US embassy cable - 04KINSHASA1851

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001851 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, KPKO, CG, UNSC 
SUBJECT: PENDING: CIAT MEETING WITH "ESPACE PRESIDENTIAL" 
AND NOVEMBER UNSC VISIT TO KINSHASA 
 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR ROGER MEECE.  REASON 1.5 (B/D) 
 
1. (C) Summary: The International Committee to Accompany the 
Transition (CIAT) met October 4 to prepare for a pending and 
unprecedented meeting with the President, Vice Presidents and 
other senior officials to review the transition road map and 
discuss military integration and election-related 
legislation.  This meeting will also pave the way for a UNSC 
mission to Kinshasa expected in November.  End summary. 
 
2. (C) The 18 members of the International Committee to 
Accompany the Transition (CIAT) met the morning of October 4 
to prepare for a meeting expected in the near future with 
President Kabila, all four Vice Presidents, the leaders of 
the National Assembly and Senate, and the heads of five 
civilian "institutions to support democracy" (Independent 
Electoral Commission, High Media Authority, Truth and 
Reconciliation Commission, Ethics and Anti-Corruption 
Commission, Human Rights Commission).  A meeting of this 
nature has long been requested by the CIAT as an appropriate 
forum for the CIAT to discuss major issues with the most 
senior representatives of all rival components participating 
in the transition government.  Given the mutual mistrust 
existing among the various leaders and groups, however, it 
has been difficult to arrange.  The projected meeting will 
therefore set a precedent. 
 
3. (C) The CIAT decided that the major items to be proposed 
for the agenda will be questions related to army integration 
and related questions of demobilization, and the legislative 
status of specific important bills needed to proceed with 
election planning.  Two lists of "indicated questions" on 
these topics are to be submitted as early as tomorrow, 
October 4, to the GDRC members expected to participate in the 
meeting to guide discussions.  Both lists of questions are 
based in the overall transition "road map" plan guiding the 
transition.  The CIAT also reviewed and concurred with the 
latest revision of the road map, and a copy of that document 
is also to be submitted to the GDRC officials in advance of 
the meeting.  (Note: Septel to cover the road map). 
 
4. (C) CIAT members were divided as to whether to press 
during this initial meeting for regularly scheduled future 
meetings with the "Espace Presidentiel."  After some 
discussion, it was decided that it would be better for now 
simply to note that the meeting will be useful as groundwork 
for a UNSC visit to Kinshasa which is being planned for the 
latter half of November.  It is envisaged that some similar 
broad and senior-level meeting would be appropriate for the 
visiting UNSC members next month. 
 
5. (C) Comment: The planned meeting will address at least in 
part concerns expressed by various observers, reportedly 
including during discussions held at the recent senior-level 
CIAT member meeting in New York, regarding an institutional 
interlocutor for the CIAT.  It is unlikely nonetheless to be 
a comfortable meeting, with the four Vice Presidents, for 
example, deeply mistrustful of each other and largely of 
President Kabila.  It is all the more reason to get difficult 
topics like military integration on the table with all the 
former belligerents in the same room.  The reported planned 
UNSC mission could be a very positive move to help spur 
further positive movement in Kinshasa.  November, however, is 
shaping up to be a busy month, with a Consultative Group 
meeting planned for November 11 - 13, a francophonie summit 
in Burkina Faso November 19, and an IMF review mission during 
the month. End comment. 
MEECE