US embassy cable - 04KINSHASA1261

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 001261 
 
SIPDIS 
 
H FOR KATHLEEN MOODY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2014 
TAGS: ECON, OREP, PGOV, PREL, CG 
SUBJECT: KABILA-ROYCE MEETING: SECURITY AND STABILITY 
FIRST, THE REST WILL FOLLOW 
 
 
Classified By: Econoff Peter Newman for reasons 1.5 b/d 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY. Security and stability of the DRC were the 
main areas of focus in a June 29 meeting between Rep. Ed 
Royce (Chairman, House International Relations Subcommittee 
on Africa) and President Kabila. Both Royce and Kabila 
eschewed discussion of recent negative security events in the 
DRC and instead spoke more of current initiatives such as the 
USG sponsored quadripartite meetings and the recent Abuja 
conference. However, Kabila made an effort to exculpate the 
DRC from any blame in recent events (placing the blame on 
Rwanda instead) as well as expressing his disappointment in 
MONUC. END SUMMARY. 
 
ON RWANDA AND THE VARIOUS SUMMITS 
 
2. (C) Royce commended President Kabila on his pointed and 
well organized performance at the Abuja bilateral summit with 
Rwandan President Paul Kagame. Royce emphasized that from his 
perspective, it was time for Rwanda to be part of the 
solution, not part of the problem in bringing peace to the 
DRC. Kabila attempted to put the recent events in context, 
describing them as a testing of the transition, much as 17th 
Century sailors had to test their ships against high seas to 
see if they would survive. In his estimation, the test is 
done and the transition will succeed. Furthermore, if any 
other difficulties do come to pass, they will be due to 
"outside" influence. 
 
3. (C) Regarding the June 26 Abuja Summit, Kabila viewed it 
as a step in the right direction and will serve as a model to 
deal with other countries previously involved in the Congo 
conflict (e.g. Uganda, Burundi). He specifically mentioned 
that he took the opportunity to tell Kagame that Rwandan 
interference in the DRC needed to stop. 
 
4. (C) Additionally, the idea of the bilateral verification 
mechanism developed in Abuja was well received in the DRC, 
but he is waiting for a response from MONUC on the level of 
logistical support it would be willing to provide. Kabila's 
vision for the verification mechanism is of two small officer 
commissions from both the DRC and Rwanda, traveling on MONUC. 
He stated, "say that the problem is at Sake," (Note. This is 
one of the rumored strongholds of BG Laurent Nkunda. End 
Note), "then both officer commissions should fly to Sake and 
investigate, then write reports. The same should be done if 
we hear of Ex-FAR in Walungu." However, Kabila was quick to 
shoot down any notion of the verification mechanism being 
used to track Ex-FAR elements. His view was that it should be 
more of a confidence building measure. 
 
5. (C) Kabila was also positive on the USG initiative for 
quadripartite talks and clearly expressed his desire that it 
continue. (COMMENT. He appeared to be particularly interested 
in making sure the quadripartite meetings scheduled for 
mid-July take place. END COMMENT.) 
 
MONUC AND ELECTIONS 
 
6. (C) According to Kabila, Monuc does not have enough 
direction and needs to better prioritize its tasks in support 
of transition objectives. He outlined two primary tasks. 
First is assisting the GDRC in extending security to the 
troubled provinces. This would include DDR (for Congolese 
combatants) and DDRRR (for foreign combatants) activities as 
well as the aforementioned verification mechanism. Running 
parallel to that task but heavily depending upon it, is 
election preparations assistance, including working on the 
independent electoral commission and voter registration. In 
his opinion, there is no reason why Monuc should not start 
preparing for elections, even though the Congolese 
Nationality Law still must be approved by the GDRC. 
 
7. (C) On elections, Royce highlighted the importance of 
involving not only NGOs and civil society but also the 
military in elections preparations. He pulled from his 
experiences in election building in Nigeria with General 
Abubakhar. Abubakhar told him that it was a military training 
course to which he was invited at Ft. Benning that convinced 
him that a constitutional and democratic approach was 
worthwhile. Royce suggested that if there were qualified 
Congolese officers, such experiences could be worked into the 
context of military integration. Kabila agreed that this was 
an interesting idea and would like for the Congolese military 
to play a positive role. However, he noted the need for all 
levels of the population to receive some form of education in 
democratic governance and elections as they have not seen any 
sort of election since 1960. 
 
A SMATTERING OF INVESTMENT TALK 
8. (C) Royce was also keen on speaking of increasing 
investment in the DRC and praised Kabila's recent efforts at 
the international level to promote stability, stating that 
this type of progress is key to attracting investment. He 
specifically noted the potential for a tourism industry to 
blossom and bring much needed foreign exchange to the DRC. 
However, security was still a concern. Kabila commented that 
if he were in New York, London, etc. watching CNN, he would 
not want to bring his money to the DRC. He was sensitive to 
stability. However, in his opinion, investors must come to 
understand that the GDRC is trying to maintain stability in 
areas where the former government had control and slowly 
extend its reach to the East. Not the entire country is in 
chaos, and in fact, all is calm except for Bukavu. However, 
Kabila did agree that security and stability must come first, 
and the rest (e.g. economic development) would follow. 
 
COMMENT 
 
9. (C) Overall, Kabila seemed fairly engaged and responded to 
all of Royce's questions and proposals. Kabila took the usual 
line of blaming Rwanda for all of the problems in the Eastern 
DRC. However, he emphasized that he is taking a proactive 
route and is engaging the Rwandan government. Although some 
of his comments were evidently made to attempt to drum up 
support and funds for elections preparations, Kabila seemed 
genuinely concerned that if elections do not come in 2005, 
the population will be angered and the results "could be 
catastrophic." Nevertheless, if one looks at the government 
budget, it is obvious that Kabila's priorities do not lie in 
military integration (received no funding and was not 
mentioned by Kabila in the meeting with Royce) or elections 
(receiving approximately USD 800,000 in 2004 when the current 
working budget projection for elections runs to over USD 250 
million). 
 
10. (U) CODEL Royce did not have an opportunity to clear this 
cable. 
HOOKS