US embassy cable - 00HARARE2101

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 002101 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF A/S RICE, AF PDAS POWELL, 
AF DAS SCHNEIDMAN, AF/S DIRECTOR RENDER, 
AND AF/S DESK OFFICER GURNEY 
 
PASS TO USAID AFR/SA, WJEFFERS AND A/AID, RMCCALL 
 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  02101  01 OF 02  141206Z 
 
LONDON FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/10 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, ZI, CG 
SUBJECT: MNANGAGWA SAYS FOREIGN ELECTION OBSERVERS 
WELCOME AND REVIEWS STATUS IN CONGO 
 
REF:  STATE 64290 (NOTAL) 
 
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD FOR REASONS 1.5 
B/D. 
 
1.  (C) AMBASSADOR MCDONALD CALLED ON MINISTER OF 
JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS EMMERSON 
MNANGAGWA ON APRIL 14 TO ASK WHETHER FOREIGN OBSERVERS 
WOULD BE WELCOME DURING THE GENERAL PARLIAMENTARY 
ELECTIONS.  THE JUSTICE MINISTER SAID THAT ALTHOUGH 
THERE HAD BEEN SOME DESENTING VOICES, FOREIGN OBSERVERS 
ARE WELCOME TO COME TO ZIMBABWE, AS THEY HAVE BEEN FOR 
EVERY ELECTION SINCE 1980.  THERE IS NO CHANGE IN 
POLICY, THE MINISTER AFFIRMED.  AMBASSADOR MCDONALD THEN 
ASKED FOR A WRITTEN INVITATION, BUT MNANGAGWA SAID THAT 
ONE WOULD NOT BE FORTHCOMING.  NEVERTHELESS, THE 
MINISTER SAID HE WOULD PROPOSE TO PRESIDENT MUGABE TO 
ISSUE AN ORAL INVITATION TO FOREIGN OBSERVERS WHEN HE 
ANNOUNCED THE ELECTION DATE.  THE AMBASSADOR THANKED THE 
MINISTER, AND SAID THAT HE HOPED THE ZIMBABWEAN 
GOVERNMENT WOULD GUARANTEE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF 
THE OBSERVERS, BECAUSE IMAGES FLASHED AROUND THE WORLD 
OF VIOLENCE IN HARARE AND ON THE FARMS HAD RAISED 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  02101  01 OF 02  141206Z 
CONCERN IN WASHINGTON.  MNANGAGWA FELT CONFIDANT THAT IT 
COULD. 
 
2.  (C) THE MINISTER ALSO NOTED THE DISPUTE BETWEEN 
JUSTICE SANDURA, CHAIR OF THE DELIMITATION COMMISSION, 
AND THE PRESIDENT OVER THE ELECTION DATE.  MNANGAGWA 
SAID PRESIDENT MUGABE PREFERRED A DATE IN MAY, BUT 
SANDURA "HAS HIS OWN AGENDA" AND WANTS IT LATER.  THE 
MINISTER SAID THE ISSUE HAS YET TO BE RESOLVED. 
 
3.  (C) TURNING TO MATTERS RELATING TO THE PEACE PROCESS 
IN THE CONGO, THE AMBASSADOR INFORMED MNANGAGWA OF 
SPECIAL ENVOY HOWARD WOLPE'S TRAVEL PLANS.  THE MINISTER 
AGREED TO RECEIVE WOLPE, TENTATIVELY THE AFTERNOON OF 
APRIL 21.  THE AMBASSADOR ALSO ASKED MNANGAGWA TO STRESS 
TO PRESIDENT MUGABE THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR HIM TO 
RECEIVE S/E WOLPE.  THE MINISTER AGREED TO DO SO. 
 
4.  (C) IN RESPONSE TO THE AMBASSADOR'S QUESTION, 
MNANGAGWA SAID HE PLANNED TO TRAVEL TO KINSHASA ON APRIL 
17, AT PRESIDENT KABILA'S INVITATION.  HE BEGGED OFF 
TRAVELING IMMEDIATELY, AS HE WISHED TO BE BRIEFED BY 
PRESIDENT MUGABE, WHO ONLY RETURNS TO HARARE ON APRIL 
16, REGARDING WHAT TOOK PLACE DURING THE SUMMIT IN 
KINSHASA.  WHEN THE AMBASSADOR STRESSED THAT THE UNITED 
STATES LOOKED TO ZIMBABWE TO EXERCISE ALL OF ITS 
INFLUENCE WITH PRESIDENT KABILA TO ADHERE TO THE LETTER 
AND SPIRIT OF THE LUSAKA ACCORD, THE MINISTER SAID THAT 
THE ZIMBABWEAN NATIONAL ARMY COMMANDER HAD BEEN SENT TO 
KINSHASA LAST WEEK TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE FAC'S CEASE 
FIRE VIOLATIONS.  KABILA TOLD THE SENIOR ZIMBABWEAN 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  02101  01 OF 02  141206Z 
MILITARY OFFICIAL THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY SUCH 
VIOLATIONS, BUT ALLOWED THAT HIS COMMANDERS SOMETIMES DO 
THINGS WITHOUT HIS PERMISSION OR KNOWLEDGE.  HE SUMMONED 
SEVERAL SENIOR CONGOLESE MILITARY OFFICERS TO HIS OFFICE 
TO HEAR THE ZIMBABWEAN ARMY COMMANDER'S COMPLAINT. 
KABILA INSTRUCTED HIS OFFICERS HENCEFORTH TO CLEAR ALL 
MANEUVERS WITH THE ALLIES AND STRESSED HIS 
DISAPPOINTMENT THAT THEY HAD NOT DONE SO.  THE 
CONGOLESE, MNANGAGWA SHRUGGED, SAY "YES", AND THEN DO 
SOMETHING ELSE. 
 
5.  (C) FINALLY, AMBASSADOR MCDONALD PROBED MNANGAGWA ON 
PRESIDENT KABILA'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FRENCH.  HE 
NOTED THAT THE FRENCH AND THE RWANDANS WERE CURRENTLY 
EXPERIENCING SOME TENSION AND WONDERED WHETHER PRESIDENT 
KABILA WOULD BE RECEPTIVE TO MESSAGES FROM THE FRENCH. 
MNANGAGWA SPECULATED THAT PROBABLY NOT, AS THOSE 
SURROUNDING KABILA WOULD NOT ALLOW THE FRENCH TO GET 
CLOSE TO HIM.  MNANGAGWA OBSERVED THAT THE BELGIUMS WERE 
USING GEORGE FORRESTER, CHAIRMAN OF THE UNION MINIERE, 
TO GET CLOSE TO KABILA.  THE ZIMBABWEAN MINISTER NOTED 
THAT KABILA'S ATTITUDE TOWARD THE UNITED STATES HAD 
CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION FOLLOWING 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ6352 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  02101  02 OF 02  141206Z 
ACTION AF-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00  SMEC-00  SRPP-00 
      DS-00    EUR-01   VC-01    H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00 
      LAB-01   L-00     AC-01    NSAE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01   OPIC-01 
      PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    USIE-00 
      IIP-00   PMB-00   DSCC-00  DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00 
      SWCI-00    /011W 
                  ------------------4BC911  141207Z /38 
R 141211Z APR 00 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5768 
INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
AMEMBASSY KIGALI 
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 
NSC WASHDC 
DEPTTREAS WASHDC 
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 002101 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF A/S RICE, AF PDAS POWELL, 
AF DAS SCHNEIDMAN, AF/S DIRECTOR RENDER, 
AND AF/S DESK OFFICER GURNEY 
 
PASS TO USAID AFR/SA, WJEFFERS AND A/AID, RMCCALL 
 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  02101  02 OF 02  141206Z 
 
LONDON FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/10 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, ZI, CG 
SUBJECT: MNANGAGWA SAYS FOREIGN ELECTION OBSERVERS 
WELCOME AND REVIEWS STATUS IN CONGO 
 
HIS VISIT TO NEW YORK IN JANUARY.  MNANGAGWA TOOK CREDIT 
FOR THIS ABOUT FACE EXPLAINING THAT HE HAD PERSUADED 
KABILA THAT IT WAS TO HIS ADVANTAGE TO HAVE THE 
AMERICANS ON HIS SIDE. 
 
MCDONALD 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
>