Cablegate: Ambassador Delivers Tip Report to Foreign

VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKI #0786 2371355
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 251355Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0021

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000786

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB KTIP KCRM KWMN PGOV PHUM PREL SMIG CG
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DELIVERS TIP REPORT TO FOREIGN
MINISTER

REF: STATE 60622

1. (U) Ambassador Garvelink was received August 25 by Foreign
Minister Alexis Thambwe Mwamba in the context of an appointment the
ambassador had requested to discuss a broad range of issues. Also
present were diplomatic advisor Clementine Shakembo and Americas
director Louis Lokosu Nkulufa. Ambassador was accompanied by DCM.

2. (SBU) Ambassador raised the issue of the annual Trafficking in
Persons (TIP) report, explaining the rating system used by the USG
to categorize the TIP situation throughout the world. He stressed
the importance of close cooperation between the United States and
the Democratic Republic of the Congo to bring about an improvement
in the TIP situation in the DRC, noting specifically that the Tier 2
rating here needed to go up as quickly as possible.

3. (SBU) Thambwe Mwamba was receptive, expressing total agreement
that every effort needed to be made to bring about an improvement in
the TIP situation. He asked what specific TIP problems existed in
the DRC so that the DRC's effort could be as focused as possible.
The ambassador replied that the issue of child soldiers was
particularly worrisome.

4. (SBU) Thambwe promised to work with other concerned GRDC
entities to effect positive change on TIP. Ambassador left a copy
of the recently issued French translation of the 2008 TIP report.

GARVELINK

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