Libya’s Secretary for African Union Affairs Ali Treiki criticised Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai for seeking refuge in the Dutch embassy in Harare in response to safety concerns rather than in a neighbouring African country, noting, disapprovingly, that the opposition leader was seen as very “pro-Western”.
Treiki also criticised Tsvangirai as “uneducated” and complained about his frequent reversals on whether or not to stand in the presidential elections.
Tsvangirai sought refuge at the Dutch embassy after withdrawing from the presidential elections run-off.
In what the United States embassy termed uncharacteristically blunt language, Treiki cautioned the US not to get involved in the Zimbabwe crisis.
“Really, do not get directly involved,” he is reported to have said.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 08TRIPOLI538, LIBYA FAVORS MORE TIME FOR AFRICAN MEDIATION IN ZIMBABWE
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Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO1095
OO RUEHTRO
DE RUEHTRO #0538/01 1891529
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 071529Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3649
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0133
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM IMMEDIATE 0126
RUEHNJ/AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA IMMEDIATE 0134
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR IMMEDIATE 0020
RUEHLC/AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE IMMEDIATE 0012
RUEHAE/AMEMBASSY ASMARA IMMEDIATE 0059
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO IMMEDIATE 1139
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 4158
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TRIPOLI 000538
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/C, AF/SPG, AF/SE, AND NEA/MAG
E.O. 12958: DECL: 7/7/2018
SUBJECT: LIBYA FAVORS MORE TIME FOR AFRICAN MEDIATION IN ZIMBABWE
REF: A) STATE 70882, B) TRIPOLI 473, C) TRIPOLI 406, D) STATE 61842
CLASSIFIED BY: John Godfrey, A/DCM, AmEmbassy Tripoli, State.
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)
¶1. (C) Summary. The GOL is “bound by the AU decision” to
support a South Africa-led national reconciliation process in
Zimbabwe and will not support a draft UNSC resolution calling
for targeted sanctions on key Mugabe regime figures. Libya’s
top officials responsible for African affairs urged more time
for African mediation efforts in Zimbabwe and bluntly told the
U.S. not/not to get involved in the crisis. The GOL remains
equally frustrated with both Chad and Sudan and has conditioned
any future mediation on both countries’ leaders offering a “real
commitment” to a political settlement. End Summary.
¶2. (U) MFA Secretary for African Union Affairs Ali Treiki met
with CDA on July 7. Libya’s former ambassador to Zimbabwe,
Mahmoud al-Azzabi, and Poloff also attended.
ZIMBABWE
¶3. (C) Responding to ref A demarche points, Treiki voiced
displeasure with politically-motivated violence in connection
with the June 27 elections in Zimbabwe, but stressed that Libya
is “bound by the AU decision” to support a national
reconciliation process mediated by South Africa. Libya will
not/not support a draft UNSC resolution that called for an arms
embargo and targeted sanctions on key Mugabe regime figures (ref
A). Treiki urged more time — “days and weeks” — to allow
African countries to mediate and reiterated his long-standing
opposition to sanctions, which he called “unhelpful.” UNSC
sanctions on regime figures would only harden the regime and
complicate African efforts to promote a national reconciliation.
¶4. (C) Treiki refused to offer his personal views on the AU’s
position on Zimbabwe but said that Libya has tried to support
South Africa’s mediation efforts. Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi
held a private meeting with Mugabe on the margins of the AU
summit in Sharm El Sheikh. In the run-up to the presidential
election, Treiki dispatched al-Azzabi, a top aide and former
Libyan ambassador to Harare, to monitor the situation. Treiki
voiced concerns that South African president Thabo Mbeki has a
strained relationship with the Zimbabwe opposition. He
criticized opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai as “uneducated”
and complained about his frequent reversals on whether or not to
stand in the presidential elections.
¶5. (C) Using uncharacteristically blunt language, Treiki
cautioned the U.S. not/not to get involved in the current
Zimbabwe crisis: “really, do not get directly involved.” He
criticized Tsvangirai for seeking refuge in the Dutch Embassy in
Harare in response to safety concerns rather than in a
neighboring African country, noting, disapprovingly, that the
opposition leader is seen as very “pro-Western.”
CHAD / SUDAN
¶6. (C) Treiki reported that Chadian President Idriss Deby and
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir asked Qadhafi on the margins
of the AU summit in Sharm El Sheikh to continue Libya’s efforts
to mediate in the on-going Chad-Sudan crisis (refs B and C).
Treiki expressed frustration that both leaders “do not respect
their agreements” and conditioned Libya’s future efforts to
mediate on a real commitment from both sides. Treiki was
pessimistic on the future of the Dakar Accord Contact Group,
describing the July 17 meeting in Dakar as “more show than
substance” and noting that mediation would not be successful
without a commitment from Deby and Bashir to a political
settlement.
¶7. (C) Treiki voiced satisfaction with U.S. support for UNSC
sanctions on JEM-affiliated individuals, including JEM faction
leader Khalil Ibrahim (ref D). (Note: While Libya has
consistently opposed sanctions on African governments, it has
pushed for “consequences” for rebel leaders who refuse to
participate in peaceful negotiations. End note.) Treiki
offered lukewarm support to new UN/AU joint mediator Djibril
Bassole, raising concerns about Bassole’s lack of experience
compared with former UN S/E Jan Eliasson and AU S/E Salim Salim.
¶8. (C) Treiki reiterated previous calls for Deby to make real
concessions to opposition groups as part of a domestic political
reconciliation. “Deby wants the opposition to surrender, not
negotiate,” he said. Deby is “not serious” about dialogue and
refuses to accept that he cannot govern Chad from a Zaghawa
TRIPOLI 00000538 002 OF 002
tribal base that represents only 6% of the population. Libya
remains concerned that Deby is still arming JEM leader Khalil
Ibrahim while Sudan continually supports Chadian opposition
groups.
GODFREY
(17 VIEWS)
