Bishops tell MDC that ZANU-PF is willing to talk

Movement for Democratic Change special advisor Gandi Mudzingwa told United States embassy officials that local bishops who were trying to get the MDC and the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front to the negotiating table had told him that high ranking ZANU-PF leaders were committed to dialogue.

He mentioned leaders like Nathan Shamuyarira, a close ally of President Robert Mugabe, and national chairman John Nkomo.

MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai who had been arrested on charges of treason had told the bishops that Mugabe should make a public commitment to dialogue.

Mudzingwa was sceptical that such a commitment would be forth coming in the near future.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 03HARARE1180, HIGH COURT TO HEAR TSVANGIRAI BAIL APPLICATION;

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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 001180

SIPDIS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR J. FRAZER

LONDON FOR C. GURNEY

PARIS FOR C. NEARY

BANGKOK FOR WIN DAYTON

DS/OP/AF

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2008

TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR ZI

SUBJECT: HIGH COURT TO HEAR TSVANGIRAI BAIL APPLICATION;

BISHOPS CONTINUE TO PRESS FOR DIALOGUE

Classified By: POLITICAL OFFICER PEGGY BLACKFORD FOR REASONS 1.5B/D

TSVANGIRAI REMAINS IN CUSTODY: NCUBE EXPECTED TO BE RELEASED

SIPDIS

TODAY

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¶1. (SBU) Morgan Tsvangirai, MDC President, arrived in

Magistrates Court this morning looking tired and dressed in a

track suit rather than his usual business attire. A large

contingent of his supporters were on hand outside the court

to cheer him on but they were outnumbered by Law and Order

Police who jammed the court room. At the hearing the

Magistrate placed Tsvangirai on remand until July 10.

(Remand is similar to arraignment and means that the judge

has found the State has sufficient evidence to hold the

suspect.) Normally the Magistrate would have entertained a

bail hearing at the same time; however, Magistrate’s Court

does not have the authority to set bail on treason charges.

Instead Tsvangirai’s attorney planned to ask for bail this

afternoon before the High Court which decided to hear the

case in camera. According to the attorney, the

Attorney-General requested a delay in the hearing which has

been rescheduled to tomorrow morning, June 11.

¶2. (SBU)   Welshman Ncube, Secretary-General of the MDC, who

was also detained on new treason charges yesterday was being

held in Harare Central Prison. His attorney reported that he

believed Ncube would be released today.

BISHOPS BRIEF MDC ON DISCUSSIONS WITH ZANU-PF LEADERS

——————————————— ——–

¶3. (C) Special Advisor to MDC President Tsvangirai, Gandi

Mudzingwa, told PolOff that the MDC leadership had been

briefed by the local bishops on their progress in getting

ZANU-PF to the negotiating table. According to the bishops,

high ranking ZANU-PF leaders including Nathan Shamuyarira and

John Nkomo have assured them that ZANU is committed to

dialogue and is looking to find a way forward rather than to

review old grievances. MDC leaders reminded the bishops that

MDC President, at their last briefing, had emphasized the

need for President Mugabe to make a public commitment to

dialogue. Mudzingwa remains skeptical that such a commitment

will be forth coming in the near future.

COMMENT

——-

¶4. (C) Today’s “Daily News” editorial asks, “Could crackdown

herald peace talks?” and reviews Mugabe’s history of

negotiating only after doing everything possible to weaken

his opponent as he did in the eighties when he co-opted

Joshua Nkomo and his ZAPU party into the ZANU ranks. This

may,indeed, be Mugabe’s strategy. Even Mugabe must recognize

that while he may have won last week’s battle, it will only

gain him a little time unless the serious issues facing the

economy are resolved. It would explain why rumors of ZANU-PF

overtures to the MDC are rife at the same time the GOZ is

doing all within its power to undercut the MDC leadership in

public.

SULLIVAN

(36 VIEWS)