Malaysia refused to bar Mugabe from Langkawi

Malaysia refused to bar President Robert Mugabe and his Zimbabwean delegation from attending the Langkawi International Dialogue which was aimed at fostering South-South partnership and networking.

The United States, Australia, Britain. New Zealand and Canada gad lobbied the Malaysian government to bar Zimbabwean officials from the conference.

A United States embassy official in Kuala Lumpur told Malaysian under secretary for Africa Azlan Man that Mugabe’s visit would be very disappointing to countries like the US but he declined to engage in further conversation.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 07KUALALUMPUR1212, MUGABE TO VISIT MALAYSIA AUGUST 4-8 FOR LANGKAWI

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VZCZCXRO4055

PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH

DE RUEHKL #1212 2080904

ZNR UUUUU ZZH

P 270904Z JUL 07

FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9726

INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 2369

RUEHSB/AMEMBASSY HARARE PRIORITY 0019

RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0331

RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 0380

RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 0540

UNCLAS KUALA LUMPUR 001212

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

FOR EAP AND AF

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: PHUM PREL ZI MY

SUBJECT: MUGABE TO VISIT MALAYSIA AUGUST 4-8 FOR LANGKAWI

DIALOGUE

REF: A. STATE 75160

¶B. DANIELS TO EAP-MTS EMAIL OF 20 JUNE 2007

¶1. (U) The Malaysian Foreign Ministry confirmed to us on

July 27 that Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe intends to

visit Malaysia again in order to attend the Langkawi

International Dialogue, August 4-8. According to press

accounts and the MFA, some 12 to 16 heads of government,

mostly from African states, have confirmed their attendance.

The Langkawi Dialogue process, begun some 12 years ago by

former Prime Minister Mahathir, aims to foster South-South

partnerships and networking.

¶2. (SBU) On instruction to support an Australian-led

initiative (ref A), the Ambassador joined his counterparts

from the Australian, British and New Zealand and Canadian

high commissions in delivering a demarche on June 20 urging

Malaysia to restrict the travel of senior Zimbabwe officials.

The Malaysian Foreign Ministry was not responsive to our

joint demarche (ref B).

¶3. (SBU) On July 27, Polchief called MFA Under Secretary for

Africa Azlan Man and asked about Mugabe’s travel plans for

the Langkawi Dialogue. Azlan stated that Mugabe had been

invited to the early August event. After an awkward pause,

Azlan claimed that he did not know for certain that Mugabe

would attend (instead, the MFA’s secretariat for the event

provided us with confirmation). Polchief told Azlan, who had

attended our June 20 demarche, that news of Mugabe’s visit

would be very disappointing to countries like the U.S. that

had urged Malaysia to restrict the travel of senior Zimbabwe

officials. Azlan declined to engage in further conversation

after we made our point.

¶4. (SBU) Comment: We see no prospect of Malaysia turning

off Mugabe’s attendance at the Langkawi Dialogue. We are

encouraging, however, the high commissions of Australia, UK,

New Zealand and Canada to join us in registering

disappointment with Malaysia’s decision.

LAFLEUR

(48 VIEWS)