Cablegate: Drc: Uk Focusing On Political Solution, Making

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P 071653Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0365
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY 0418
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 0903
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RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 002822

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2018
TAGS: PREL MARR PINR PREF PINS KPKO RW CG UK
SUBJECT: DRC: UK FOCUSING ON POLITICAL SOLUTION, MAKING
MONUC MORE RESPONSIVE AND FLEXIBLE

REF: A. EMBASSY LONDON DAILY -- OCTOBER 31 B. 2008 Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Jim Donegan, reasons 1.4 (b/d ).

1. (C) Parliament is pressing HMG for deployment of additional troops to MONUC, but the Foreign Office is concentrating on a political solution to the crisis and increased MONUC flexibility, FCO Great Lakes Team Leader David Hall and DRC Desk Officer Oliver Craven told us November 7. HMG will not support deployment of the EU Battle Groups, which would obligate the UK to provide troops.

HMG Will Not Deploy UK Troops, MONUC Is The Answer --------------------------------------------- -----

2. (C) From a DRC policy perspective, Craven said HMG is not interested in deploying European Battle Group troops to support MONUC because a 60 day limited Battle Group deployment would have no clear mandate and would likely end up with "mission creep" into MONUC's mandate. "Rushing to EU troops is not the answer," said Craven. The more viable solution is making MONUC more responsive and flexible. For immediate support, FS Miliband has already approached his Pakistani counterpart about removing caveats and allowing the re-deployment of the Pakistani peacekeeping troops from South Kivu to North Kivu. The UK Chief of the Defense Staff will follow up with the request as well. Hall said the regularly scheduled renewal of the MONUC mandate (due next month) would allow the Security Council to re-tool the mission. HMG would like to see a more well-defined and focused mandate, but will reserve judgment on the force's final formulation until after the talks currently taking place in Nairobi. Hall and Craven also recently visited Paris to discuss the mandate with the French, who hold the pen on the renewal. Their key messages to the French were that MONUC needs to be able to enforce the ceasefire, aggressively enforce peace under the chapter seven mandate authority, provide full civilian protection, and act unilaterally. Craven said the French were non-committal, but seemed to take the points on board.

3. (C) Cabinet Office and other Senior HMG officials previously told us that the UK will not deploy troops during its EU Battle Group rotation because it would cut into the UK's reserves for Afghanistan (reftel). Political Solution Is Required ------------------------------

4. (C) Hall said a "hard edged political solution" needs to come out of the talks in Nairobi, where FCO Minister for Africa Lord Mark Malloch-Brown is representing HMG. The UK was particularly pleased with the UN's appointment of former Nigerian President Obasanjo as peace envoy and mediator. The FCO sees a framework for "regular constructive dialogue" between the DRC and Rwanda and "greater border security" as the way forward, and Malloch-Brown will push for concrete results in those two areas in Nairobi. Visit London's Classified Website: XXXXXXXXXXXX
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