US embassy cable - 01HARARE494

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000494 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/11 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, ZI, CG 
SUBJECT: NO FORMAL MEETINGS YET BETWEEN DRC ALLIES AND 
DRC GOVERNMENT 
 
REF: HARARE 450 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR 
REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.  (C) POLOFF SPOKE TO MAXWELL CHIKOROWONDO, THE 
ZIMBABWE MFA'S DRC DESK OFFICER, ON JANUARY 24. 
CHIKOROWONDO HAD JUST RETURNED FROM KINSHASA AND LUANDA, 
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WHERE HE ACCOMPANIED PRESIDENT MUGABE TO KABILA'S 
FUNERAL AND THE DRC ALLIES' MEETING.  CHIKOROWONDO TOLD 
POLOFF THAT PRESIDENT MUGABE AND THE OTHER ALLIED HEADS 
OF STATE DID NOT/NOT HOLD A FORMAL MEETING WITH JOSEPH 
KABILA.  THEY MERELY "CHATTED" WITH HIM DURING THE 
FUNERAL.  THE ZIMBABWE MFA IS CURRENTLY WAITING FOR 
INSTRUCTIONS TO ARRANGE A LUSAKA SIGNATORIES MEETING, 
ACCORDING TO THE DESK OFFICER.  HE ALSO REPORTED THAT 
THE YOUNGER KABILA WAS NOT SWORN IN AS PRESIDENT, BUT 
THAT HE PROBABLY WILL BE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.  IN 
LUANDA ON JANUARY 21, THE HEADS OF STATE AGREED THAT 
THERE IS "NO GOING BACK" ON THE PEACE PROCESS, AND THAT 
THEY WILL DO ALL THEY CAN TO ENSURE THAT IT GOES 
FORWARD, CHIKOROWONDO REPORTED. 
 
2.  (C) ON THE SUBJECT OF THE INVESTIGATION INTO 
KABILA'S MURDER, THE DRC DESK OFFICER SAID IT IS 
DIFFICULT TO JUDGE HOW LONG THE INVESTIGATION WILL TAKE. 
HE BELIEVES THAT ANGOLA HAD NOTHING TO WITH THE 
ASSASSINATION BECAUSE, AS HE PUT IT, "ALL THE ALLIES 
WORKED WELL WITH KABILA."  CHIKOROWONDO WAS LESS 
SANGUINE ABOUT UGANDA AND RWANDA.  WHEN ASKED IF THEIR 
GOVERNMENTS HAD TRIED TO CONTACT THE GOZ, HE SAID THERE 
HAD BEEN NO OFFICIAL CONTACT AS OF YET.  CHIKOROWONDO 
ADDED THAT HE DOES NOT THINK UGANDA AND RWANDA WERE 
BEHIND THE KILLING, BUT NOTED THEY ARE "ENEMIES OF THE 
CONGO," AND SAID HE WAS SURPRISED AT HOW QUICKLY KIGALI 
HAD REPORTED THE SHOOTING OF KABILA (WITHIN AN HOUR OF 
ITS OCCURRENCE).  NONETHELESS, HE HAS NOT HEARD OF THEIR 
REBEL ALLIES PREPARING ANY OFFENSIVE ACTION. 
 
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3.  (C) COMMENT: CHIKOROWONDO BASICALLY STUCK TO THE GOZ 
LINE ON THE DRC.  HOWEVER, HIS REPORT THAT THE HEADS OF 
STATE PUT OFF A FORMAL MEETING WITH JOSEPH KABILA AT AN 
OPPORTUNE TIME SUGGESTS THEY ARE RELUCTANT TO MOVE 
FORWARD ON THE PEACE PROCESS UNTIL THEY HAVE A FIRMER 
IDEA OF WHO IN THE DRC SUPPORTS HIM.  END COMMENT. 
 
IRVING 
 
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