US embassy cable - 00KINSHASA8650

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 008650 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/29/2010 
TAGS: CG, PGOV, PREL 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT KABILA 
 
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR WILLIAM LACY SWING FOR REASONS 1.5 
(C) (D) 
 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY.  Ambassador Swing met with President Kabila 
for an hour at latter's Marble Palace Office on December 29. 
In response to concerns expressed about the renewed fighting 
in Katanga and Equateur Provinces, Kabila defended his 
actions as defensive moves in retaliation for Rwandan 
offensives in Katanga and Bemba's MLC in Equateur.  A senior 
DRC delegation is presently holding meetings with President 
Chiluba in Lusaka regarding Kabila's allegation that Zambia 
may be allowing Rwanda to use its territory to attack 
Lubumbashi.  Kabila said that he looks forward to meeting 
with Congressman Frank Wolf on January 8.  Ambassador urged 
Kabila to appoint a new UN permanent representative without 
further delay.  Septel reports on Kabila's discussions with 
Burundian President Buyoya.  END SUMMARY. 
 
 
2. (C) Good News.....bad news at year's end 
     Ambassador Swing and President Kabila met alone for an 
hour at latter's Marble Palace office and home in the Binza 
section of town.  Although showing signs of fatigue, Kabila 
was relaxed and in a good mood. (His unofficial number two 
and relative, Interior Minister of State Gaetan Kakudji, 
waited outside the house during the meeting.)  The Ambassador 
hailed the passage of UNSCR 1332 and the signature of 
disengagement sub-plans, but expressed concern at the renewed 
fighting in Katanga and Equateur and the difficult situation 
this was creating both inside the DRC and in neighboring 
Zambia. 
 
 
3. (C) "End of the war perceptible if......" 
     The Ambassador asked whether, notwithstanding these 
latest conflicts, it is conceivable that the end of the Congo 
war might be approaching with the prolongation of MONUC's 
mandate and the signature of the disengagement sub-plans. 
Kabila replied affirmatively, saying that the end of the war 
is "perceptible" provided the disengagement sub-plans are 
effectively implemented and MONUC deploys. 
     "Unfortunately", Kabila said, Rwanda has chosen to 
"re-start" the fighting which he found "surprising".  Also, 
JP Bemba and his MLC had decided to take the war further 
south and to capture Befale.  These moves had forced him, 
Kabila, to re-position and activate FAC "aviation".  He had 
also had to reinforce Boende, including moving heavy 
equipment there.  "Bemba must leave Befale", he said. 
 
 
4. (C) Talks with Chiluba about Rwanda 
     The Ambassador also expressed concerns about the serious 
situation which the Katanga fighting is creating inside 
northern Zambia (Kinshasa 8622).  Kabila turned the issue 
around to allege Zambian collaboration with Rwanda and the 
RPA.  He claimed that President Chiluba had authorized Rwanda 
to let an RPA brigade transit Zambia to attack Lubumbashi via 
Kipushi.  The source of his information, Kabila said, is 
senior Zambian military leadership, some of whom have ethnic, 
familial and linguistic links in Katanga. 
     As a result of his concern, Kabila said, he had taken 
two measures.  He had phoned Chiluba personally to express 
his "discontent" and to demand that Chiluba cease any further 
collaboration with Rwanda and the RPA.  Second, he had sent 
General Joseph Kabila and Katanga Governor Augustin Katumba 
Mwanke to Lusaka this week to follow up with President 
Chiluba.  During the three days they had been in Lusaka, they 
had already seen Chiluba twice, he said.  He had instructed 
Joseph Kabila to stay longer if necessary to "coordinate" on 
the issue with the Zambians.  (Kabila claimed that because 
Chibula's "security chief" has close ties with Rwanda, he 
often gets Chiluba into difficulty, such as in this case.) 
 
 
5. (C) CODEL Wolf 
     The Ambassador informed Kabila that Congressman Frank 
Wolf would be visiting the Congo (DRC) January 7-10 and urged 
Kabila to meet with him and his delegation, noting that they 
would also be traveling to Goma and Bukavu.  Kabila said that 
he expected   at present to be in Kinshasa on January 8 and 
would be pleased to see the Congressman that morning. 
 
 
6. (C) A New Congolese Ambassador to UN Urgently Needed 
     Kabila agreed with the Ambassador both that Andre 
Kapanga has represented Kabila and the DRC well as Ambassador 
to the UN, and that it would not be in the Congo's interest 
to leave this key post vacant very long.  Kabila said that, 
precisely because it is critical to find someone of Kapanga's 
quality, it had taken longer than desired to name a 
replacement.  He hoped, however, to be able to announce the 
name of the new Ambassador soon. 
 
 
7. (C) COMMENT and other subjects septel. 
 
 
 
 
SWING