Zimbabwe at the top of the agenda

Zimbabwe was expected to be at the top of the agenda of the Southern African Development Community extraordinary summit in Tanzania but it was not clear whether President Robert Mugabe would attend.

Local press reports had indicated that President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, President Levy Mwanawasa of Zambia, President Hifikepunye Pohamba of Namibia, President Armando Guebuza of Mozambique, and Prime Minister Phakalitha Mosisili of Lesotho would attend.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 07DARESSALAAM456, SADC EXTRAORDINARY SUMMIT: ZIMBABWE, DRC AND

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OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN

DE RUEHDR #0456 0871444

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O 281444Z MAR 07

FM AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5832

INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA IMMEDIATE 3166

RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE 1373

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RUEHLGB/AMEMBASSY KIGALI PRIORITY 0937

RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY 0595

UNCLAS DAR ES SALAAM 000456

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DEPT AF/E FOR BYODER, AF/RSA FOR MBITTRICK

ALSO AF/S FOR DMOZENA

ADDIS ABABA FOR AU MISSION

LONDON, BRUSSELS, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: AF AU PGOV PHUM PREL TZ

SUBJECT: SADC EXTRAORDINARY SUMMIT: ZIMBABWE, DRC AND

LESOTHO TO BE DISCUSSED

REF: A. STATE 038986

¶B. MASERU 00192

¶C. DAR ES SALAAM 0375

¶1. (SBU) Ambassador Charles Sanga, Deputy Permanent Secretary

of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), confirmed to

PolCouns on March 28 that Zimbabwe will be at the top of the

agenda of the March 28 to 29 Extraordinary Summit of the SADC

Heads of State. The security situation in the Democratic

Republic of Congo (DRC) and the ongoing impasse in Lesotho

between opposition parties and the Government of the Kingdom

of Lesotho will also be discussed. Sanga appreciated the

reftel points and said that the SADC heads of state or their

representatives will hold pre-summit consultations hosted by

President Kikwete, most likely at the State House, beginning

the early evening of March 28. The summit meeting itself

will convene the morning of March 29 and conclude later that

day with a communiqu or press statement.

¶2. (SBU) According to John Katuki, personal assistant to the

Minster of Foreign Affairs Bernard Membe, all 14 member SADC

member states are planning to send a representative to the

Extraordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State. Katuki said the

Government of Tanzania has been notified that the Government

of Zimbabwe is sending a delegation, but could not confirm if

President Robert Mugabe would be heading up the GOZ

delegation.

¶3. (U) Local press reports have noted the following heads of

state would arrive in Dar es Salaam before 5 p.m. on

Wednesday, March 28: President Mbeki of South Africa,

President Mwanawasa of Zambia, President Pohamba of Namibia,

President Guebuza of Mozambique, and Prime Minister Mosisili

of Lesotho.

¶4. (SBU) Comment: Post will closely monitor the March 29

summit proceedings. Katuki, Minister Membe’s personal

assistant, told PolCouns that as soon as possible after the

conclusion of the summit, MFA would brief the same heads of

mission (i.e. United States, Canada and select EU envoys)

whom Minister Membe met with to discuss President Kikwete’s

March 15 meeting with Mugabe (Ref C).

DELLY

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