Categories: Stories

US baffled by Noriega’s daughter’s criticism of Mugabe- Wikileaks

Former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega’s daughter, Thays Noriega, wanted the United Nations Security Council to take stern action against Zimbabwe just before the 2008 presidential elections because President Robert Mugabe could not be rewarded for thwarting the opposition.

Her sentiments seem to have baffled United States officials who were lobbying members of the United Nations Security Council, including Panama, to condemn the violence that erupted after the disputed March 2008 elections.

The United States and Britain were lobbying to get Zimbabwe on the United Nations agenda so that the world body could impose sanctions on the Southern African country. They were also pressing for a Security Council resolution that would have allowed military intervention in Zimbabwe. But the moves were thwarted by Russia and China.

Noreiga’s daughter said it was critical for the Security Council to act because the Human Rights Council could not effectively deal with the conflict in Zimbabwe.

Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai was forced to pull out of the presidential race though he had won the first round in March.

Noriega’s comments seem to have baffled US officials who commented: “Noriega is the youngest daughter of former Panamanian dictator Manuel Antoinio Noriega, currently under preventive detention in Florida pending resolution of a French extradition request. In this case, the daughter’s condemnation of Mugabe’s tactics against Zimbabwe’s opposition — tactics her own father might have used — was particularly striking. Her off the cuff remark that the HRC could not be expected to respond effectively as the UNSC might was also particularly revealing.”

 

Below are the four cables on Panama and Zimbabwe:

Viewing cable 08PANAMA510, PANAMA: JUNE 23 MEETING ON ZIMBABWE

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Reference ID

Created

Released

Classification

Origin

08PANAMA510

2008-06-23 18:55

2011-05-31 00:00

CONFIDENTIAL

Embassy Panama

VZCZCXYZ0003

OO RUEHWEB

 

DE RUEHZP #0510 1751855

ZNY CCCCC ZZH

O 231855Z JUN 08

FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2203

INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 000510

 

SIPDIS

 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2018

TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM UNSC ZI PM

SUBJECT: PANAMA: JUNE 23 MEETING ON ZIMBABWE

 

REF: STATE 66915

 

Classified By: POLCOUNS Brian R. Naranjo. Reason: 1.4 (d)

 

——————————————

Panama Supports UNSC Engagement on Zimbabwe

——————————————-

 

1. (C) “Panama fully supports (UK PM) Gordon Brown’s recent

statement regarding the violence in Zimbabwe,” Panamanian MFA

UNSC Advisor Janio Tunon told POL Fellow on June 23. Now

that the opposition had pulled out of the upcoming elections,

MFA UNSC Team ExecSec Thays Noriega told POLCOUNS that it was

even more important for the UNSC to take action so that

Mugabe “could not be rewarded for collapsing the opposition.”

Panama supported a PRST on Zimbabwe, both Tunon and Noriega

said, but was interested in hearing what South Africa would

have to say in private before the June 23 public meeting.

Panama intended to make a national statement as well, both

confirmed. Noting that the Human Rights Council was in no

position to deal effectively with the growing conflict in

Zimbabwe, Noriega said that it was all the more critical that

the UNSC act. Noriega said Panama would support making

Zimbabwe an agenda item for the Council.

 

——-

Comment

——-

 

2. (C) Noriega is the youngest daughter of former Panamanian

dictator Manuel Antoinio Noriega, currently under preventive

detention in Florida pending resolution of a French

extradition request. In this case, the daughter’s

condemnation of Mugabe’s tactics against Zimbabwe’s

opposition — tactics her own father might have used — was

particularly striking. Her off the cuff remark that the HRC

could not be expected to respond effectively as the UNSC

might was also particularly revealing.

EATON

 

 

 

 

 

Viewing cable 08PANAMA541, PANAMA: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON SUPPORT FOR UNSC

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Reference ID

Created

Released

Classification

Origin

08PANAMA541

2008-07-02 20:13

2011-05-31 00:00

CONFIDENTIAL

Embassy Panama

VZCZCXYZ0003

OO RUEHWEB

 

DE RUEHZP #0541 1842013

ZNY CCCCC ZZH

O 022013Z JUL 08

FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2236

INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 000541

 

SIPDIS

 

STATE FOR: WHA/CEN (E.TELLO),

 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2018

TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM UNSC PM ZI

SUBJECT: PANAMA: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON SUPPORT FOR UNSC

RESOLUTION ON ZIMBABWE

 

REF: A. STATE 69693 AND

B. PANAMA 529

 

Classified By: ADCM TOM MESA, REASONS 1.4 (d)

 

POL delivered reftel demarche to Panamanian MFA Security

Council Advisor Janio Tunon on July 2nd. Tunon stated that

the MFA Security Council advisors would review and submit the

text of the draft resolution to Panama’s mission in New York.

As stated in POL’s discussion with MFA (reftel B), Tunon

reaffirmed that the GOP remained concerned with the

increasing violence in Zimbabwe and agreed that dialogue

between Zimbabwe’s opposition and Mugabe was necessary to

solve this issue. Tunon reiterated that Panama would like to

see South Africa play a more aggressive role and pressure the

Government of Zimbabwe to end violence and engage in dialogue

with the opposition.

EATON

 

 

 

 

 

Viewing cable 08PANAMA563, PANAMA: DEMARCHE DELIVERED FOR UNSC RESOLUTION ON

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Reference ID

Created

Released

Classification

Origin

08PANAMA563

2008-07-09 19:03

2011-05-31 00:00

CONFIDENTIAL

Embassy Panama

VZCZCXYZ0011

OO RUEHWEB

 

DE RUEHZP #0563 1911903

ZNY CCCCC ZZH

O 091903Z JUL 08

FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2264

INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 000563

 

SIPDIS

 

IO/UNP-REBECCA GOLDENBERG

 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/09/2018

TAGS: UNSC PREL PHUM ZI XA ZU

SUBJECT: PANAMA: DEMARCHE DELIVERED FOR UNSC RESOLUTION ON

ZIMBABWE

 

REF: SECSTATE 73173

 

Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY POLCOUNS BRIAN R.NARANJO REASON: 1.4 (d)

 

1. (C) “Panama will be with the United States”, Panamanian

MFA Senior Advisor for UNSC matters Nils Castro reaffirmed to

POLCOUNS on July 9th in response to reftel demarche on

Zimbabwe. Furthermore, he stated that Panama supported a UNSC

Chapter VII Resolution and did not want to debate the

“cosmetics” of the resolution because “now is the time to

act.” Castro underscored Panama’s hope that South Africa

would get on board and that China and Russia would not block

adoption of a Chapter VII Resolution.

 

2. (SBU) POL double tracked delivery of this demarche with

working-level contact Janio Tunon.

 

MESA

Viewing cable 08PANAMA569, PANAMA: CONFIRMED SUPPORT FOR UNSC RESOLUTION ON

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Reference ID

Created

Released

Classification

Origin

08PANAMA569

2008-07-11 15:48

2011-05-31 00:00

CONFIDENTIAL

Embassy Panama

VZCZCXRO5110

OO RUEHTRO

DE RUEHZP #0569 1931548

ZNY CCCCC ZZH

O 111548Z JUL 08

FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2272

INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 000569

 

SIPDIS

 

IO/UNP REBECCA GOLDENBERG AND IO/PSC JEAN CLARK

 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2018

TAGS: UNSC PREL PHUM ZI XA ZU PM

SUBJECT: PANAMA: CONFIRMED SUPPORT FOR UNSC RESOLUTION ON

ZIMBABWE

 

REF: STATE 74375

 

Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY POLCOUNS BRIAN R. NARANJO REASON 1.4 (d)

 

1. (C) On June 9, Charge d’Affaires spoke with First VP and

FM Samuel Lewis. Lewis confirmed that Panama would vote in

favor of the UNSC Chapter VII Resolution.

MESA

 

 

Viewing cable 08PANAMA436, PANAMA: ZIMBABWE DEMARCHE DELIVERED

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Reference ID

Created

Released

Classification

Origin

08PANAMA436

2008-05-28 19:54

2011-05-29 00:00

UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

Embassy Panama

VZCZCXYZ0012

RR RUEHWEB

 

DE RUEHZP #0436 1491954

ZNR UUUUU ZZH

R 281954Z MAY 08

FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2106

INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0350

RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 0211

RUEHKG/AMEMBASSY KINGSTON 0269

RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0234

RUEHSP/AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN 0099

RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 0228

UNCLAS PANAMA 000436

 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

 

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: PREL OAS ZI PM

SUBJECT: PANAMA: ZIMBABWE DEMARCHE DELIVERED

 

REF: STATE 55816

 

Ambassador delivered reftel demarche to Panamanian First VP

and FM Samuel Lewis on May 28, but did not receive any

substantive response or reaction. Post will follow up with

MFA contacts and report any subsequent reactions septel.

EATON

(140 VIEWS)

Charles Rukuni

The Insider is a political and business bulletin about Zimbabwe, edited by Charles Rukuni. Founded in 1990, it was a printed 12-page subscription only newsletter until 2003 when Zimbabwe's hyper-inflation made it impossible to continue printing.

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