C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 001367
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2018
TAGS: PREL, ECON, EFIN, PINS, CG, FR
SUBJECT: DRC: PRESIDENT KABILA'S VISIT TO FRANCE
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Kathleen Allegrone, 1.4 (b/
d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: DRC President Kabila's July 16-17 visit to
Paris went smoothly, MFA DAS-equivalent Helene Le Gal
reported on July 17, with an emphasis on economic issues
centered on reducing or canceling DRC's IFI debts. Debt
reduction has been complicated by new debts DRC has incurred
with China. Kabila addressed security issues in eastern DRC
with FM Kouchner, who offered encouragement rather than
sending stern signals, with Kabila saying that he hoped the
security situation would improve by the end of the year.
President Sarkozy indicated that he would visit DRC in 2009
but Le Gal said that nothing firm has been set. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) MFA DAS-equivalent for Central Africa Helene Le Gal
on July 17 provided a readout on DRC President Laurent
Kabila's July 16-17 visit to France, which she described as a
success and the substantive part of which had concluded by
the time of her readout. Kabila met with the full range of
dignitaries in Paris -- President Nicolas Sarkozy, FM Bernard
Kouchner, Minister of State Jean-Louis Borloo (Ecology,
Energy, Sustainable Development, and Territorial Management),
Senate President Christian Poncelet, the Secretary General of
the Organization for Francophonie Abdou Diouf, and leading
representatives of the French business community. Le Gal
noted that France and DRC were one year into the 2007
Partnership Framework Agreement that would provide French
assistance amounting to between 170 and 235 million euro
during the 2007-2011 period (the amount is intended to be
flexible and to vary as circumstances change).
3. (C) Le Gal said that Kabila's talks with GOF officials
focused primarily on economic issues, with IFI debt
reduction/forgiveness being his main subject. France wanted
to help in this area, Le Gal said, with Sarkozy suggesting
some sort of assistance package not in 2008 but rather in
2009. Le Gal stressed that France sincerely wanted to help
but she said that DRC was not doing itself any favors -- she
noted that while trying to seek favorable arrangements with
the IFIs, DRC had in the meantime incurred significant new
debt through certain commercial dealings with China. This,
she lamented, consisted of the all-too-common practice
involving Chinese loans that were to be repaid by providing
raw natural resources for export to China. The IFIs frowned
upon a country's incurring new debt while it was in the
process of trying to reduce or eliminate prior debts.
4.. (C) War and peace issues took a backseat during the
visit, Le Gal said, with both sides wanting to portray the
visit as a "normal" one rather than one taking place in a
crisis atmosphere. Kabila did discuss security issues in the
eastern part of DRC with FM Kouchner. He claimed that
significant progress would take place there by the end of
2008. Kouchner, for his part, offered encouragement and did
not scold or threaten, according to Le Gal, although he did
raise specifically the issue of sexual violence and the need
to refrain from engaging in that practice. Again, Le Gal
said the overall tone was positive and encouraging. She
noted that the question of political rival Bemba's situation
in facing arrest and eventual trial by the ICC was not
mentioned at all in any talks Kabila had with French
officials.
5. (C) Sarkozy responded to Kabila's invitation by
indicating "somewhat vaguely" that he would visit DRC
"sometime in 2009" and would bring along a group of French
business leaders with him. Le Gal discounted this, however,
noting that Sarkozy had recently made several "promises" to
African leaders that he would visit "next year," without
making a real commitment or ordering that this be formally
placed on his agenda. "We'll see if it happens," she
remarked, although she added that given Sarkozy's propensity
to travel on short notice, a visit could well take place.
Concerning French business interests in DRC, Le Gal said that
the French were not nearly so involved in extractive
industries as were the Chinese, suggesting that this might be
an area that French businesses might want to pursue.
6. (C) In closing, Le Gal observed that the visit had gone
well, that no major bilateral problems arose, and that it was
relatively "routine," which itself was a welcome indication
of the progress DRC had made and which France hoped to
continue to support.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Fran ce
STAPLETON