US embassy cable - 04KINSHASA1852

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001852 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2014 
TAGS: PREL, RW, CG, MOPP 
SUBJECT: FIRST JOINT VERIFICATION MECHANISM MEETING IMMINENT 
 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR ROGER MEECE.  REASON 1.5 (B/D) 
 
1. (C) U.N. SRSG Bill Swing reported to members of the 
International Committee to Accompany the Transition (CIAT) 
October 4 that he is leaving Kinshasa later the same day for 
travel to Kigali in preparation for convening the first 
meeting of the Joint Verification Mechanism (JVM) tomorrow, 
October 5, in the border area.  Swing noted that the Rwandan 
delegation to this first JVM meeting will be headed by 
Ambassador Richard Sezibera; the GDRC delegation will be 
headed by Ambassador Antoine Ghonda. 
 
2. (U) The JVM agreement was reached two weeks ago per terms 
of reference prepared by the U.N. in New York following 
receipt of proposed changes to an earlier draft from the 
Kigali government.  All Congolese officials with whom emboffs 
have spoken have expressed satisfaction at getting the JVM 
off the ground and operating. 
 
3. (C) Comment:  Ghonda is heading the Congolese delegation 
in his new capacity as Ambassador-at-large in the Presidency. 
 He was appointed to the job a little over a week ago by 
President Kabila following his removal as Foreign Minister by 
opposition MLC leader Jean-Pierre Bemba.  Ghonda continues to 
enjoy Kabila,s confidence, although Bemba and MLC leaders 
are deeply unhappy by the new Ghonda appointment. 
Officially, Ghonda has not yet resigned from the MLC. 
President Kabila and just about all Congolese leaders have 
been saying for months that they want to the JVM to start 
operating as soon as possible, and this first meeting is 
welcome in GDRC offices as well as by MONUC as a positive 
move forward.   End comment. 
MEECE