US embassy cable - 00HARARE3629

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MUGABE AND MNANGAGWA TO GO TO CONGO TO DISCUSS PROBLEMS WITH NATIONAL DIALOGUE

Identifier: 00HARARE3629
Wikileaks: View 00HARARE3629 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Harare
Created: 2000-07-05 08:07:00
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Tags: PGOV PREL CG ZI
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

050807Z Jul 00

 

                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTO4623

PAGE 01        HARARE  03629  050804Z 
ACTION AF-00    

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      DS-00    VC-00    H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    LAB-01   
      L-00     VCE-00   M-00     AC-01    NSAE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01   
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      NFAT-00  SAS-00   SWCI-00    /009W
                  ------------------6A39F0  050804Z /38    
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6500
INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY LUANDA 
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 
AMEMBASSY KIGALI 
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 003629 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO AF S/E HOWARD WOLPE 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/05/10 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  03629  050804Z 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, CG, ZI 
SUBJECT: MUGABE AND MNANGAGWA TO GO TO CONGO TO DISCUSS 
PROBLEMS WITH NATIONAL DIALOGUE 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD REASONS 1.5 B/D. 
 
1.  (C) AMBASSADOR MCDONALD CALLED MINISTER OF JUSTICE, 
LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS EMMERSON MNANGAGWA THE 
AFTERNOON OF JULY 4 TO LEARN WHERE ZIMBABWE STANDS ON 
THE QUESTION OF FORMER BOTSWANA PRESIDENT SIR KETUMILE 
MASIRE REMAINING AS THE NATIONAL OIALOGUE FACILITATOR IN 
THE CONGO.  NOT ANSWERING THE QUESTION DIRECTLY, THE 
MINISTER, WHO IS PRESIDENT MUGABE'S POINT MAN ON 
SENSITIVE ISSUES WITH RESPECT TO THE CONGO, INFORMED THE 
AMBASSADOR THAT PRESIDENT MUGABE AND HE, AND MAYBE A 
FOREIGN MINISTRY REPRESENTATIVE, PLANNED TO TRAVEL TO 
LUBUMBASHI AT A STILL UNSPECIFIED DATE THE WEEK OF JULY 
10 TO MEET WITH PRESIDENT KABILA AND HIS ADVISORS TO 
DISCUSS THIS AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED TO THE CONGO. 
MNANGAGWA WOULD NOT BE DRAWN ON WHETHER PRESIDENT MUGABE 
WOULD USE HIS INFLUENCE TO PUSH KABILA FURTHER TO 
REVERSE HIS PUBLIC STAND AGAINST MASIRE. 
 
2.  (C) THE AMBASSADOR THEN TOLD THE MINISTER THAT 
WASHINGTON WAS SEIZED WITH THE ISSUE AND HOPED THAT 
PRESIDENT MUGABE COULD PREVAIL ON HIS CONGOLESE 
COUNTERPART TO ACCEPT MASIRE.  THE MINISTER AND THE 
AMBASSADOR DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF SPECIAL ENVOY 
HOWARD WOLPE VISITING HARARE SOON TO DISCUSS THESE 
ISSUES AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE ZIMBABWEAN 
GOVERNMENT.  MNANGAGWA REPLIED THAT THAT WAS ALL FINE, 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  03629  050804Z 
BUT SUGGESTED THAT S/E WOLPE CONSIDER DEFERRING HIS 
TRAVEL TO THE WEEK OF JULY 17 OR 24, DEPENDING ON WHEN 
THE LUBUMBASHI MEETING TOOK PLACE. 
 
3.  (C) COMMENT: CLEARLY MUGABE WANTS TO BRING HIS 
TROOPS HOME, BUT WE SENSE THAT HE WILL NOT FALL ON HIS 
SWORD TO PRESERVE MASIRE IN THE ROLE OF FACILITATOR. 
MUGABE'S RELATIONSHIP WITH KABILA IS TOO IMPORTANT TO 
HIM TO SPOIL IT OVER AN ISSUE OF PRINCIPLE THAT PROBABLY 
IS NOT VITAL TO ZIMBABWE.  WE WELCOME A VISIT BY S/E 
WOLPE TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE, BUT SUGGEST HE NOT COME WITH 
GREAT EXPECTATIONS OF PERSUADING THE ZIMBABWEANS 
OTHERWISE.  END COMMENT. 
 
MCDONALD 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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