US embassy cable - 05PARIS2158

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 002158 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/30/2015 
TAGS: PREL, KDEM, CG, FR 
SUBJECT: DRC:  MFA OFFICIALS COMMENT ON SRSG SWING AND 
ELECTIONS 
 
REF: PARIS 2110 (NOTAL) 
 
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt 
for reason 1.4 (b/d). 
 
1.  (C)  At a March 29 meeting with Embassy Africa watcher 
largely devoted to Sudan/Darfur (Reftel), MFA A/S-equivalent 
for Africa Bruno Joubert and DAS-equivalent Jean-Christophe 
Belliard offered comments on Amb. Swing's tenure as SRSG 
(France was very supportive of his efforts) and elections in 
DRC (need to maintain momentum). 
 
MONUC/Swing 
----------- 
2.  (C)  The French said they were impressed by Amb. Swing's 
performance as SRSG and regretted that recent events have 
clouded his record.  They stressed the extremely difficult 
circumstances prevailing in DRC and how the situation had 
worsened in recent months, particularly with respect to 
MONUC's ability to operate effectively.  Joubert commented 
that the current period could be characterized as the end of 
"MONUC I." Despite MONUC's problems, Amb. Swing "has done 
well" and "we like his work," said Joubert.  Joubert noted 
the sometimes exaggerated expectations placed on peacekeepers 
who often lacked motivation and suffered from low morale. 
Joubert observed that Amb. Swing had received criticism over 
issues not completely within his control, as had happened to 
Jacques Klein (referring to similar problems when Klein was 
head of UNTAES in Croatia).  Joubert added that a search for 
a replacement for Amb. Swing might prove futile -- "we 
probably can't find anyone better." 
 
DRC Elections 
-------------- 
3.  (C)  Commenting on the issue of elections, Joubert said 
that, with the failure to meet the elections planned for June 
30, it was imperative that the Congolese maintain credible 
momentum for carrying out a revised election timetable, if 
for no other reason than to forestall a public backlash.  The 
GDRC had to provide plausible explanations why the June 30 
date could not be met and at the same time show that it had a 
plan for moving the process forward.  Joubert thought that 
the head of the electoral commission, Apolinaire Malu-Malu, 
was the official who should take the lead in clarifying 
matters for the Congolese public.  Belliard said that one 
useful step would be for the GDRC to make progress on issuing 
voter ID cards, as a way of showing progress toward holding 
elections.  If the public did not perceive progress, there 
could be an "explosion," he cautioned.  Joubert and Belliard 
stressed at several points the need for the GDRC to produce 
"something tangible" in dealing with a public made skeptical 
by the impossibility of maintaining the proposed June 30 
elections timetable. 
 
4. (C)  Joubert and Belliard commented on possible 
presidential candidates, saying that VP Bemba would run and 
that VP Ruberwa would not. 
 
5.  (C) Asked about French Ambassador Georges Serre, formerly 
France's "Mr. Africa" in the Jospin government, Joubert 
replied that, despite having been in Kinshasa for nearly 
three years, Serre was not moving on. 
LEACH