President Robert Mugabe told United States ambassador to Zimbabwe James McGee to encourage the two factions of the Movement for Democratic Change to unite saying this would simplify government efforts to promote a healthy, democratic environment.
He said this when McGee presented his credentials as the new US ambassador replacing Christopher Dell who had just left after predicting that the end for Robert Mugabe was nigh.
Mugabe also said the United States should not follow blindly the British lead on Zimbabwe in order to secure continued British support in Iraq.
According to US embassy officials, Mugabe’s meeting with McGee was cordial unlike that with Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi who had threatened the ambassador with expulsion if he crossed the line and interfered with domestic politics in Zimbabwe.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 07HARARE1041, CREDENTIALS PRESENTATION UNEVENTFUL
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Reference ID |
Created |
Classification |
Origin |
|
|
VZCZCXRO3595
RR RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #1041 3270743
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 230743Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2149
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1659
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1790
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0407
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1067
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1416
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1847
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4275
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0913
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 001041
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR S. HILL,
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E. LOKEN AND L. DOBBINS
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2013
TAGS: PREL ZI
SUBJECT: CREDENTIALS PRESENTATION UNEVENTFUL
Classified By: DCM Katherine Dhanani. Reason: 1.4 (d)
¶1. (C) Ambassador presented credentials to GOZ President
Robert Mugabe at 10 am on Thursday, November 22. Also
presenting on November 22 were Ambassadors from Australia,
Russia and Mexico (the latter resident in Pretoria). Over
tea following the US presentation, Mugabe recounted his views
on the ebb and flow of US-Zimbabwe relations since
independence, expressing the hope that Ambassador McGee's
tenure would coincide with the development of warmer
bilateral ties. Speaking more in sorrow than in anger,
Mugabe asserted that the USG is blindly following a British
lead on Zimbabwe in order to secure continued British support
in Iraq. Ambassador assured Mugabe that the USG also hopes
that circumstances will permit better relations, and assured
him that the Embassy in Harare would faithfully execute
policy set in Washington on the basis of USG views of the
situation in Zimbabwe.
¶2. (C) The conversation with Mugabe was more cordial than
Ambassador's November 21 conversation with Foreign Minister
Mumbengegwi, during which the ForMin threatened Ambassador
with expulsion if he crossed the line and interfered with
domestic politics in Zimbabwe. In fact, Mugabe urged the
Ambassador to engage with the two MDC factions to encourage
the opposition to unify; he claimed this would simplify GOZ
efforts to promote a healthy democratic environment. Mugabe
made no reference to ZDERA or to sanctions.
¶3. (C) The Chief of Protocol in the Office of the Presidency
told Ambassador he would be able to meet one on one with
President Mugabe on November 23 or 24.
MCGEE
(17 VIEWS)
