Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa told United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Tom McDonald that foreign observers were welcome to Zimbabwe as they had been for every election since 1980 but when asked for a written invitation he said he could not issue one.
He said he would, however, propose to President Robert Mugabe to issue an oral invitation for foreign observers once an election date had been announced.
Mugabe and the chairman of the Delimitation Commission Justice Wilson Sandura had not yet agreed on an election date.
Mugabe wanted the elections in May but Sandura wanted then later.
Mnangagwa said Sandura had “his own agenda”.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 00HARARE2101, MNANGAGWA SAYS FOREIGN ELECTION OBSERVERS
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
141211Z Apr 00
CONFIDENTIAL PTQ6351
PAGE 01 HARARE 02101 01 OF 02 141206Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 INL-01
SRPP-00 DS-00 EUR-01 VC-01 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00
IO-00 LAB-01 L-00 AC-01 DCP-01 NSAE-00 OIC-02
OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00
SP-00 USIE-00 IIP-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 G-00
NFAT-00 SAS-00 SWCI-00 /013W
——————4BC90D 141206Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5767
INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY KIGALI
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
NSC WASHDC
DEPTTREAS WASHDC
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 002101
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF A/S RICE, AF PDAS POWELL,
AF DAS SCHNEIDMAN, AF/S DIRECTOR RENDER,
AND AF/S DESK OFFICER GURNEY
PASS TO USAID AFR/SA, WJEFFERS AND A/AID, RMCCALL
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 02101 01 OF 02 141206Z
LONDON FOR PFLAUMER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/10
SUBJECT: MNANGAGWA SAYS FOREIGN ELECTION OBSERVERS
WELCOME AND REVIEWS STATUS IN CONGO
REF: STATE 64290 (NOTAL)
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD FOR REASONS 1.5
B/D.
¶1. (C) AMBASSADOR MCDONALD CALLED ON MINISTER OF
JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS EMMERSON
MNANGAGWA ON APRIL 14 TO ASK WHETHER FOREIGN OBSERVERS
WOULD BE WELCOME DURING THE GENERAL PARLIAMENTARY
ELECTIONS. THE JUSTICE MINISTER SAID THAT ALTHOUGH
THERE HAD BEEN SOME DESENTING VOICES, FOREIGN OBSERVERS
ARE WELCOME TO COME TO ZIMBABWE, AS THEY HAVE BEEN FOR
EVERY ELECTION SINCE 1980. THERE IS NO CHANGE IN
POLICY, THE MINISTER AFFIRMED. AMBASSADOR MCDONALD THEN
ASKED FOR A WRITTEN INVITATION, BUT MNANGAGWA SAID THAT
ONE WOULD NOT BE FORTHCOMING. NEVERTHELESS, THE
MINISTER SAID HE WOULD PROPOSE TO PRESIDENT MUGABE TO
ISSUE AN ORAL INVITATION TO FOREIGN OBSERVERS WHEN HE
ANNOUNCED THE ELECTION DATE. THE AMBASSADOR THANKED THE
MINISTER, AND SAID THAT HE HOPED THE ZIMBABWEAN
GOVERNMENT WOULD GUARANTEE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF
THE OBSERVERS, BECAUSE IMAGES FLASHED AROUND THE WORLD
OF VIOLENCE IN HARARE AND ON THE FARMS HAD RAISED
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 02101 01 OF 02 141206Z
CONCERN IN WASHINGTON. MNANGAGWA FELT CONFIDANT THAT IT
COULD.
¶2. (C) THE MINISTER ALSO NOTED THE DISPUTE BETWEEN
JUSTICE SANDURA, CHAIR OF THE DELIMITATION COMMISSION,
AND THE PRESIDENT OVER THE ELECTION DATE. MNANGAGWA
SAID PRESIDENT MUGABE PREFERRED A DATE IN MAY, BUT
SANDURA “HAS HIS OWN AGENDA” AND WANTS IT LATER. THE
MINISTER SAID THE ISSUE HAS YET TO BE RESOLVED.
¶3. (C) TURNING TO MATTERS RELATING TO THE PEACE PROCESS
IN THE CONGO, THE AMBASSADOR INFORMED MNANGAGWA OF
SPECIAL ENVOY HOWARD WOLPE’S TRAVEL PLANS. THE MINISTER
AGREED TO RECEIVE WOLPE, TENTATIVELY THE AFTERNOON OF
APRIL 21. THE AMBASSADOR ALSO ASKED MNANGAGWA TO STRESS
TO PRESIDENT MUGABE THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR HIM TO
RECEIVE S/E WOLPE. THE MINISTER AGREED TO DO SO.
¶4. (C) IN RESPONSE TO THE AMBASSADOR’S QUESTION,
MNANGAGWA SAID HE PLANNED TO TRAVEL TO KINSHASA ON APRIL
17, AT PRESIDENT KABILA’S INVITATION. HE BEGGED OFF
TRAVELING IMMEDIATELY, AS HE WISHED TO BE BRIEFED BY
PRESIDENT MUGABE, WHO ONLY RETURNS TO HARARE ON APRIL
16, REGARDING WHAT TOOK PLACE DURING THE SUMMIT IN
KINSHASA. WHEN THE AMBASSADOR STRESSED THAT THE UNITED
STATES LOOKED TO ZIMBABWE TO EXERCISE ALL OF ITS
INFLUENCE WITH PRESIDENT KABILA TO ADHERE TO THE LETTER
AND SPIRIT OF THE LUSAKA ACCORD, THE MINISTER SAID THAT
THE ZIMBABWEAN NATIONAL ARMY COMMANDER HAD BEEN SENT TO
KINSHASA LAST WEEK TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE FAC’S CEASE
FIRE VIOLATIONS. KABILA TOLD THE SENIOR ZIMBABWEAN
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 02101 01 OF 02 141206Z
MILITARY OFFICIAL THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY SUCH
VIOLATIONS, BUT ALLOWED THAT HIS COMMANDERS SOMETIMES DO
THINGS WITHOUT HIS PERMISSION OR KNOWLEDGE. HE SUMMONED
SEVERAL SENIOR CONGOLESE MILITARY OFFICERS TO HIS OFFICE
TO HEAR THE ZIMBABWEAN ARMY COMMANDER’S COMPLAINT.
KABILA INSTRUCTED HIS OFFICERS HENCEFORTH TO CLEAR ALL
MANEUVERS WITH THE ALLIES AND STRESSED HIS
DISAPPOINTMENT THAT THEY HAD NOT DONE SO. THE
CONGOLESE, MNANGAGWA SHRUGGED, SAY “YES”, AND THEN DO
SOMETHING ELSE.
¶5. (C) FINALLY, AMBASSADOR MCDONALD PROBED MNANGAGWA ON
PRESIDENT KABILA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FRENCH. HE
NOTED THAT THE FRENCH AND THE RWANDANS WERE CURRENTLY
EXPERIENCING SOME TENSION AND WONDERED WHETHER PRESIDENT
KABILA WOULD BE RECEPTIVE TO MESSAGES FROM THE FRENCH.
MNANGAGWA SPECULATED THAT PROBABLY NOT, AS THOSE
SURROUNDING KABILA WOULD NOT ALLOW THE FRENCH TO GET
CLOSE TO HIM. MNANGAGWA OBSERVED THAT THE BELGIUMS WERE
USING GEORGE FORRESTER, CHAIRMAN OF THE UNION MINIERE,
TO GET CLOSE TO KABILA. THE ZIMBABWEAN MINISTER NOTED
THAT KABILA’S ATTITUDE TOWARD THE UNITED STATES HAD
CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION FOLLOWING
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL PTQ6352
PAGE 01 HARARE 02101 02 OF 02 141206Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 SRPP-00
DS-00 EUR-01 VC-01 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00
LAB-01 L-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01
PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 USIE-00
IIP-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00
SWCI-00 /011W
——————4BC911 141207Z /38
R 141211Z APR 00
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5768
INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY KIGALI
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
NSC WASHDC
DEPTTREAS WASHDC
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 002101
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF A/S RICE, AF PDAS POWELL,
AF DAS SCHNEIDMAN, AF/S DIRECTOR RENDER,
AND AF/S DESK OFFICER GURNEY
PASS TO USAID AFR/SA, WJEFFERS AND A/AID, RMCCALL
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 02101 02 OF 02 141206Z
LONDON FOR PFLAUMER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/10
SUBJECT: MNANGAGWA SAYS FOREIGN ELECTION OBSERVERS
WELCOME AND REVIEWS STATUS IN CONGO
HIS VISIT TO NEW YORK IN JANUARY. MNANGAGWA TOOK CREDIT
FOR THIS ABOUT FACE EXPLAINING THAT HE HAD PERSUADED
KABILA THAT IT WAS TO HIS ADVANTAGE TO HAVE THE
AMERICANS ON HIS SIDE.
MCDONALD
CONFIDENTIAL
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