Mugabe’s message to Obama

President Robert Mugabe congratulated Barack Obama for being elected the 44^th President of the United States and hoped that he would work to improve bilateral relations between the two countries.

His message, however, did not refer to Obama being the first African American to be elected to that high office.

“Mr President-elect, the challenges that now lie ahead of you are enormous and those of us in the small and developing countries cherish the hope of working with your new Administration as we pursue our programmes and policies to develop our societies in the global context of socio-economic interaction,” he said.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 08HARARE1011, HARARE: CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE TO THE PRESIDENT-ELECT

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R 100917Z NOV 08

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC 3674

UNCLAS HARARE 001011

DEPT FOR S/ES-CR AND S/ES-O

DEPT FOR AF/S – BWALCH

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: OPDC PREL OVIP ZI

SUBJECT: HARARE: CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE TO THE PRESIDENT-ELECT

¶1. Following is the text of a congratulatory message from Robert

Mugabe to the President-elect of the United States of America, Mr.

Barack Obama. Under the terms of a yet-to-be-implemented power

sharing agreement, Mugabe would continue to serve as the President

of Zimbabwe.

¶2. BEGIN TEXT. Your Excellency

On behalf of the Government and people of the Republic of Zimbabwe

and indeed on my own behalf, I wish to extend our hearty

congratulations on your election as the 44th President of the United

States of America. Your election to the high office of the

President of that great country is testimony to the confidence that

the American people have in you.

As the Government and people of Zimbabwe join you in celebrating

this event in the history of the USA, I take this opportunity to

assure you Mr President-elect that the Government of the Republic of

Zimbabwe remains ready to engage your Government in any desirable

endeavour to improve our bilateral relations.

Mr President-elect, the challenges that now lie ahead of you are

enormous and those of us in the small and developing countries

cherish the hope of working with your new Administration as we

pursue our programmes and policies to develop our societies in the

global context of socio-economic interaction.

I wish you personal good health, peace and prosperity to the people

of the United States of America.

Yours sincerely, R.G. Mugabe, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe.

END TEXT.

¶3. The letter and accompanying Diplomatic Note from the Ministry of

Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Zimbabwe were received

electronically at the U.S. Embassy Harare on Friday, November 7,

¶2008. If we receive a hard copy, we will forward it to S/ES-CR via

the next outgoing diplomatic pouch.

DHANANI

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