SADC leaders pile pressure on Kabila to accept Masire as mediator

Zimbabwe’s Southern African Development Community allies in the Democratic Republic of Congo conflict, Namibian President Sam Nujoma, DRC President Laurent Kabila and Angolan President Jose Eduardo do Santos met in Harare on 25 June 2000 to apply pressure on Kabila to accept Sir Ketumile Masire as facilitator of the national dialogue.

According to a local radio broadcast, President Kabila remained adamant in his rejection of the former Botswana head of state.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 00HARARE3465, MINI SUMMIT IN HARARE PRESSURES KABILA TO ACCEPT MASIRE AS

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

CONFIDENTIAL     PTO5459

PAGE 01       HARARE 03465 251503Z

ACTION AF-00

INFO LOG-00   NP-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00 SMEC-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00

DS-00   EUR-00   VC-00   H-01     TEDE-00 INR-00   IO-00

LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01   NSAE-00 OIC-02   OMB-01

OPIC-01 PA-00   PM-00   PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00

SSO-00   TRSE-00 USIE-00 PMB-00   DSCC-00 DRL-02   G-00

NFAT-00 SAS-00   SWCI-00   /009W

——————66B7E2 251503Z /38

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6417

INFO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE

NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE

AMEMBASSY KAMPALA

AMEMBASSY KIGALI

AMEMBASSY KINSHASA

AMEMBASSY LUANDA

AMEMBASSY LUSAKA

AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK

SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 003465

SIPDIS

USUN FOR AMBASSADOR HOLBROOKE

LONDON FOR PFLAUMER

PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02       HARARE 03465 251503Z

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/26/10

TAGS: PREL PGOV ZI CG

SUBJECT: MINI SUMMIT IN HARARE PRESSURES KABILA TO ACCEPT MASIRE AS

FACILITATOR

CLASSIFIED BY DCM EARL M. IRVING FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D).

(C) NAMIBIAN PRESIDENT SAM NUJOMA, CONGOLESE PRESIDENT LAURENT KABILA

AND ANGOLAN PRESIDENT JOSE EDUARDO DE SANTOS, ZIMBABWE’S SADC ALLIES IN

THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO CONFLICT, CONVERGED ON HARARE FOR

A ONE-DAY MINI SUMMIT ON JUNE 25, HOSTED BY PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE.

DETAILS OF THEIR AGENDA REMAIN SKETCHY, ALTHOUGH ONE ZIMBABWEAN

GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL TOLD US THAT ITS MAIN PURPOSE WAS TO APPLY PRESSURE

ON CONGOLESE PRESIDENT KABILA TO ACCEPT SIR KETUMILE MASIRE AS

FACILITATOR OF THE NATIONAL DIALOGUE. OUR SOURCE ADDED THAT THE ALLIES

WERE TO HAVE BEEN QUITE BLUNT WITH THE CONGOLESE PRESIDENT, GIVING HIM

THE OPTION OF EITHER ACCEPTING MASIRE OR FORCING THEM TO ABANDON HIM.

ACCORDING TO A LOCAL RADIO BROADCAST, PRESIDENT KABILA REMAINED ADAMANT

IN HIS REJECTION OF THE FORMER BOTSWANA HEAD OF STATE.

MCDONALD

CONFIDENTIAL

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