126. Memorandum of Conversation1
SUBJECT
- Meeting with President Mobutu of Zaire (U)
PARTICIPANTS
- President Jimmy Carter
- Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
- Cyrus R. Vance, Secretary of State
- David Newsom, Under Secretary for Political Affairs
- Thomas P. Thornton, National Security Council (Notetaker)
- Alec G. Toumayan, Department of State (Interpreter)
- President Mobutu Sese Seko, President of Zaire
- Nguza Karl-I-Bond, Foreign Minister, Zaire
- Mutuale Kasongo, Ambassador of Zaire
The two Presidents spent a few moments in the Rose Garden before the photographers and then, with the two parties, entered the Cabinet Room. (U)
The President welcomed Mobutu and expressed his gratitude for the close ties between our countries resulting from Mobutu’s leadership and our shared purposes and goals. The US recognizes that the maintenance of well-being and independence of Zaire under Mobutu’s leadership is an important aspect of our own well-being and security. (C)
The President recalled that the US has sought to cooperate with Zaire, the French and Belgians in recent months, and expressed his pleasure that the outcome has been as successful as it has. (C)
The President noted that he had written to Mobutu in June, outlining our hope that Zaire would be successful in negotiating an agreement with the IMF.2 He expressed pleasure that this has been achieved and wished Mobutu success in carrying it out. We trust that this agreement is satisfactory to you and that good prices for your primary export products will bring you prosperity and peace.3 (C)
[Page 332]The President again welcomed and congratulated Mobutu, thanking him for the close ties that are of benefit to Mobutu, himself and both peoples. (C)
President Mobutu expressed his deep appreciation for the President’s greeting as well as for all that the US has done for Zaire. Zaire is pleased to know that the United States stands by it. (C)
Mobutu said that he had come to talk not of the past but of the future but did want to devote some comments to past events. He noted that Zaire is a young nation that reached independence under difficult circumstances and his main task had been to create a nation and conditions of peace, at times in the face of aggression. (C)
Mobutu then addressed himself to a series of criticisms that had been laid to Zaire, explaining in some detail how Zaire was making important progress in the fields of democratization under the new constitution including rights of women and said that the support that he had gotten in his reelection, without even having to campaign, showed the strength of the peoples approval.4 He went on to point out that there are no political prisoners in Zaire and that the prison conditions are the best that can be achieved under a system inherited from the Belgians. Further, Mobutu emphasized the severity of military justice against any military who mistreated the civilian population. Mobutu also noted progress against corruption and described the role that the IMF and donors are now playing in the Zairian economy. (C)
Mobutu stressed the importance to Zaire of having US support, even more than that of Belgium and France. He expressed great optimism about the economic future of Zaire under changed conditions and believed that matters are going forward well despite inevitable problems. Zaire appeals to its friends for continued support. (C)
Mobutu noted very briefly that Zaire’s neighbors cause problems and referred to the Cuban presence in Africa, offering to discuss these matters with President Carter if the latter desired. (C)
The President said that Mobutu’s historical resume had been very interesting and that the US has observed with admiration Mobutu’s ability to form a single nation. He said that Mobutu’s reelection must have been very gratifying as a demonstration of the support of the Zairian people. The President said he was convinced that the US interest [Page 333] is best served by a stable government in Zaire led by Mobutu. He assured Mobutu that he could rely on American support. (C)
The President noted that Mobutu had addressed some of the concerns that the US has about Zaire. He pointed out that Zaire’s commitment to carry out the IMF agreement will be important and will provide an answer to critics of Zaire’s ability to carry out programs. Fulfilling the IMF program will be a demonstration of Mobutu’s leadership and the strength of his government. (C)
The President expressed the hope that with the withdrawal of Belgian and French forces,5 everything would be done to prevent abuse of civilians by the military. The President had found Mobutu’s description of the discipline demanded of the military as an encouraging refutation of Zaire’s critics. (C)
The President expressed appreciation for Mobutu’s report on political prisoners and the conditions in the jails that Zaire had inherited from the Belgians. The President welcomed Mobutu’s commitment to democracy and believed that further dissemination of political power is an inevitable part of the democratization process. The United States observes this process with great interest and sees it as a great credit to Mobutu. (C)
The President concluded by noting that Mobutu had anticipated well his interests and concerns. (C)
President Mobutu noted that, as regards decentralization, Zaire now has a Prime Minister with full powers and other officials such as mayors of cities also have greatly enhanced authority. Mobutu said that security remained a vast and serious problem. He noted that Zaire is receiving various kinds of assistance from the US, France, Belgium and China. The Department of Defense was aware of Zaire’s requests for further US equipment. (C)
The President expressed his appreciation for this opportunity to meet and reaffirm mutual friendship, and for the fact that Mobutu would spend some time with Secretary Vance, discussing not only bilateral, but also African matters. The President looked forward to learning from Secretary Vance of the advice and counsel that Mobutu would provide to us. (C)
The President once again expressed his thanks for the opportunity to reaffirm the friendship between the two governments and peoples. (C)
Thereupon the meeting ended at 2:22 p.m. The President accompanied Mobutu to his car. (U)
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 37, Memcons: President 7–9/79. Confidential. The meeting took place in the Oval Office.↩
- See Document 121.↩
- In telegram 8024 from Kinshasa, July 30, the Embassy reported on the details of a letter of intent to the IMF that Mobutu had signed on about July 20. The IMF had required a series of promises from Zaire to reform its banking sector, monetary policy, and budget, in exchange for funds to stabilize the Zairian economy. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790346–1028)↩
- The Presidential election took place on December 2, 1977. In telegram 11646 from Kinshasa, December 9, 1977, the Embassy reported that “the feasibility of voting against the only candidate, Mobutu, was in most cases only theoretical: in Kinshasa only a few polling places offered negative ballot forms.” “The government announced that almost 97 percent of the electorate turned out and that 98.16 percent of those cast their ballots in favor of a new 7-year term.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D770459–1071)↩
- The French and Belgian forces left Zaire in May and June 1978. The Inter-African Force arrived in July 1978.↩