Cablegate: Congolese Delegation Hopes to See New

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS KINSHASA 008562

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: CONGOLESE DELEGATION HOPES TO SEE NEW
ADMINISTRATION

REF: A. SWING/HARTLEY TELECON
B. DECEMBER 26

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED -- PROTECT ACCORDINGLY

1. (SBU) As reported (Ref), Presidential Cabinet Director
Georges Buse phoned the Ambassador evening of December 26 to
inform him that President Kabila had instructed him to lead a
Congolese (DRC) government delegation to the US to hold
discussions with the administration of President-elect Bush.
Minister of Justice Mwenze Kongolo would also be a member of
the delegation, Buse said.

2. (SBU) The Ambassador said that he would report Buse's
conversation to Washington and share with him any response.
The Ambassador reminded Director Buse that the transition had
only recently begun and the inauguration was still some three
weeks away. He pointed out the added complexity of arranging
meetings in a transition between administrations. He also
urged Buse to seek the assistance of the Congolese Ambassador
in Washington with regard to the delegation's visit.

3. (SBU) Morning of December 27, the Ambassador met with
Foreign Minister Okitundu to inform him, inter alia, of
Buse's phone call. Okitundu gave the impression that this
was the first time he had heard of this particular
delegation; he did say, however, that there had been
considerable discussion in Presidential circles about an
early visit to make their case on the Congo war to the new US
administration, probably after the Presidential inauguration.
Okitundu volunteered that he would himself speak to Director
Buse and Minister Mwenze today about the delegation and the
timing for the visit. He would thereafter be in further
touch with the Ambassador.
SWING

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