US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA259

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000259 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, CG, BY 
SUBJECT: CONGO, BURUNDI TO EXCHANGE AMBASSADORS 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY:  Foreign ministers from Burundi and the DRC 
signed a joint communique February 11 that calls for the 
exchange of ambassadors, the sharing of security information, 
for the DRC to support Burundi's application to join the 
existing Congo-Rwanda-Uganda Tripartite.  END SUMMARY. 
 
Communique 
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2. (U) An official Burundian delegation led by Foreign 
Minister Sinunguruza met in Kinshasa February 10 and 11 with 
Congolese Foreign Minister Ramazani and other GDRC figures. 
According to a joint communique issued February 11, 
discussions focused on diplomatic and security issues, as 
well as on "the future of the DRC-Rwanda-Uganda Tripartite, 
of which Burundi is an observer."  Highlights of the 
communique follow (informal translation): 
 
The two delegations reaffirmed their countries' "firm intent" 
to, 
 
A) in the diplomatic sphere: 
 
--work to restore a climate of trust 
 
--do everything to ensure that neither country's territory 
could be used in any way as a sanctuary for "adventurers and 
enemies of the DRC and Burundi" 
 
--relaunch the Great Joint Commission, suspended since August 
1988 
 
--consolidate and reinforce bilateral relations through the 
exchange of ambassadors 
 
--negotiate and rapidly conclude a bilateral agreement 
establishing modalities for consultation, dialogue and 
assessment aimed at harmonizing positions on issues of common 
interest at sub-regional, regional and international fora 
 
B) in terms of security along the common border: 
 
--create a climate of mutual trust through regular, permanent 
information exchanges between the different security services 
 
--stand up a joint verification and monitoring mechanism, in 
accordance with the Bilateral Agreement on Normalization and 
Security Cooperation between the DRC and the Republic of 
Burundi 
 
C) in terms of the DRC-Rwanda-Uganda Tripartite: 
 
--after realization of the Bilateral Agreement on 
Normalization and Security Cooperation between the DRC and 
the Republic of Burundi, support the latter's joining the 
Tripartite Agreement on Regional Security in the Great Lakes 
Region 
 
3. (U) According to the communique, the two parties had a 
"fruitful exchange" on subject of the Great Lakes Economic 
Community (CEPGL), and reaffirmed their countries' 
willingness to "consider positively" this sub-regional 
institution's future. 
 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
4. (SBU) The relationship appears much improved since August 
2004, when in the aftermath of the Gatumba refugee camp 
massacre, Burundian officials threatened to intervene 
militarily in the Congo.  If the two countries do exchange 
ambassadors, Rwanda would be only country among the DRC's 
eastern neighbors without diplomatic representation in 
Kinshasa.  (Uganda has a charge d'affaires in Kinshasa, but 
not yet an ambassador.)  END COMMENT. 
 
5. (U) Bujumbura minimize considered. 
MEECE