Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai told United States embassy officials three years ago that although there were different interpretations of sanctions and their effect on the country there was no argument about the need to end sanctions.
Embassy officials, however, interpreted Tsvangirai’s call as a response to the Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front’s incessant criticism that he and the Movement for Democratic Change were not fulfilling their commitment to the Global Political Agreement to end sanctions.
It concluded so because Tsvangirai did not condemn sanctions and call for an unconditional end to them and did not call for repeal of the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act.
Tsvangirai had, however, emphasised the importance of “normalising relations with the EU and the US; of course with the US on ZDERA”.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 09HARARE772, TSVANGIRAI BRIEFS DIPLOMATS
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Reference ID |
Created |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO5820
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0772/01 2711230
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 281230Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4953
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 3054
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 3167
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1596
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2430
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2799
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 3215
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 5660
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2347
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000772
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B.WALCH
DRL FOR N. WILETT
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR M. GAVIN
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR J. HARMON AND L. DOBBINS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/28/2019
SUBJECT: TSVANGIRAI BRIEFS DIPLOMATS
REF: HARARE 736
Classified By: CDA Donald Petterson for reason 1.4 (b) & (d).
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on
September 24 briefed diplomatic chiefs of mission on the
status of the inclusive government (IG). His remarks were
essentially a reiteration of what he told the Charge two days
earlier about the aims of the Global Political Agreement
(GPA), the ZANU-PF-inspired impediments to their achievement,
his take on what happened at the SADC Summit in Kinshasa, his
confrontation with Mugabe about the stalled GPA, and their
subsequent meeting, which focused on means to unglue the
stalled constitutional process (ref). Tsvangirai also
responded to questions on sanctions, land and conservancy
seizures, prospects for further progress on the GPA, and the
SADC Tribunal. END SUMMARY.
¶2. (C) Tsvangirai convoked chiefs of mission, including the
Charge, on September 24 to brief on progress of the GPA and
to answer questions on the political and economic
environment. His initial remarks covered areas discussed
with the Charge on September 22. He touched on the following
areas in a question and answer session.
— Sanctions: Tsvangirai said: “Within government there are
different interpretations of sanctions and their effect.”
But there is “no argument about the need to end sanctions.”
He emphasized the importance of “normalizing relations with
the EU and the U.S.; of course with the U.S. on ZDERA.”
Although he acknowledged that ZDERA’s impact was symbolic
rather than substantive, he maintained that “coupled with the
travel ban, (ZDERA) feeds ignorance or misrepresentations
about sanctions.” Tsvangirai noted that the EU and U.S. had
established benchmarks, and ending sanctions and repealing
ZDERA would depend on progress in meeting the benchmarks.
— Land and conservancy seizures: Tsvangirai stated that
land reform is irreversible, but “the current activities” are
“politically motivated” and “impair confidence.” The
conservancy issue is a “political challenge” in that the
president says one thing but the government does another
thing. (COMMENT: The president is saying nothing on this
issue, and ZANU-PF insiders are taking advantage of his
silence to act. END COMMENT.) It is imperative that actions
that “preserve the negative image of Zimbabwe” be ended. The
ministries of lands and environment will put forward
proposals on land and conservancies which will be taken up by
parliament after it reconvenes October 6. Rhino poaching is
another black eye for Zimbabwe’s image with foreign investors.
— Commissions: Tsvangirai expects progress soon (i.e. after
Mugabe returns from the UNGA and Venezuela) on the media
commission first and then other commissions provided for in
the GPA (elections, anti-corruption, and human rights). He
said te state media’s campaign of hatred had to end and
implied that some in ZANU-PF agreed.
— SADC Tribunal: The statement by Minister of Justice
Q– SADC Tribunal: The statement by Minister of Justice
Chinamasa that Zimbabwe was pulling out of the Tribunal was
“unfortunate,” according to Tsvangirai. “We have agreed that
we are not pulling out, but in truth the Tribunal has not
been operationalized, and heads of state are looking into
this. Its mandate is being reviewed.” Once the Tribunal
“has been given a mandate,” its decisions “must be observed.”
(COMMENT: According to Tsvangirai advisors, he garbled the
MDC message on the SADC Tribunal. His talking points were
that the Tribunal was properly constituted and that its
decisions should be respected. END COMMENT.)
— The imperative of progress: The GPA has raised
HARARE 00000772 002 OF 002
Zimbabweans’ expectations. Donors have been greatly helpful
in the effort to provide for food security. But “failure of
donors to help enough would be damaging.” As it is, “the
failure to implement parts of the GPA threatens the inclusive
government.” Unless there is progress, people will react by
asking, “Is it worth it?”
¶3. (C) COMMENT: Although Tsvangirai did not condemn
sanctions and call for an unconditional end to them, and did
not call for repeal of ZDERA, his remarks in a semi-public
forum on sanctions and ZDERA seem to be a response to
ZANU-PF’s incessant criticism that he and the MDC are not
fulfilling their commitment in the GPA to push for an end to
them. It is important to note that he continues to link
actions on sanctions and ZDERA to benchmarks of reform.
Whether Tsvangirai’s seeming confidence, expressed in his
September 22 meeting with the Charge and in this meeting with
chiefs of mission, in his ability to persuade Mugabe and
company to give in on some of the issues at hand is well
placed will become evident in the near future. But from the
inception of the IG, Tsvangirai and the MDC have made
concessions to Mugabe and have received precious little in
return. END COMMENT.
PETTERSON
(54 VIEWS)
