Britain did not believe the Southern African Development Community could solve the crisis in Zimbabwe following the controversial 2008 elections and only agreed with the importance of the regional body one month after the signing of the Global Political Agreement, according to a diplomatic cable released by Wikileaks.
The cable, one of the briefest, making it very difficult to interpret, was dispatched on 24 October 2008, more than a month after the three key political parties in Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front and the two factions of the Movement for Democratic Change had signed the GPA which led to the formation of the inclusive government that is running the country today.
Several cables dispatched before this one showed that Britain was aiming to isolate Zimbabwe and condemnation of ZANU-PF leader Robert Mugabe by SADC, the African Union and the United Nations.
Britain at one time even thought of using former South African President Nelson Mandela to condemn Mugabe when he visited London to celebrate his 90th birthday. It also supported a Security Council resolution that allowed military intervention.
The cable is entitled: UK agrees with importance of SADC engagement on Zimbabwe and goes on to state that UK officials were in agreement with the United States on overall policy and tone of the message.
In one of the cables that has already been released by Wikileaks, some think- tanks have questioned why the US was so interested in Zimbabwe when it appeared it had no historic interest like Britain which was the former colonial master.
Full cable
Viewing cable 08LONDON2689, UK AGREES WITH IMPORTANCE OF SADC ENGAGEMENT ON
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Reference ID
Created
Released
Classification
Origin
08LONDON2689
2008-10-24 15:03
2011-02-04 21:09
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy London
VZCZCXRO3528
PP RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHLO #2689 2981502
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 241502Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0198
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 002689
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/S
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2018
TAGS: PREL ZI UK
SUBJECT: UK AGREES WITH IMPORTANCE OF SADC ENGAGEMENT ON
ZIMBABWE
REF: STATE 112727
Classified By: PolCouns Richard Mills, reasons 1.4 b, d (C) Embassy London passed reftel points on the margins of the October 24 U.S.-UK SVTC to FCO Zimbabwe Unit Head Alistair Harrison and Zimbabwe Unit Officers Ben Llewellyn-Jones and Reza Afshar, Cabinet Office Zimbabwe Desk Officer Anna French, and Department for International Development Southern Africa Officer Neil Satchwell-Smith. All UK officials agreed HMG is in agreement with the U.S. on overall policy and tone of message. Visit London’s Classified Website: XXXXXXXXXXXX
LEBARON
(33 VIEWS)
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