US embassy cable - 04KINSHASA1979

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001979 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2014 
TAGS: PREL, CG, BE, RW 
SUBJECT: KABILA FUMING AT BELGIAN FONMIN COMMENTS 
 
REF: BRUSSELS 4517 
 
Classified By: Poloff Edward Bestic for Reasons 1.4 B and D 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY:  President Kabila has temporarily recalled 
his ambassador from Brussels, as a sign of displeasure with 
recent comments by the Belgian foreign minister.  The ongoing 
spat does us no good, because the USG and Belgium share many 
of the same goals in the DRC.  Still, the Belgian/DRC 
relationship has long been characterized by strong if mixed 
feelings on both sides, and bilateral relations will survive. 
 END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) In the wake of Belgian foreign minister De Gucht's 
criticism of Congolese political leaders (reftel), President 
Kabila's special adviser Andre Kapanga told polcouns October 
21 the GDRC has decided to recall its ambassador in Brussels 
for "indefinite consultations."  According to Kapanga, Kabila 
previously rejected the idea but decided on it because local 
press reported that the Belgian ambassador in Kinshasa 
publicly expressed support for De Gucht's statements in a 
press interview on October 19.  (Comment:  One Kinshasa 
newspaper ran an article claiming this, but it's unclear that 
the Belgian ambassador actually did so.  End Comment.) 
 
3. (C) Kapanga told polcouns previously, on October 19, that 
Kabila was furious at De Gucht's remarks and had railed that 
the Belgians "lack respect for the Congo," and "want to treat 
us as a colony, not a partner."   The source said Kabila also 
questioned rhetorically whether or not the DRC should 
consider curtailing its cooperation with Belgium. Another 
source told DCM separately that Kabila called one of his 
ambassadors-at-large, Antoine Ghonda, the evening of October 
16 to express his anger about De Gucht's remarks.  The 
Belgian ambassador told Ambassador October 20 he had already 
had a "conversation" (as opposed to being convoked) with 
Congolese foreign minister Raymond Ramazani and Kabila's 
diplomatic adviser Andre Kapanga to talk about De Gucht's 
"injurious" comments. 
 
4. (U) Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt reportedly 
telephoned Kabila on October 22 to express support for the 
transition and presumably help smooth ruffled feathers, and 
in return Kabila clarified that he was not "recalling" his 
ambassador.  (Note:  Ramazani explained in an interview with 
Radio Okapi the same day that the ambassador was merely 
coming back for consultations, a "normal" diplomatic 
procedure.  End Note.)  Also on October 22, Congolese 
information minister Henri Mova Sakanyi issued a blistering 
statement, accusing De Gucht of "racism" and likening him to 
the Belgian comic-book hero Tintin.  The Kinshasa press has 
continued to cover the controversy.  Pro-Kabila papers have 
highlighted other Belgians' criticism of De Gucht, whereas 
other dailies (several of which support opposition figure 
Etienne Tshisekedi) have praised De Gucht for speaking "the 
truth." 
 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
5. (C) Kabila is clearly miffed at De Gucht's comments, which 
were particularly stinging since he lambasted the DRC while 
in Rwanda.  The decision to recall the Congolese ambassador 
from Brussels probably reflects Kabila's thin skin (though 
modest, he has bristled before at the notion he is not 
presidential material), as well as a means of  deflecting 
criticism from internal opponents such as Tshisekedi. 
Another possible explanation--advanced by Belgian 
diplomats--is that some among Kabila's entourage are 
deliberately seeking to create an issue in order to boost 
their own standing.  Because Belgium is a key U.S. partner in 
the DRC's transition and shares many of the same goals, the 
ongoing spat does us no good.  Still, the Belgian/DRC 
relationship has long been characterized by strong if mixed 
feelings on both sides and bilateral relations will survive. 
END COMMENT. 
MEECE