Mugabe told US ambassador to encourage MDC factions to unite

President Robert Mugabe told United States ambassador to Zimbabwe James McGee to encourage the two factions of the Movement for Democratic Change to unite saying this would simplify government efforts to promote a healthy, democratic environment.

He said this when McGee presented his credentials as the new US ambassador replacing Christopher Dell who had just left after predicting that the end for Robert Mugabe was nigh.

Mugabe also said the United States should not follow blindly the British lead on Zimbabwe in order to secure continued British support in Iraq.

According to US embassy officials, Mugabe’s meeting with McGee was cordial unlike that with Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi who had threatened the ambassador with expulsion if he crossed the line and interfered with domestic politics in Zimbabwe.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 07HARARE1041, CREDENTIALS PRESENTATION UNEVENTFUL

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VZCZCXRO3595

RR RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN

DE RUEHSB #1041 3270743

ZNY CCCCC ZZH

R 230743Z NOV 07

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2149

INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1659

RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1790

RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0407

RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1067

RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1416

RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1847

RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4275

RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE

RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC

RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0913

RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 001041 

SIPDIS 

SIPDIS 

AF/S FOR S. HILL, 

ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 

ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS 

STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E. LOKEN AND L. DOBBINS 

STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2013 

TAGS: PREL ZI

SUBJECT: CREDENTIALS PRESENTATION UNEVENTFUL 

Classified By: DCM Katherine Dhanani. Reason: 1.4 (d) 

¶1. (C) Ambassador presented credentials to GOZ President 

Robert Mugabe at 10 am on Thursday, November 22. Also 

presenting on November 22 were Ambassadors from Australia, 

Russia and Mexico (the latter resident in Pretoria). Over 

tea following the US presentation, Mugabe recounted his views 

on the ebb and flow of US-Zimbabwe relations since 

independence, expressing the hope that Ambassador McGee's 

tenure would coincide with the development of warmer 

bilateral ties. Speaking more in sorrow than in anger, 

Mugabe asserted that the USG is blindly following a British 

lead on Zimbabwe in order to secure continued British support 

in Iraq. Ambassador assured Mugabe that the USG also hopes 

that circumstances will permit better relations, and assured 

him that the Embassy in Harare would faithfully execute 

policy set in Washington on the basis of USG views of the 

situation in Zimbabwe. 

¶2. (C) The conversation with Mugabe was more cordial than 

Ambassador's November 21 conversation with Foreign Minister 

Mumbengegwi, during which the ForMin threatened Ambassador 

with expulsion if he crossed the line and interfered with 

domestic politics in Zimbabwe. In fact, Mugabe urged the 

Ambassador to engage with the two MDC factions to encourage 

the opposition to unify; he claimed this would simplify GOZ 

efforts to promote a healthy democratic environment. Mugabe 

made no reference to ZDERA or to sanctions. 

¶3. (C) The Chief of Protocol in the Office of the Presidency 

told Ambassador he would be able to meet one on one with 

President Mugabe on November 23 or 24. 

MCGEE

(17 VIEWS)