Cablegate: Ituri Update: Gdrc Wants Negotiations, but Karim

VZCZCXRO6342
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #1936 3630851
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 290851Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5365
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001936

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV MOPS KPKO CG
SUBJECT: ITURI UPDATE: GDRC WANTS NEGOTIATIONS, BUT KARIM
A NO-SHOW

REF: KINSHASA 1922

1. (SBU) Despite his request to meet with a visiting GDRC
delegation (reftel), FNI militia leader Peter Karim failed to
show up for the planned meeting at Buba, Ituri on December
28. Delegation member Colonel Mukuntu Kiyana-Tim, Military
Advisor at the Presidency, told MONUC that Karim had to meet
several conditions by December 30. These included ceasing
all hostilities, freeing the fifteen captured FARDC soldiers,
withdrawing all his elements to their initial positions, and
sending two liaison officers to Bunia to negotiate. If these
conditions are not met, Mukuntu said he will report Karim's
noncompliance to President Kabila and propose military
options.

2. (SBU) FARDC troops are reportedly in control of both
Fataki town and Fataki FARDC camp and have been reinforced
with an additional company from Bunia. There were no further
military confrontations between FARDC and FNI militias on
December 28. FARDC reported that ten FARDC soldiers were
killed during the December 24-27 fighting.
DOUGHERTY

© Scoop Media