Mugabe said West should pay Zimbabwe for intervening in DRC

Zimbabwe was in the Democratic Republic of Congo to maintain law and order because the international community had failed to do its job so it had to compensate Zimbabwe for its intervention.

This was said by President Robert Mugabe to Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel when they met in Harare.

Zimbabwe had up to 13 000 soldiers in the DRC, which was a strain on the fiscus.

Mugabe stressed that Zimbabwe was in the DRC to maintain law and order and to protect resident foreigners and diplomats.

The West therefore had to contribute financially to Zimbabwe’s intervention because it was costing Zimbabwe a lot to provide this valuable service.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 01HARARE522, READOUT ON MEETING BETWEEN ZIMBABWE PRESIDENT

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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

251553Z Jan 01

CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ7206

PAGE 01       HARARE 00522 01 OF 02 251556Z

ACTION AF-00

INFO LOG-00   NP-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00 DODE-00 DS-00   EUR-00

VC-00   TEDE-00 INR-00   VCE-00   NSAE-00 SSO-00   SS-00

DSCC-00 DRL-02   NFAT-00 SAS-00     /002W

——————BB811B 251556Z /38

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8085

INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE

SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

RWANDA COLLECTIVE

AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS

AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000522

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6 X5

TAGS: PREL PGOV ZI CG

SUBJECT: READOUT ON MEETING BETWEEN ZIMBABWE PRESIDENT

AND BELGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D’AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR

REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D).

¶1. (C) SUMMARY: THE DCM OF THE BELGIAN EMBASSY IN

HARARE PROVIDED A READOUT TO A SMALL GROUP OF DIPLOMATS

OF PRESIDENT MUGABE’S MEETING WITH BELGIAN FOREIGN

MINISTER LOUIS MICHEL, WHICH TOOK PLACE THE EVENING OF

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02       HARARE 00522 01 OF 02 251556Z

JANUARY 24. MUGABE AND MICHEL DISCUSSED ALMOST

EXCLUSIVELY THE SITUATION IN THE DRC, AND AGREED IT IS

IMPORTANT TO GIVE PRESIDENT-DESIGNATE JOSEPH KABILA TIME

TO ESTABLISH HIMSELF AND FORMULATE HIS OWN POLICIES.

MUGABE TOLD MICHEL THAT ZIMBABWE HAD BOLSTERED ITS

FORCES IN THE DRC BY SEVERAL THOUSAND TROOPS AFTER

WITHDRAWING SEVERAL THOUSAND LATE LAST YEAR. ZIMBABWE

SENT TROOPS TO KINSHASA FOLLOWING KABILA’S ASSASSINATION

TO PRESERVE STABILITY AND PROTECT FOREIGNERS AND

DIPLOMATS, THE PRESIDENT STATED. MUGABE WAS ALSO

CRITICAL OF UGANDA AND RWANDA. THE HEAD OF STATE AND

FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSED THE INTERNAL POLITICAL

DYNAMICS IN THE DRC GOVERNMENT AND THE POSSIBLE ROLE OF

VARIOUS FACILITATORS, INCLUDING THE BELGIANS AND FORMER

SENEGALESE PRESIDENT DIOUF, IN REJUVENATING THE LUSAKA

PEACE PROCESS. MICHEL CAME AWAY FROM THE MEETING WITH

THE IMPRESSION THAT ZIMBABWE DOES NOT KNOW THE CONGOLESE

SITUATION VERY WELL AND HAS HANDLED ITS INVOLVEMENT

THERE IN A “CLUMSY” WAY. END SUMMARY.

¶2. (C) ON JANUARY 25, BELGIAN DCM ALEXIS DE

CROMBRUGGHE PROVIDED A READOUT OF PRESIDENT MUGABE’S

MEETING WITH BELGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER LOUIS MICHEL THE

NIGHT BEFORE TO CHARGE AND POLOFF, AND THE AUSTRALIAN

AND CANADIAN HIGH COMMISSIONERS. FOLLOWING HIS

ATTENDANCE AT LAURENT KABILA’S FUNERAL, MICHEL EMBARKED

ON A WHIRLWIND TOUR OF AFRICAN CAPITALS, FIRST STOPPING

IN LUANDA, THEN HARARE, ON JANUARY 24. (NOTE: MICHEL IS

PROCEEDING TO KIGALI AND KAMPALA JANUARY 25, THEN

LIBREVILLE, AND MAY STOP AGAIN IN KINSHASA BEFORE

RETURNING TO BRUSSELS. END NOTE.) IN THE EVENING OF

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03       HARARE 00522 01 OF 02 251556Z

JANUARY 24, MICHEL WAS MET BY ZIMBABWE FOREIGN MINISTER

STAN MUDENGE AT HARARE’S AIRPORT, WHERE THEY TALKED FOR

NEARLY AN HOUR, BEFORE PROCEEDING TO A HASTILY ARRANGED,

EARLY EVENING MEETING WITH THE ZIMBABWE PRESIDENT. THE

TWO, ACCOMPANIED BY THE BELGIAN DCM, MET AT MUGABE’S

RESIDENCE. DE CROMBRUGGHE REPORTED THAT THE PRESIDENT

WAS CHARMING, AND APPEARED ENERGETIC AND IN GOOD HEALTH,

DESPITE RECENT REPORTS TO THE CONTRARY.

¶3. (C) THE DISCUSSION BETWEEN FOREIGN MINISTER MICHEL

AND MUGABE AND MUDENGE FOCUSED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON THE

DRC SITUATION. MUGABE AND MICHEL AGREED THAT IT IS

IMPORTANT TO GIVE JOSEPH KABILA TIME TO ESTABLISH

HIMSELF AND FORMULATE HIS OWN POLICIES. THE TWO AGREED

THAT THE JUNIOR KABILA COULD NONETHELESS ENHANCE HIS

LEGITIMACY BY OPENING A DIALOGUE WITH THE REBELS AND THE

POLITICAL OPPOSITION. MUGABE STATED THAT HE SHOULD AT

LEAST SEND A SIGNAL TO THE REBELS TO INDICATE HE IS

INTERESTED IN NEGOTIATING. MUGABE NOTED THAT THE ELDER

KABILA HAD BEGUN A DIALOGUE WITH THE REBELS IN

LIBREVILLE. THE ZIMBABWEAN PRESIDENT DID NOT EXPECT THE

DRC GOVERNMENT TO IMMEDIATELY OPEN UP TO THE OPPOSITION,

BUT SAID HE WOULD NOT GET “PUSHY” WITH KABILA. MUGABE

WAS NON-COMMITTAL ABOUT JOSEPH KABILA, AND IMPLIED A FEW

TIMES THAT HE IS A TRANSITIONAL FIGURE, ACCORDING TO DE

CROMBRUGGHE.

¶4. (C) MUGABE TOLD MICHEL THAT ZIMBABWE NOW HAS ABOUT

13,000 TROOPS IN THE DRC. THE GOZ HAD WITHDRAWN BETWEEN

3,000 AND 5,000 TROOPS LATE LAST YEAR, BUT WAS FORCED TO

REAUGMENT ITS FORCE WHEN PWETO FELL TO THE REBELS AND

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 04       HARARE 00522 01 OF 02 251556Z

WHEN KABILA WAS ASSASSINATED, MUGABE SAID. THE

PRESIDENT FURTHER EXPLAINED THAT WHEN THE REBELS TOOK

PWETO, THEY TRAPPED SEVERAL HUNDRED ZIMBABWEAN TROOPS

BETWEEN LAKES MWERU AND TANGANYIKA. THE TROOPS WERE

INSTRUCTED NOT TO FIGHT BUT TO RETREAT ACROSS THE BORDER

INTO ZAMBIA. MUGABE HINTED AT SOME UNHAPPINESS WITH THE

ELDER KABILA WHEN HE UNILATERALLY DECIDED TO ATTACK

PEPA, AND THE RWANDAN COUNTERATTACK RESULTED IN THE FALL

OF PWETO.

¶5. (C) MUGABE STRESSED TO THE FOREIGN MINISTER THAT

ZIMBABWE SENT MORE TROOPS TO KINSHASA IN THE WAKE OF

KABILA’S ASSASSINATION TO “MAINTAIN LAW AND ORDER” AND

TO PROTECT RESIDENT FOREIGNERS AND DIPLOMATS. MUGABE

BLITHELY SUGGESTED THAT THE WEST CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY

TO ZIMBABWE’S INTERVENTION, SINCE IT WAS COSTING

ZIMBABWE SO MUCH TO PROVIDE THIS VALUABLE SERVICE. THE

GOZ WAS FORCED TO INTERVENE “BECAUSE THE INTERNATIONAL

COMMUNITY DID NOT DO THE JOB,” MUGABE REMARKED.

BESIDES, ZIMBABWE CANNOT LEAVE A POLITICAL VACUUM IN

KINSHASA, NOR CAN IT RISK THE POLITICAL OPPOSITION

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ7207

PAGE 01       HARARE 00522 02 OF 02 251556Z

ACTION AF-00

INFO LOG-00   NP-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00 DODE-00 DS-00   EUR-00

VC-00   TEDE-00 INR-00   VCE-00   NSAE-00 SSO-00   SS-00

DSCC-00 DRL-02   NFAT-00 SAS-00     /002W

——————BB8127 251556Z /38

O 251553Z JAN 01

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8086

INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE

SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

RWANDA COLLECTIVE

AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS

AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 000522

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6 X5

TAGS: PREL PGOV ZI CG

SUBJECT: READOUT ON MEETING BETWEEN ZIMBABWE PRESIDENT

AND BELGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

STARTING SOME KIND OF ANTI-GOVERNMENT MASS ACTION, HE

TOLD MICHEL. MUDENGE EARLIER REPORTEDLY ADMITTED IT IS

A “NIGHTMARE” TO MAINTAIN SO MANY TROOPS IN THE DRC WHEN

ZIMBABWE’S OWN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IS FAST

APPROACHING.

¶6. (C) MUGABE AND MUDENGE WERE FAIRLY CRITICAL OF

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02       HARARE 00522 02 OF 02 251556Z

RWANDA, UGANDA AND THEIR REBEL SURROGATES. MUDENGE

NOTED THAT EVEN THOUGH RWANDA HAD PROMISED TO WITHDRAW

ITS FORCES 200KM, IT INSTEAD ADVANCED 200KM TO TAKE

PWETO. ZIMBABWE IS ALSO WORRIED THAT BEMBA’S FORCES

CONTINUE TO ADVANCE IN NORTHERN DRC. MUDENGE REMARKED

THAT BEMBA’S WAR IS REALLY UGANDAN PRESIDENT MUSEVENI’S

WAR, AND THAT MUSEVENI IS THE KEY TO RESOLVING THAT PART

OF THE CONFLICT. MUDENGE WENT AS FAR AS TO SAY THAT THE

U.S. HAS GIVEN MUSEVENI CARTE BLANCHE IN NORTHERN CONGO

IN ORDER TO KEEP SUDAN OUT. MUGABE STATED THAT UGANDA

AND RWANDA SHOULD BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THEIR CONGOLESE

BORDER PROBLEMS VIA BILATERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DRC.

AS FOR THE RCD-GOMA REBEL GROUP, MUDENGE OPINED THAT

THEY WOULD NEVER ACCEPT A DEMOCRATIC CONGO BECAUSE THEY

ARE SO UNPOPULAR AND WOULD LOSE IN ANY ELECTION.

FOREIGN MINISTER MICHEL SAID HE WOULD TRY TO PERSUADE

RCD-GOMA TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONGOLESE DIALOGUE.

¶7. (C) ON THE LUSAKA PEACE PROCESS, MUDENGE SAID

ZIMBABWE HAS ENCOURAGED JOSEPH KABILA TO KEEP FORMER

BOTSWANA PRESIDENT MASIRE AS PEACE FACILITATOR, BUT

ACKNOWLEDGED TO MICHEL THAT CREATIVITY WAS NEEDED IN

FINDING A WAY TO SUPPLEMENT HIS EFFORTS. MUGABE

INTERJECTED, SAYING THAT THE PEACE PROCESS SHOULD NOT

DEPEND ON MASIRE ENTIRELY, ESPECIALLY SINCE HE DOES NOT

SPEAK FRENCH. GABON PRESIDENT BONGO ADDS A NEW

DIMENSION TO THE PEACE PROCESS, BUT FORMER SENEGALESE

PRESIDENT ABDOU DIOUF MAY ULTIMATELY BE A BETTER

FACILITATOR, MUDENGE OFFERED. FOREIGN MINISTER MICHEL

STATED THAT BELGIUM SUPPORTS MASIRE, AND SUGGESTED

BRUSSELS COULD ALSO PLAY A ROLE IN GETTING THE PEACE

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03       HARARE 00522 02 OF 02 251556Z

PROCESS GOING AGAIN. HE INVITED MUDENGE TO BRUSSELS TO

FURTHER THE DIALOGUE. MUDENGE REPORTED THAT HE IS GOING

TO NEW YORK FOR THE FEBRUARY 21 UN SECURITY COUNCIL

MEETING OF FOREIGN MINISTERS INVOLVED IN THE DRC WAR.

¶8. (C) THE BELGIAN DELEGATION COMMENTED AMONG

THEMSELVES, AND LATER TO US, THAT THEY DO NOT BELIEVE

THE ZIMBABWE LEADERSHIP HAS A VERY GOOD GRASP OF THE

POLITICAL DYNAMICS INSIDE THE DRC. THEY NOTED THAT THE

GOZ IS MORE CLOSELY LINKED TO THE OLD GUARD FIGURES OF

INTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER KAKUDJI AND JUSTICE MINISTER

KONGOLO. THE BELGIAN AMBASSADOR IN KINSHASA REPORTS

THAT THE CONGOLESE AMBASSADOR TO ZIMBABWE, KIKAYA BIN

KARUBI, IS PART OF THE SO-CALLED “NEW GUARD” OF UP-AND-

COMERS. THE GOZ’S DISCUSSIONS WITH THE POLITICAL

OPPOSITION FIGURE AND INTELLECTUAL ARTHUR ZAHIDI NGOMA

AS A POTENTIAL PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSOR DISPLAYS THEIR

NAIVETE, THE BELGIANS REMARKED. MICHEL COMMENTED TO HIS

STAFF LATER THAT HE THINKS ZIMBABWE’S HANDLING OF THE

CONGO INTERVENTION HAS BEEN “CLUMSY” FROM THE START.

IRVING

CONFIDENTIAL

>

(18 VIEWS)