Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai was aware after the presidential election runoff which he pulled out of that he could not lead any new government.
When asked to comment on media reports that the European Union would only recognise a Tsvangirai-led government in Zimbabwe, Tsvangirai replied on 2 July, less than a week after the presidential poll: “I say: Thank you very much. But that is not necessarily the reality that we face.”
Tsvangirai’s hopes had been dashed when the African Union refused to condemn President Robert Mugabe and accepted his participation at their summit three days after the poll.
Tsvangirai said he was willing to negotiate with Mugabe, but only for a transitional arrangement which would be people driven.
Unlike his secretary-general Tendai Biti who put an 18-month limit, Tsvangirai said “the time frame is up to the people; as long as it takes”.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 08HARARE585, TSVANGIRAI REACTS TO AFRICAN UNION RESOLUTION
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VZCZCXRO8347
OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0585/01 1841559
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 021559Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3128
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2112
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2232
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0770
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1509
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1867
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2288
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4719
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1378
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000585
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR S. HILL
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
DRL FOR KGILBRIDE
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E. LOKEN AND L. DOBBINS
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC PHUM KDEM ZI
SUBJECT: TSVANGIRAI REACTS TO AFRICAN UNION RESOLUTION
REF: A. HARARE 583
¶B. HARARE 582
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4(d).
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: On July 2, opposition Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai gave the
official party reaction to the African Union’s (AU)
Resolution on Zimbabwe. He opened by asserting that violence
throughout the country continues. Tsvangirai stated that the
AU statement following last weekend’s summit did not
adequately condemn the ongoing political violence in Zimbabwe
or refute the legitimacy of a Mugabe presidency, despite
recent statements by the Pan-African Parliament, Southern
African Development Community (SADC), and AU election
observer missions acknowledging the violence and lack of
credibility of the June 27 presidential run-off. Tsvangirai
dismissed AU support for a government of national unity (GNU)
and denied any ongoing talks with the Mugabe regime, but
stated that he would welcome renewed negotiations with
ZANU-PF in order to establish a transitional government based
on the March 29 election (in which the MDC won the majority
of the vote). However, Tsvangirai stated that MDC
participation was contingent on a set time-frame of talks and
the presence of a mediator from the African Union. END
SUMMARY.
————————-
Regime violence continues
————————-
¶2. (U) Citing the deaths of nine MDC supporters and new
reports of beatings and displacement of “hundreds” since the
June 27 contest, Tsvangirai claimed that
politically-motivated violence in Zimbabwe was not abating.
According to the MDC, 500 people in Manicaland Province were
displaced over the weekend and sought shelter at MDC offices
in Mutare. In Masvingo Province, an MDC violence report
noted an increase in politically-motivated rape at ZANU-PF
torture camps since Friday. In Mashonaland Central, the MDC
reported that about 2,000 families were living in the
mountains after fleeing violence in the province. In
Mashonaland East, the MDC stated that all opposition party
councillors remained in hiding. Nationwide, the MDC reported
that “thousands” of its supporters were still missing and
that “a general atmosphere of fear and violence continues to
pervade the entire country.” Tsvangirai called on ZANU-PF to
immediately stop the violence, disband militia bases and
torture camps, and halt the “partisan operations” of security
services.
——————————————— —
Condemns GNU, welcomes “transitional government”
——————————————— —
¶3. (U) Tsvangirai chastised the AU resolution for not
overtly condemning the credibility of the June 27 election
results or for acknowledging that “most” African leaders
refused to recognize Mugabe as head of state. Tsvangirai
stated that a government of national unity (GNU) would not
address the problems in Zimbabwe or reflect the will of the
people, as demonstrated in the March 29 national elections.
As such, Tsvangirai stated that the MDC was not interested in
a GNU, but would welcome a negotiated “transitional
government or agreement” intended to establish a
“people-driven” period of transition (“the time frame is up
to the people; as long as it takes”). Tsvangirai stated that
the goals of the transition period should be for a new
constitution to be drafted and for the demilitarization
(“de-ZANLAfication,” according to Tsvangirai, in a reference
to Mugabe’s military during the civil war) of democratic
HARARE 00000585 002 OF 002
institutions to occur.
——————————————— –
Unhappy with Mbeki, an appeal for AU mediators
——————————————— –
¶4. (C) However, Tsvangirai declared that the MDC would only
participate in talks with ZANU-PF if the mediation team was
expanded beyond the SADC-mandated leadership of South African
President Thabo Mbeki to include at least one permanent
representative from the African Union and the establishment
of a clear time frame (Tsvangirai suggested two weeks).
Tsvangirai expressed his disappointment at “years” of
unsuccessful talks under Mbeki, and stated that the MDC would
no longer “dialogue for the sake of dialogue” alone. (NOTE:
In talks today with MDC negotiators Tendai Biti, Elton
Mangoma, and Welshman Ncube (refs), none seemed insistent on
the addition of an AU mediator as a sine qua non for talks.
END NOTE.)
———————–
The succession question
———————–
¶5. (U) Noting that “our struggle is not about power, but
democracy,” Tsvangirai referenced the utility of negotiated
settlements in Angola, Mozambique and other African nations.
He repeatedly stated that questions about what his role would
be in a new government were “details” to be worked out in
negotiations. When asked to comment on media reports that
the European Union would only recognize a Tsvangirai-led
government in Zimbabwe, Tsvangirai replied, “I say: Thank you
very much. But that is not necessarily the reality that we
face.”
——-
COMMENT
——-
¶6. (C) Clearly disappointed in the African Union’s
resolution, Tsvangirai nonetheless looked to the AU to play
an active role in future talks between the MDC and ZANU-PF.
Tsvangirai’s rhetoric suggested his openness to a negotiated
settlement and flexibility regarding his position within a
new government. However, whether the AU will be willing to
step into discussions that are considered the purview of
President Mbeki, ZANU-PF’s willingness to seriously consider
relinquishing even some of its power and the wisdom of
allowing Mugabe regime elements to participate in a new
government remain unknown.
¶7. (C) As noted Reftel, we are still uncertain as to the
level of violence and whether it is subsiding. Raising the
issue of violence, as Tsvangirai did, serves to keep Zimbabwe
in the international spotlight, but more assessment and
analysis on this issue is warranted. END COMMENT.
McGee
(46 VIEWS)
