Libya castigated Tsvangirai for seeking refuge in Dutch embassy

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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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

TAGS: PREL ZI SU CD UN LY

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

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