Namibia said resignation of Mugabe was not the answer

Namibia’s Foreign Minister Marco Hausiku told United States ambassador to Namibia Dennise Mathieu that his government was urging parties in Zimbabwe to share the Ministry of Home Affairs and that their government should be a true coalition.

He called on the international community, whom he dubbed the “friends of Tsvangirai”, to deliver the same message.

Hausiku said that the resignation of Robert Mugabe would not bring about peace.

Asked if Namibia would support early elections in Zimbabwe, Hausiku replied that Namibia had not considered such a move as it would be a waste of resources to hold elections prior to the formation of a government of national unity.

He argued that there would continue to be national discord and even if Morgan Tsvangirai he would later be voted out before he had had a chance to improve conditions.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 09WINDHOEK18, FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES ZIMBABWE, IRAN

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R 211557Z JAN 09

FM AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK

TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0298

INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L WINDHOEK 000018

NEA FOR IRAN DESK, ISN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2019

TAGS: PREL IAEA ZI IR WA

SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES ZIMBABWE, IRAN

REF: A) WINDHOEK 12 B) 08 WINDHOEK 368

Classified By: Ambassador Dennise Mathieu for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d)

¶1. (C) On January 21, Ambassador met with Namibian Foreign

Minister Marco Hausiku to convey a New Year’s greeting and

discuss the situation in Zimbabwe. Hausiku also briefly

mentioned Namibia’s overtures to Iran.

——–

Zimbabwe

——–

¶2. (C) Ambassador began by urging the Government of Namibia

(GRN) to show leadership on Zimbabwe as the country continues

to confront political, economic, and social challenges in the

new year. Hausiku agreed this was necessary and indicated

this was why President Pohamba met with MDC leader Morgan

Tsvangirai in Namibia last November (ref B). He reckoned

there would be an update on Zimbabwe at the upcoming AU

Summit. In addition, he echoed reports that there probably

would be an emergency SADC summit in the coming days, given

that South African President and current SADC Chairperson

Motlanthe, Mozambican President Guebuza, and former South

African President Mbeki had failed to make a breakthrough in

meetings between Zimbabwean President Mugabe and Tsvangirai

in Harare this week. When asked if he thought Mbkei should

remain the mediator, Hausiku replied affirmatively, saying

that in addition to his impressive mediation skills, “it

would be difficult to find someone who knows Zimbabwe better

than Mbeki.”

¶3. (C) Essentially, the Foreign Minister said, Mugabe and

Tsvangirai must come to a compromise. Hausiku claimed that

the GRN has urged both sides to accept that the Home Affairs

Ministry should be co-chaired and that government should be a

true coalition. He called on the international community,

the “friends of Tsvangirai,” to deliver the same message.

Hausiku also opined that the resignation of Mugabe would not

bring about peace. Asked if Namibia would support early

elections in Zimbabwe, Hausiku replied that the GRN had not

considered such a move, as it would be a waste of resources

to hold elections prior to the formation of a government of

national unity. Otherwise, he argued, there would continue to

be national discord. Even if he won, he theorized, Tsvangirai

would later be voted out before he had had a chance to

improve conditions.

¶4. (C) Hausiku mentioned that the Government of Zimbabwe must

also address kidnappings and disappearances of politicians,

activists and journalists. Ambassador welcomed the Foreign

Minister’s comment, noting that it represented a positive

evolution in the GRN’s approach. She encouraged the GRN to

work behind the scenes and in the SADC emergency meeting to

help resolve the crisis as quickly as possible.

—-

Iran

—-

¶5. (C) Hausiku offered that Namibia has been engaging Iran

and urging its government to provide the international

community and news media with better access to the country.

Ambassador added that this should include cooperation with

the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to allow

inspections. The Foreign Minister said he hoped President

Obama would authorize greater contact with Iran, because a

lack of engagement has led to misunderstandings in the past.

——-

Comment

——-

¶6. (C) The Foreign Minister made it clear that he believes

the key to resolving the impasse in Zimbabwe is for the two

sides to commit to working together, but he offered no new

ideas about how that could be achieved. This meeting as well

as Ambassador’s recent conversation with Prime Minister

Angula (ref A) indicate that Namibia is increasingly

concerned about the deterioration in Zimbabwe but, at the

same time, Namibia is not yet ready to call for the departure

of Mugabe.

MATHIEU

(13 VIEWS)