Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai was shocked when South African President Thabo Mbeki announced on 5 February 2006 that Zimbabwe’s political parties had completed negotiations and had provided him a copy of the constitution “initialled by everybody”.
Both factions of the MDC denied Mbeki’s claim with Tsvangirai saying he was “in shock”.
Welshman Ncube, however, admitted that the MDC held informal talks with ZANU-PF legal secretary Patrick Chinamasa but the talks “never bore fruit”.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 06PRETORIA582, MBEKI PUBLICLY DETAILS SAG EFFORTS TO FORGE NEW
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Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO1487
RR RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR
DE RUEHSA #0582 0401512
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091512Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1467
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS PRETORIA 000582
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/S M. TABLER-STONE, B. NEULING
E.O. 12958: N/A
SUBJECT: MBEKI PUBLICLY DETAILS SAG EFFORTS TO FORGE NEW
ZIMBABWE CONSTITUTION
¶1. (U) President Mbeki publicly described South Africa’s past
role in “informal talks” about a new Zimbabwean Constitution,
during a February 5 South African Broadcasting Corporation
television interview. Mbeki said the Zimbabwean parties had
completed negotiations and provided him with a copy of the
constitution “initialed by everybody.” Following the
completion of talks, the South Africans expected the process
to move forward, but Mbeki said that “new problems arose
among themselves.” Until now, Mbeki said that the Zimbabwean
parties did not want South Africa to discuss its role in
these talks.
¶2. (U) Both factions of the opposition Movement for
Democratic Change denied Mbeki’s claim that their party and
President Mugabe’s ZANU-PF had agreed on a new constitution.
SAPA reported February 9 that Morgan Tsvangirai said he was
“in shock” at Mbeki’s remarks, and rival Welshman Ncube
admitted only that the MDC held informal talks with ZANU-PF
legal secretary Patrick Chinamasa. Ncube said the talks
“never bore fruit.”
¶3. (SBU) Comment: This marks the first time Mbeki has
publicly discussed South Africa’s behind-the-scenes role in
assisting ZANU-PF and MDC to negotiate a new, “compromise”
Zimbabwean constitution. Mbeki’s remarks came up at the end
of a lengthy interview on a range of foreign and domestic
topics. His comments may signal that he believes the
prospects for reviving the Zimbabwean “compromise
constitution” are slim (or nonexistent). Mbeki may also wish
to answer critics who claim that South Africa has done little
to try to solve the political crisis in Zimbabwe. End
Comment.
TEITELBAUM
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