US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA610

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000610 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
 
Department for AF/C, AF/RSA AND IO 
 
FROM BRAZZAVILLE EMBASSY OFFICE 
 
E.O.12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, CF, CU 
SUBJECT:  CONGO/B: UNCHR DEMARCHE UPDATES 
 
REFS: A) STATE 49957    B) STATE 44494 
(C) LEADER/SANDERS EMAILS 4/4-4/8/05 
 
1. FOLLOWING UNCHR APRIL 4 DEMARCHE ON MINISTRY OF FOREIGN 
AFFAIRS (MFA) NUMBER TWO AMBASSADOR SERGE BALE, AMBASSADOR 
EXECUTED ADDITIONAL DEMARCHES APRIL 5-8 WITH THE ACTING 
FOREIGN MINISTER (MINISTER OF JUSTICE ENTCHA-EBIA); 
PRESIDENTIAL PUBLIC RELATIONS COUNSELOR LEMBOUMBA (ALSO 
PRESIDENT'S SASSOU DAUGHTER AND KEY ADVISOR); PRIME MINISTER 
ISIDOIRE MVOUBA; AND VIA TELEPHONE TO FOREIGN MINISTER ADADA 
WHO WAS IN ROME ATTENDING THE POPE'S FUNERAL. IN ALL 
DISCUSSIONS, AMBASSADOR FURTHER PUSHED USG OBJECTIVES FOR A 
CONGO/B ABSENTION AND A POSITIVE OUTCOME AT THE UPCOMING 
UNCHR VOTE APRIL 14. IN ADDITION, ALL PARIES WERE PROVIDED 
WITH COPIES OF THE TALKING POINTS AND RESOLUTION AS OUTLINED 
REFTELS, AND AMBASSADOR ALSO STRESSED THE NEED TO AVOID A NO- 
ACTION MOTION. 
 
2. ALL INTERLOCUTORS APPRECIATED THE PROCEDURAL NATURE OF 
OUR POSITION, NOTED THE HISTORICAL RELATIONSHIP THAT EXISTED 
WITH THE SUBJECT OF THE RESOLUTION, AND HIGHLIGHTED THAT 
PRESIDENT SASSOU WOULD MAKE THE ULTIMATE DECISION ON THE 
VOTE. AMBASSADOR ALSO COVERED POINTS DURING DEMARCHES THAT 
POST PROVIDED TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR A/S NEWMAN'S CALL TO THE 
PRIME MINISTER. EMBASSY EXPECTS AN OFFICIAL ANSWER ON THE 
ROC'S POSITION EITHER APRIL 11 OR APRIL 12 AS TO WHETHER WE 
CAN EXPECT AN ABSENTION. 
 
3. COMMENT: MESSAGES DO NOT ALWAYS GET PASSED WITHIN THE ROC 
GOVERNEMENT IN A TIMELY MANNER. SUGGEST WE ALSO KEEP 
PRESSURE ON ROC REP IN GENEVA AND INFORM HIM THAT AN 
ABSENTION IS SERIOUSLY BEING TAKEN UNDER ADVISEMENT. 
 
4. BRAZZAVILLE EMBASSY OFFICE - SANDERS 
MEECE