EU working on a programme to remove security chiefs as a threat!

Swedish ambassador to Zimbabwe Stan Rylander said the European Union was working with a group of Zimbabweans to craft a programme that would remove the security chiefs as a threat to future reform, but he told United States embassy officials that this must be handled carefully.

Rylander said the programme would take some time to take effect and acknowledged the difficulty in having any contact with the more senior security officials.

He said it was important to have contact if they were to know what the security chiefs were thinking to have any hope of influencing them.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 09HARARE920, HARARE: AMBASSADOR’S MEETING WITH SWEDISH

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DE RUEHSB #0920/01 3290723

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R 250723Z NOV 09

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

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INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE

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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000920

SENSITIVE

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AF/S FOR BRIAN WALCH

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR MICHELLE GAVIN

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: PREL PGOV ZI

SUBJECT: HARARE: AMBASSADOR’S MEETING WITH SWEDISH

AMBASSADOR

¶1. (SBU)   SUMMARY: The Swedish Ambassador to Zimbabwe

believes that the two keys to improvement of the situation

here are economic stabilization and security sector reform.

He is skeptical of improvement in the political situation,

but thinks that SADC is taking a stronger position and South

African President Zuma is not as supportive of Mugabe as his

predecessor was. The West should take another look at the

sanctions list within the next few months, and if there is

some positive progress, consider removing some from it,

especially parastatals. We should also consider adding to

the list. While we should continue to point out the

shortcomings and misdeeds of ZANU-PF, we should at the same

time keep the door open for dialogue with them. END SUMMARY.

——————————————— —

ECONOMY AND SECURITY ARE THE KEYS TO DEVELOPMENT

——————————————— —

¶2. (SBU) On November 23 I met with Swedish Ambassador to

Zimbabwe Sten Rylander. Rylander has been at post for nearly

four years and has nearly 30 years experience in southern

African affairs. A strong proponent of political and

economic development in Zimbabwe, he says that he has been

frustrated in his efforts to get through to his contacts in

ZANU-PF the importance of working to develop the country

properly. The keys to positive development are economic

stabilization and security sector reform. For the former,

nothing will really happen until Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe

(RBZ) Governor Gideon Gono is removed from that position. He

said he has spoken to Gono a number of times about this.

Gono has said he would be willing to step down, but he is

worried about his security. Also, Mugabe won’t let him quit.

To that end, Rylander believes that the recent rumor of

Gono’s selection to a position in the Manicaland ZANU-PF

structure might be a positive sign, and a way for Mugabe to

save face. If Gono moves to the new position it wouldn’t

look like Mugabe was caving to outside pressure. The fact

that the SADC Troika and South African President Zuma have

all indicated that Gono should be reassigned can’t have been

lost on Mugabe or the rest of the ZANU-PF leadership, but

they have been recalcitrant up to now.

¶3. (SBU) On the issue of security sector reform, Rylander

said that if this is not done right, nothing else will be

effective. The EU is currently working with a group of

Zimbabweans to craft a program that will remove the security

chiefs as a threat to future reform, but it must be handled

carefully. It will also, he said, take some time to take

effect. He acknowledged the difficulty in having any contact

with the more senior security officials, but said that it is

important that there be contact if we are to know what they

are thinking or have any hope of influencing them. This same

principle applies to everyone in government; which does not

mean we stop criticizing them publicly when they misbehave.

———————–

A NEW LOOK AT SANCTIONS

———————–

¶4. (SBU) Rylander believes that it is only barely possible

that there will be some positive development within the next

few months. He said that the West needs to be prepared for

the eventuality of such progress and that we need to take a

fresh look at the sanctions list, especially the parastatals.

If there is political movement in the right direction, we

Q If there is political movement in the right direction, we

need to be prepared to remove some from the list. He said

that recently he met with Finance Minister Tendai Biti who

informed him that there were eight entities on the list that

are currently not funding ZANU-PF and are paying money into

the treasury, and they should be delisted. There are even a

few individuals on the list, Rylander said, who perhaps

should be removed if there is political progress. We should

also consider adding to the list any who have behaved in ways

similar to those currently on the list.

——-

COMMENT

——-

¶5. (SBU) Rylander is hardly soft on the GOZ, and that is

all the more reason that his view on reviewing the sanctions

list and striving for dialogue with all parties is a valid

point of view. His views reflect most of the EU embassies

here who believe in the principle, “We can twist their arms,

HARARE 00000920 002 OF 002

but first we must take their hands.” He has also pointed out

a key factor: without some form of insurance for the

security chiefs, there will be little chance of ever

achieving true political reform. END COMMENT.

RAY

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