; he did say, however, that there had been 
considerable discussion in Presidential circles about an 
early visit to make their case on the Congo war to the new US 
administration, probably after the Presidential inauguration. 
 Okitundu volunteered that he would himself speak to Director 
Buse and Minister Mwenze today about the delegation and the 
timing for the visit.  He would thereafter be in further 
touch with the Ambassador. 
SWING