Cablegate: Kabila and Bemba Agree On Moves to Reduce Arms On

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PP RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #1523 2721310
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 291310Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4885
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001523

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREF KDEM MARR CG
SUBJECT: KABILA AND BEMBA AGREE ON MOVES TO REDUCE ARMS ON
THE STREETS IN KINSHASA

REF: KINSHASA 1427

1. (U) Negotiators for President Joseph Kabila and Vice
President Jean-Pierre Bemba signed an agreement September 23
aimed at reducing arms on the streets of Kinshasa and the
risk of further confrontations between their armed forces.
The agreement aims to calm tensions in the wake of the August
20-22 shootout between the two camps and to ensure peaceful
conduct of the second round of presidential elections October
29. It commits them to work jointly with the Congolese
national army (FARDC) and police, MONUC and EUFOR to this
end.

2. (U) The agreement, signed by Guillaume Samba Kaputo for
Kabila and Francois Muamba for Bemba, is composed of three
sets of measures:

o Individual: it permits armed men on streets only in
fulfillment of official duties, including protection of
officials or official residences, and mandates joint
verification patrols including both Congolese and foreign
forces.

o Surveillance: it posts MONUC liaison detachments to
Kinshasa garrisons of the Congolese army, Kabila's
Presidential guard and Bemba's troops which will verify
restriction to base of those forces during elections and be
involved in any decision to deploy troops.

o Confidence-building: it creates a permanent commission
to verify any violations of the agreement, calm tensions and
dissipate rumors, and envisions implementation of similar
individual and surveillance measures in other areas of the
country.

3. (U) The agreement received wide notice in national and
international news reports, but does not yet appear to have
been released publicly. News reports have focused on the
much more general statements of an unsigned joint press
statement released the same day and cleared with the CIAT
ambassadors. None have focused on the issue of allowing for
protection detachments without subjecting them to numerical
limitations.

4. (SBU) Comment: This agreement follows the September call
by the CIAT ambassadors for a reduction in violence in the
wake of the events of August 20-22 (ref A) and a related
September 22 UNSC Presidential Statement. We will continue
to reiterate our commitment to support all efforts to
preclude any further outbreaks, including agreements such as
this between the two candidates, enforcement of media good
conduct codes, and appropriate cautions to both about
resorting to arms or violence.

5. (SBU) Comment continued: A mixed commission meeting is to
take place on October 2. Agenda items include removing arms
from Kinshasa, proposals to end the permanent presence of
Presidential Guard forces at airports across the DRC,
agreeing to an electoral code of conduct, and working on a
post - election agreement between the two presidential
candidates. End comment.
MEECE

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