South Africa’s ambassador to Zimbabwe Jeremiah Ndou said President Robert Mugabe was being misled by his inner circle of friends especially Information Minister Jonathan Moyo because he was “not good friends with the truth”.
Ndou said the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front had accused him and other Southern African Development Community ambassadors of distorting facts about what was actually happening in Zimbabwe.
He said that SADC members had urged the Zimbabweans to go to the International Monetary Fund to try to normalise relations, a move that the donors would notice but negotiation, not the “go to hell” approach so far adopted by the government of Zimbabwe, was needed.
He admitted that quiet diplomacy was not working: “The Zimbabweans will agree in private, then contradict these understandings as soon as they walk out the door”.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 01HARARE2731, SADC DIPLOMATS PROVIDE READOUT ON SEPTEMBER
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
180528Z Sep 01
CONFIDENTIAL PTO0603
PAGE 01 HARARE 02731 01 OF 04 180546Z
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SRPP-00 DS-00 EUR-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00
L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NRRC-00 NSAE-00 OMB-01 PA-00
PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 IRM-00 SSO-00
SS-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 R-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00
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——————20B926 180546Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9734
INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY IMMEDIATE
NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 HARARE 002731
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF; AF/S; AND AF/RA
NSC FOR SENIOR DIRECTOR FRAZER
LONDON FOR GURNEY
PARIS FOR NEARY
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/06
SUBJECT: SADC DIPLOMATS PROVIDE READOUT ON SEPTEMBER
10 AND 11 MEETING IN HARARE
REF: LILONGWE 1773
CLASSIFIED BY DCM REWHITEHEAD DUE TO 1.5 (B) AND (D).
¶1. (C) SUMMARY. CHARGE AND DCM HELD A SEREIS OF
MEETINGS WITH THE HIGH COMMISSIONERS/COUNSELORS OF
MOZAMBIQUE, MALAWI, AND SOUTH AFRICA LATE LAST WEEK TO
OBTAIN THEIR VIEWS ON SEPTEMBER 10 AND 11 MEETINGS
BETWEEN MUGABE AND THE ZIMBABWEANS AND SADC CHIEFS OF
STATE. ALL THREE EXPRESSED SOME DEGREE OF PESSIMISM,
BUT THERE WERE CLEAR NUANCES OF OPINION. THE SOUTH
AFRICAN WAS MOST OPTIMISTIC ABOUT POTENTIAL GOZ
ADHERENCE TO SOME ASPECTS OF THE ABUJA AGREEMENT. THE
MALAWIANS AND SOUTH AFRICANS BOTH COMPLAINED ABOUT
NEGATIVE COVERAGE IN THE GOZ PRESS ABOUT MULUZI AND
MBEKI FOR THEIR ALLEGEDLY PRO-UK AND U.S. STANCES DURING
THE MEETING. THE SOUTH AFRICANS AND MOZAMBICANS ALSO
EXPRESSED DISCOMFORT WITH THE MILITANCY AND LACK OF
DISCRETION OF TSVANGIRAI AND THE MDC. CERTAIN IMPORTANT
AGENDA ITEMS, INCLUDING THE PRESENCE OF INTERNATIONAL
ELECTION OBSERVERS, WERE NOT COVERED DUE A LACK OF TIME.
THE NEXT STEP IS A FOLLOW-UP BY A TEAM OF SADC
MINISTERS, NOT YET SCHEDULED BUT HOPEFULLY BEFORE THE
BRISBANE SUMMIT. THIS PRESENTS US WITH AN OPPORTUNITY
TO APPROACH OUR FRIENDS IN SADC AND THE COMMONWEALTH TO
URGE THAT THESE ELECTORAL ISSUES ARE RAISED AT THE
COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING (CHOGM). END
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 02731 01 OF 04 180546Z
SUMMARY.
———-
MOZAMBIQUE
———-
¶2. (C) HIGH COMMISSIONER ANTONIO SUMBANA STATED THAT,
IN THE WAKE OF THE MEETINGS, PERHAPS “WE SHOULD
CONCLUDE” THAT SOUTHERN AFRICA WILL REMAIN EMBROILED IN
CONFLICT. HE LABELED THIS A PROBLEM FOR MOZAMBIQUE,
WHICH REMAINS CLOSELY LINKED TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND
SERVICES OF BOTH ZIMBABWE AND SOUTH AFRICA. HE SAID
THAT THE HARARE EETING CONCENTRATED ON LAW AND ORDER,
WITH THE SDC DELEGATIONS STRESSING THE NEED FOR
TRANSPARENY ON THE PART OF THE GOZ, AND GOZ ACTION
RATHER TAN WORDS. IN RESPONSE, CHINOTIMBA AND THE WAR
VTERANS CHARGED INTERFERENCE IN INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
SUMBANA SAID THAT THE GOZ PERCEIVE SOUTH AFRICA AN
MOZAMBIQUE AS WESTERN PROXIES. THE ZIMBABWEANSCLAIMED
THAT VIOLENCE REMAINS ISOLATED AND THAT SCURITY FORCES
REACT WHEN THEY ARE INFORMED OF INIDENTS. THE GOZ ALSO
STRESSED THAT THEIR ACTION ARE LEGAL. SUMBANA SAID
THAT THE SADC DELEGATINS COUNTERED BY URGING THE GOZ TO
DELIST QUALIFID PROPERTIES AS PROMISED IN ABUJA, ESCHEW
VIOLENC, AND SEEK DIALOGUE.
¶3. (C) SUMBANA CONTINUED HAT THE GOZ ATTEMPTED TO PUT
A POSITIVE SPIN ON HINGS. THEY CITED THE UNDP ROLE
ACCEPTED N ABJA AND SAID THAT A UNDP TEAM WOULD ASSESS
THE LAND DISTRIBUTION SITUATION. SADC DELEGATES POINTED
TO THE UK COMMITMENT IN ABUJA AND ADVISED MUGABE TO SIT
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 02731 01 OF 04 180546Z
DOWN WITH UK HIGH COMMISSIONER DONNELLY TO DISCUSS
BRITISH UNDERTAKINGS. THEY SAID THAT SADC WAS AWARE OF
THE PROBLEM WITH AGRICULTURAL INPUTS FOR RESETTLED
PERSONS, TO WHICH THE ZIMBABWEANS DECLARED THAT SADC
NEEDED TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION. MUGABE REACTED
CAREFULLY TO SADC STATEMENTS THAT THE GOZ NEEDS TO LOOK
FOR POSITIVES, SINCE CONFRONTATION HAS THE POTENTIAL TO
SPLIT SADC. THE SADC DELEGATES AGREED WITH THE
ZIMBABWEANS THAT LAND REFORM IS ACCEPTABLE BUT SAID THAT
THE CURRENT METHODS BEING USED ARE NOT.
¶4. (C) THE NEXT PHASE OF THE MEETING CONSISTED OF
TRIPARTITE ENCOUNTERS BETWEEN THE SADC AND GOZ
DELEGATIONS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF OPPOSITION POLITICAL
PARTIES, LABOR, THE CHURCHES, AND CIVIL SOCIETY. (FOR
SPECIFICS, SEE THE COMMUNIQUE FAXED TO AF/S.) SUMBANA
SAID THAT THE SADC DELEGATES WERE AWARE THAT THE
ZIMBABWEANS HAD TRIED TO STAGE-MANAGE THE EVENT BY
PACKING THE SCHEDULE WITH THEIR SUPPORTERS, INCLUDING
WAR VETERANS, A PET LABOR CONFEDERATION, AND RUMP NGOS.
TO SOME DEGREE THIS STRATEGY BACKFIRED, AS EXEMPLIFIED
BY WAR VETERAN DEMANDS THAT THE GOZ GIVE THE VETS HOMES
AND MONEY TO INVEST AS WELL AS LAND.
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL PTO0604
PAGE 01 HARARE 02731 02 OF 04 180546Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 USNW-00 DODE-00 DOEE-00
SRPP-00 DS-00 EUR-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00
L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NRRC-00 NSAE-00 OMB-01 PA-00
PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 IRM-00 SSO-00
SS-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 R-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00
DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /005W
——————20B937 180546Z /38
O 180528Z SEP 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9735
INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY IMMEDIATE
NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 04 HARARE 002731
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF; AF/S; AND AF/RA
NSC FOR SENIOR DIRECTOR FRAZER
LONDON FOR GURNEY
PARIS FOR NEARY
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/06
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 02731 02 OF 04 180546Z
SUBJECT: SADC DIPLOMATS PROVIDE READOUT ON SEPTEMBER
10 AND 11 MEETING IN HARARE
¶5. (C) ACCORDING TO SUMBANA, THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS
UNION OFFERED A NUANCED AND NON-CONFRONTATIONAL VIEW OF
WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE. SUMBANA SAID THAT TSVANGIRAI,
WHO TOOK THE LEAD FOR THE MDC, WAS “TOO MILITANT.” HE
SAID THAT THE MDC MUST BECOME MORE PRAGMATIC AND ATTEMPT
TO DEPERSONALIZE ITS APPROACH TO MUGABE. SUMBANA SAID
THAT THE MDC MUST FORGE A STRATEGY FOR RECONCILIATION,
INCLUDING SOME POSSIBLE STATUE OF LIMITATIONS FOR MUGABE
AND OTHER SENIOR ZANU-PF OFFICIALS. GIVE AND TAKE WOULD
BE THE KEY TO SUCCESS. SADC WAS TRYING TO SET UP TALKS
BETWEEN THE GOZ AND MDC, BUT MDC LEADERSHIP WAS
DIFFICULT.
¶6. (C) SUMBANA EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS ESSENTIAL THAT THE
GOZ HAVE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF CONTACTS BETWEEN SADC STATES
AND THE ZIMBABWEAN OPPOSITION IN ORDER NOT TO STOKE THE
PARANOIA OF THE GOZ. HOWEVER, THE MDC HAD SHOWN A LACK
OF DISCRETION IN ITS DEALINGS WITH OUTSIDERS, PREFERRING
TO SCORE PUBLIC RELATIONS POINTS RATHER THAN ADVANCING
NEGOTIATIONS. HE CITED A MEETING IN LATE 2000 IN SOUTH
AFRICA BETWEEN AN OFFICIAL OF THE MOZAMBICAN MINISTRY OF
HOME AFFAIRS AND THE MDC. DESPITE AN AGREED COMMUNIQUE,
THE MDC HAD GONE TO THE PRESS AND SPILLED THE DETAILS OF
THE DISCUSSION, INACCURATELY CLAIMING THAT THE
MOZAMBICAN HOME AFFAIRS MINISTER HAD PARTICIPATED.
SUMBANA SAID THAT HE DID NOT KNOW IF THE MALAWIANS OR
SOUTH AFRICANS HAD MANAGED TO CARRY ON A DISCREET
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 02731 02 OF 04 180546Z
DIALOGUE WITH THE MDC.
¶7. (C) SUMBANA BRIEFLY DISCUSSED SOME OF MOZAMBIQUE’S
IMMEDIATE INTERESTS IN A NEGOTIATED SOLUTION TO
ZIMBABWE’S POLITICAL/ECONOMIC CRISIS. IN ADDITION TO
MAJOR TRADE AND INFRASTRUCTURE TIES, AN ESTIMATED 16,000
MOZAMBICANS LIVE IN ZIMBABWE, MOST IN THE CAPACITY OF
COMMERCIAL FARM WORKERS AND MINERS. SINCE MANY ARE
SECOND GENERATION AND FOR ALL PURPOSES HAVE BECOME
ZIMBABWEANS, THERE ARE NO ACCURATE FIGURES BEYOND THE
5,000 OR SO WHOM THE MOZAMBICAN HIGH COMMISSION BELIEVES
CAN LEGALLY CLAIM MOZAMBICAN CITIZENSHIP.
¶8. (C) THE CHARGE STRESSED THAT ONCE SADC HAS GAINED
MUGABE’S CONFIDENCE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE THE
NEED FOR CLEAN AND PEACEFUL ELECTIONS, PREFERABLY
BUTTRESSED BY PRE-ELECTION VOTER EDUCATION. ABOVE ALL
ELSE, THERE SHOULD BE NO ATTEMPT TO DELINK POLITICS FROM
ECONOMICS. SUMBANA REPLIED THAT A GO-SLOW APPROACH,
WITH PRIORITIES CLEARLY ESTABLISHED, WAS BEST. HE SAID
THAT PRESS REPORTS OF A SADC DEADLINE FOR ZIMBABWEAN
ACTION WERE INACCURATE. A TEAM OF MINISTER WILL FOLLOW
UP AND PROVIDE THE REPORTING MECHANISM.
——
MALAWI
——
¶9. (C) DEPUTY HIGH COMMISSIONER ELIAS CHIJOTA SAID THAT
HIS BOSS, CURRENTLY ILL AND OUT OF THE OFFICE, HAD
ATTENDED MORE OF THE SESSIONS THAN CHIJOTA HAD. HE
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 02731 02 OF 04 180546Z
REPEATED THE MESSAGE (REFTEL) THAT THE GOM IS NOT
PLEASED BY ATTACKS ON PRESIDENT MULUZI IN THE OFFICIAL
GOZ PRESS DUE TO MULUZI’S FRANK COMMENTS ON THE
DETERIORATING SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE AND ITS IMPACT ON
THE REGION. CHIJOTA SAID THAT THERE WAS WIDESPREAD
SKEPTICISM AMONG MALAWIAN POLICYMAKERS ABOUT THE GOZ’S
COMMITMENT TO MEASURES THEY HAD ACCEPTED IN ABUJA,
INCLUDING AN END TO VIOLENCE AND NEW FARM OCCUPATIONS.
HE SCOFFED AT THE LIST OF OUTSIDE PARTICIPANTS THAT THE
GOZ “HAD IMPOSED” FOR THE SERIES OF TRILATERAL SESSIONS
BUT NOTED THAT MDC, CFU, AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVES HAD
AT TIMES MADE MUGABE AND THE GOZ SQUIRM. HE CONCLUDED
THAT THERE WAS NO WAY THE GOZ COUD OBSCURE THE TRUTH.
¶10. (SBU) CHIJOTA CLAIMEDTHAT THE GOM HAS SPECIAL
CONCERNS ABOUT THE INCRASINGLY DIFFICULT SITUATION IN
ZIMBABWE, SINCE A MANY AS 2 MILLION INDIVIDUALS LIVING
HERE CAN CLIM MALAWIAN ANCESTRY. WHEN DCM EXPRESSED
SURPRIE AT THIS NUMBER, CHIJOTA STATED THAT A LACK OF
ECORDS PREVENTS ANY TRULY ACCURATE ESTIMATE. HOWEVER,
THE NUMBERS ARE HUGE, AND THIS MASS RISKS BECOMING
STATELESS PERSONS IF THE GOZ PERSISTS IN PURSUING
PRESENT HARD-LINE POLICIES AGAINST FARM WORKERS. HE
ADDED THAT THUS FAR, TO HIS SURPRISE, VIRTUALLY NO ONE
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL PTO0605
PAGE 01 HARARE 02731 03 OF 04 180546Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 USNW-00 DODE-00 DOEE-00
SRPP-00 DS-00 EUR-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00
L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NRRC-00 NSAE-00 OMB-01 PA-00
PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 IRM-00 SSO-00
SS-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 R-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00
DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /005W
——————20B942 180546Z /38
O 180528Z SEP 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9736
INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY IMMEDIATE
NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 04 HARARE 002731
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF; AF/S; AND AF/RA
NSC FOR SENIOR DIRECTOR FRAZER
LONDON FOR GURNEY
PARIS FOR NEARY
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/06
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 02731 03 OF 04 180546Z
SUBJECT: SADC DIPLOMATS PROVIDE READOUT ON SEPTEMBER
10 AND 11 MEETING IN HARARE
HAD TURNED UP AT THE HIGH COMMISSION TO REQUEST
REPATRIATION TO MALAWI.
————
SOUTH AFRICA
————
¶11. (C) HIGH COMMISSIONER A.J.D. NDOU OFFERED A
SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT VIEW OF THE MEETING THAN HAD HIS
MOZAMBICAN COUNTERPART. HE LED OFF WITH A PREAMBLE ON
THE SENSITIVITIES IN THE ZIMBABWE/SOUTH AFRICAN
BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP STEMMING FROM THE PRE-
INDEPENDENCE SCHISM BETWEEN THE ZANU/CHINESE/PAC POLE
AND THE ANC/ZAPU POLE. MANDELA’S METEORIC ACCESSION TO
GLOBAL PROMINENCE IN THE EARLY 1990’S HAD COMPLETELY
OVERSHADOWED MUGABE’S ROLE AND FURTHER EXACERBATED THE
STRAINS. NDOU SAID THAT CURRENT RELATIONS BETWEEN THE
TWO COUNTRIES MUST BE APPROACHED FROM THIS HISTORICAL
PERSPECTIVE. THIS WAS ONE REASON WHY THE GOZ HAD
ACCUSED SOUTH AFRICA (AND MALAWI) OF CARRYING THE WATER
FOR THE UK AND US ON THE LAND REFORM ISSUE.
¶12. (C) NDOU CHARACTERIZED THE RESULTS OF THE MEETING
AS MIXED. ON THE NEGATIVE SIDE, THEY HAD BEEN UNABLE TO
CONCLUDE THE AGENDA, INCLUDING THE IMPORTANT ITEM OF
ELECTION MONITORING. NDOU SAID IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF
THE EVENT HAD BEEN MINIMIZED IN THE LAST-MINUTE RUSH TO
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 02731 03 OF 04 180546Z
AGREE ON A JOINT COMMUNIQUE. HE SAID THAT MUGABE HAD
BEEN CLEARLY DISCOMFITTED BY HIS FIRST FACE-TO-FACE
MEETING WITH TSVANGIRAI IN THREE YEARS. HE ADDED THAT
TSVANGIRAI WAS WELL SPOKEN AND DID NOT RISE TO THE JIBES
SIPDIS
OF MUGABE’S ENTOURAGE, INSTEAD INSISTING THAT IT WAS
TIME FOR EVERYONE TO ADMIT THAT ZIMBABWE WAS IN A
CRISIS. NDOU SAID THAT TSVANGIRAI HAD STRESSED THAT
CONFRONTING COMMON PROBLEMS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN
SCORING PUBLICITY POINTS.
¶13. (C) IN SPITE OF THE DOWNSIDES, NDOU CONTINUED,
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PLUSES. THE ATTEMPT TO CREATE A
BROAD INTERPARTY COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE THE CRISIS HAD
FAILED, BUT THERE HAD BEEN AGREEMENT TO FORM A
MULTIPARTY PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE. NDOU SAID THAT HE
THOUGHT THAT MUGABE WOULD FOLLOW THROUGH ON SOME ABUJA
COMMITMENTS, ALTHOUGH IT WAS CLEAR THAT ZIMBABWE AND THE
UK EACH HAD A VERY DIFFERENT PERCEPTION ON WHAT HAD BEEN
AGREED THERE.
¶14. (C) NDOU SAID THAT PERCEPTIONS REMAIN A LARGE PART
OF THE PROBLEM. THE SADC DELEGATES HAD URGED THE GOZ
SIDE TO UNDERSTAND THAT, WHATEVER THE GOZ VIEW, THERE
WAS AN INTERNATIONAL PERCEPTION OF LAWLESSNESS IN
ZIMBABWE. NDOU SAID THAT BREAD AND JOBS ARE THE ISSUES
THAT PREOCCUPY MOST ZIMBABWEANS, NOT LAND. HOWEVER,
MUGABE AND MANY IN THE GOZ SEEM GENUINELY TOO BELIEVE
THAT LAND IS THE CENTRAL ISSUE. SADC ATTEMPTS TO
PROMOTE THE TWIN THEMES OF THE ECONOMY AND THE LAND
DURING THE MEETINGS HAD FAILED TO MOVE THE GOZ OFF ITS
FOCUS ON LAND. NDOU SAID HE FELT THAT AN INCREASINGLY
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 02731 03 OF 04 180546Z
ISOLATED MUGABE HAD BEEN MISLED BY HIS INNER CIRCLE ON
THIS POINT, ESPECIALLY CHIEF ZANU PROPAGANDIST CUM
INFORMATION MINISTER JONATHAN MOYO, “WHO IS NOT GOOD
FRIENDS WITH THE TRUTH.” IN DIPLOMATIC APPROACHES IN
VARIOUS SADC CAPITALS, ZANU-PF HAD ACCUSED NDOU AND
OTHER SADC AMBASSADORS OF DISTORTING THE FACTS ABOUT
WHAT WAS ACTUALLY GOING ON IN ZIMBABWE.
¶15. (C) NDOU SAID THAT THE SADC MEMBERS HAD URGED THE
ZIMBABWEANS TO GO TO THE IMF AND TRY TO NORMALIZE
RELATIONS, A MOVE THAT THE DONORS WOULD NOTICE. NDOU
ADDED THAT NEGOTIATION, NOT THE “GO TO HELL” APPROACH
HERETOFORE ADOPTED BY THE GOZ, WAS NEEDED. HE ADMITTED
THAT QUIET DIPLOMACY WAS NOT WORKING: “THE ZIMBABWEANS
WILL AGREE IN PRIVATE, THEN CONTRADICT THESE
UNDERSTANDINGS AS SOON AS THEY WALK OUT THE DOOR.”
¶16. (C) NDOU DID NOT VIEW THE ABUJA AGREEMENT AS A
MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH FOR THE UN. HE SAID THE LAND REFORM
POSITION AGREED TO BY THE UNDP IN DECEMBER, 2000 HAD
BEEN IRREVOCABLY ALTERED BY SUBSEQUENT EVENTS ON THE
GROUND. ZIMBABWEAN FOREIGN MINISTER MUDENGE’S
ACCEPTANCE OF THE FORMER UNDP POSITION WAS MEANINGLESS.
NDOU SAID THAT SADC AND MBEKI HAD WORKED TO GET UNSYG
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL PTO0606
PAGE 01 HARARE 02731 04 OF 04 180546Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 USNW-00 DODE-00 DOEE-00
SRPP-00 DS-00 EUR-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00
L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NRRC-00 NSAE-00 OMB-01 PA-00
PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 IRM-00 SSO-00
SS-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 R-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00
DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /005W
——————20B947 180546Z /38
O 180528Z SEP 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9737
INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY IMMEDIATE
NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 04 OF 04 HARARE 002731
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF; AF/S; AND AF/RA
NSC FOR SENIOR DIRECTOR FRAZER
LONDON FOR GURNEY
PARIS FOR NEARY
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/06
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 02731 04 OF 04 180546Z
SUBJECT: SADC DIPLOMATS PROVIDE READOUT ON SEPTEMBER
10 AND 11 MEETING IN HARARE
ANNAN MORE INVOLVED IN THE EQUATION. IN AN ASIDE, NDOU
SAID THAT MBEKI’S RAPID DEPARTURE FROM THE CONFERENCE
HALL, REPORTED IN THE OPPOSITION PRESS AS MBEKI STORMING
OUT IN REACTION TO WAR VETERAN STATEMENTS, HAD IN FACT
BEEN A RUSH UPSTAIRS TO FIELD A PRE-ARRANGED PHONE CALL
FROM ANNAN. HE SAID THAT THE GOZ HAS REJECTED A
PROPOSED VISIT BY THE UNDP LAND REFORM ASSESSMENT TEAM
BECAUSE OF A DIFFERENCE OVER TERMS OF REFERENCE. NDOU
SAID THAT THE VISIT OF THE SADC MINISTERIAL FOLLOW-UP
TEAM HAS NOT YET BEEN SCHEDULED, ALTHOUGH HE EXPECTS
THIS TO OCCUR BEFORE THE BRISBANE CHOGM MEETING.
——-
COMMENT
——-
¶17. (C) NEIGHBORING SADC COUNTRIES ARE INCREASINGLY
CONCERNED WITH THE RAMIFICATIONS OF MUGABE’S POLICIES ON
THEIR OWN WELFARE AND INCREASINGLY WILLING TO TELL HIM
SO TO HIS FACE. THIS PROVIDES AN OPENING FOR US, IF THE
SADC MINISTERIAL FOLLOW-UP COMES OFF BEFORE BRISBANE, TO
URGE REGIONAL STATES TO ADDRESS THE FULL AGENDA OF
ELECTORAL ISSUES: VOTER TRAINING, INTERNATIONAL ELECTION
MONITORS, AND AN OPEN AND TRANSPARENT VOTING PROCESS.
AN INCREASINGLY ISOLATED MUGABE MAY BE FORCED TO LISTEN
TO HIS COUNTERPARTS, AS HE DID ON SEPTEMBER 10 AND 11,
WHETHER OR NOT HE LIKES THE MESSAGE THEY BRING. END
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 02731 04 OF 04 180546Z
COMMENT.
ROTH
CONFIDENTIAL
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