US embassy cable - 00HARARE3959

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 003959 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR A/S RICE AND PDAS POWELL 
 
USUN FOR HOLBROOKE 
 
NSC FOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2010 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MOPS, BY, TX, SF 
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER ZUMA SHARES VIEWS ON BURUNDI WITH 
SPECIAL ENVOY WOLPE 
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CLASSIFIED BY SPECIAL ENVOY HOWARD WOLPE FOR REASONS 1.5 
(B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY. SPECIAL ENVOY HOWARD WOLPE SHARED WITH SOUTH 
AFRICA'S FOREIGN MINISTER DR. NKOSAZANA DLAMINI-ZUMA JULY 17 
USG CONCERNS ABOUT ACHIEVING A SUSTAINABLE PEACE IN BURUNDI. 
HE RELATED THE CONTENT OF HIS DISCUSSIONS IN CAPE TOWN WITH 
FACILITATOR NELSON MANDELA AND HIS WORD OF CAUTION TO MANDELA 
ABOUT THE DANGER POSED BY ARRIVING AT A PEACE AGREEMENT BEFORE 
THE PARTIES HAD ATTAINED SUFFICIENT OWNERSHIP OF THE AGREEMENT. 
MOREOVER, WOLPE OBSERVED, GAPS REMAINED ON CORE ISSUES. 
FOREIGN MINISTER ZUMA EXPRESSED SATISFACTION OVER MANDELA'S 
DECISION TO PUSH BACK THE JULY 20 DATE HE HAD SET FOR SIGNING 
A BURUNDI PEACE ACCORD.  ALTHOUGH MANDELA HAS ANNOUNCED A NEW 
SIGNING DATE OF AUGUST 28, ZUMA IS CONFIDENT HE WILL ADJUST 
THAT DATE IF HE SEES A PROBLEM DEVELOPING.  ZUMA EXPRESSED 
RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE FEASIBILITY OF MANDELA'S VISION OF A 
UN BODYGUARD CONTINGENT TO PROTECT LEADERS OF THE 19 BURUNDI 
POLITICAL PARTIES.  SHE HAS ADVISED MANDELA TO REVIEW THE UN 
CHARTER TO SEE IF THE PROPOSAL WOULD EVEN FIT THE CHARTER. 
ALTERNATIVELY, THE PROPOSAL COULD BE TAKEN FOR ACTION TO THE 
BODY OF GREAT LAKES PRESIDENTS, CHAIRED BY MUSEVENI, RATHER 
THAN TO THE UN ZUMA PRAISED MANDELA FOR THE PROGRESS HE HAS 
MADE IN THE BURUNDI PEACE PROCESS AND ENCOURAGED SPECIAL ENVOY 
WOLPE TO CONTINUE DIALOGUE WITH MANDELA.  MANDELA IS CORRECT, 
ZUMA ASSERTS, TO PUSH THE ARUSHA PROCESS ALONG, BUT HE SHOULD 
ALSO BE MORE PATIENT. SHE WAS PLEASED TO HEAR THAT THE U.S. 
HAS DEPOSITED THE USD 500,000 PLEDGED IN SUPPORT OF THE ARUSHA 
PROCESS AND THAT IT WILL PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL USD 500,000. 
ZUMA SUGGESTED THAT ONCE A DRAFT PEACE ACCORD IS ACHIEVED, 
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EACH PARTY SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO PUT ON PAPER ITS THOUGHTS 
ABOUT THE DRAFT SO THAT THE FACILITATION TEAM CAN SEE WHERE 
THE DIFFERENCES ARE AND WORK OUT A TIMELY SUSTAINABLE 
COMPROMISE.  SHE EXPLAINED THAT IT IS THE PARTIES THAT MUST 
LIVE WITH THE FINAL ACCORD, AS IT WILL SHAPE THEIR LIVES AND 
THEIR COUNTRY'S FUTURE. END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) GREAT LAKES SPECIAL ENVOY HOWARD WOLPE MET 7/17 IN 
PRETORIA WITH SOUTH AFRICA'S FOREIGN MINISTER NKOSAZANA 
DLAMINI-ZUMA AT HER HOME ON THE PRESIDENTIAL COMPOUND. 
AMBASSADOR LEWIS, DEPUTY SPECIAL ENVOY JAMES YELLIN, 
SPECIAL ADVISOR JOHN PRENDERGAST, AND POL COUNSELOR 
(NOTETAKER) ACCOMPANIED.  JERRY MATSILA, DEPARTMENT OF 
FOREIGN AFFAIRS (DFA) ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR 
AMERICAS, SAT IN ON THE SOUTH AFRICAN SIDE.  SEPTELS REVIEW 
DISCUSSIONS ON THE DRC AND CANDIDACY FOR THE UN SECURITY 
SEAT CURRENTLY HELD BY NAMIBIA. 
 
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CONVEYING APPRECIATION YET CAUTION 
---------------------------------- 
 
3. (C) WOLPE INITIATED WITH A BRIEF OF HIS MEETING JULY 16 
WITH DFA DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR AFRICA, WELILE NHLAPO, 
AND THE MORNING OF JULY 17 IN CAPE TOWN WITH FACILITATOR 
NELSON MANDELA (BOTH MEETINGS REPORTED SEPTELS).  WOLPE SAID 
HE CONVEYED TO MANDELA U.S. APPRECIATION FOR THE PROGRESS THAT 
HAD BEEN ACHIEVED TO DATE IN THE QUEST FOR A SUSTAINABLE 
BURUNDI PEACE.  AT THE SAME TIME, HE CAUTIONED OF THE DANGER 
POSED BY ARRIVING AT AN AGREEMENT BEFORE THE PARTIES HAD 
ATTAINED SUFFICIENT OWNERSHIP OF THE AGREEMENT.  WOLPE SAID 
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HE HAD ALSO POINTED OUT THAT WHILE THE PARTIES CONCURRED IN 
SOME AREAS, GAPS REMAINED ON CORE ISSUES.  HIS THEME EXPRESSED 
TO BOTH NHLAPO AND MANDELA HAD BEEN THE IMPORTANCE OF 
"SUSTAINABILITY" OF A PEACE ACCORD. 
 
4. (C) THERE WAS ALSO DANGER, WOLPE SAID, IN SIGNING A PEACE 
AGREEMENT BEFORE A CEASE-FIRE WAS IN PLACE.  WOLPE SAID MANDELA 
HAD BEEN ATTENTIVE TO THIS POINT AND HAD SPOKEN OF THE NEED FOR 
A PUBLIC DECLARATION BY THE REBELS IN ADVANCE OF AN AGREEMENT, 
COMMITTING TO A CEASE-FIRE THAT WOULD BECOME EFFECTIVE WITH 
THE SIGNING OF THE AGREEMENT.  MANDELA HAD ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED, 
WOLPE SAID, THAT THE ISSUE OF TRANSITIONAL LEADERSHIP OF BURUNDI 
WAS STILL NOT RESOLVED.  IN ADDITION, OTHER COMPLICATED 
QUESTIONS REMAINED UNRESOLVED, SUCH AS, WHO IS A "POLITICAL 
PRISONER".  STILL, WOLPE SAID, MANDELA HAD NOW, CONTRARY TO AN 
EARLIER DECLARATION, RECOGNIZED THE IMPRACTICABILITY OF 
IMMEDIATELY MOVING THE PEACE PROCESS TO BURUNDI.  HE WILL 
INSTEAD OPEN A FACILITATOR'S OFFICE IN BUJUMBURA TO ASSIST 
IN PREPARING FOR THE TRANSITION.  WHILE MANDELA AGREES THAT 
SIGNING OF AN AGREEMENT CANNOT OCCUR ON JULY 20, HE HAS NOW 
ANNOUNCED THAT HE EXPECTS TO CONCLUDE SUCH AN AGREEMENT ON 
AUGUST 28.  ZUMA RESPONDED THAT SHE WAS GLAD THAT THE JULY 20 
SIGNING DATE HAD BEEN MOVED AND ADDED, SUBSEQUENTLY, THAT 
"EVEN IF HE HAS ANNOUNCED SIGNING ON AUGUST 28, HE WILL 
 
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                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ5387 
 
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ACTION AF-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   CIAE-00  COME-00  DODE-00  SRPP-00  EAP-00 
      EB-00    EUR-00   VC-00    H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00 
      L-00     AC-01    NEA-00   NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01 
      PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    SSO-00 
      SS-00    TRSE-00  T-00     USIE-00  PMB-00   DRL-02   G-00 
      SAS-00     /007W 
                  ------------------6FE58A  190955Z /22 
O 190905Z JUL 00 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6649 
NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
RWANDA COLLECTIVE 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 003959 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR A/S RICE AND PDAS POWELL 
 
USUN FOR HOLBROOKE 
 
NSC FOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2010 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MOPS, BY, TX, SF 
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER ZUMA SHARES VIEWS ON BURUNDI WITH 
SPECIAL ENVOY WOLPE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  03959  02 OF 02  190955Z 
 
ADJUST THAT IF HE SEES A PROBLEM." 
 
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UN OR COUNTRY BODYGUARD CONTINGENT 
------------------------------------ 
 
5. (C) WOLPE ALSO SHARED WITH ZUMA MANDELA'S VISION OF A 
UN BODYGUARD CONTINGENT THAT WOULD OFFER PROTECTION FOR 
ALL LEADERS OF THE 19 PARTIES AT ARUSHA.  IF THIS WERE NOT 
FEASIBLE, MANDELA HAD TOLD WOLPE, THEN A COUNTRY COULD BE 
ASKED TO ASSUME THAT RESPONSIBILITY, ALTHOUGH NOT SOUTH 
AFRICA IN ORDER TO AVOID THE APPEARANCE THAT HE, AS A SOUTH 
AFRICAN, WAS PROMOTING A ROLE FOR SOUTH AFRICA. 
 
6. (C) ZUMA SAID SHE HAD SPOKEN BRIEFLY, NOT EXTENSIVELY, 
WITH MANDELA AND HE HAD MENTIONED TO HER ALL THE ELEMENTS 
WOLPE HAD RAISED, INCLUDING SIGNING AN AGREEMENT ON JULY 20. 
ALL INDICATIONS WERE, SHE CONTINUED, THAT A SIGNING ON THAT 
DATE WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE; SHE WELCOMED THE NEWS THAT 
MANDELA HAD MOVED UP THE PROSPECTIVE SIGNING DATE.  ON THE 
MATTER OF UN BODYGUARDS, ZUMA SAID SHE HAD ADVISED MANDELA 
TO LOOK AT THE UN CHARTER TO SEE IF SUCH A PROPOSAL WOULD FIT. 
IF THE INTENT IS TO OFFER PROTECTION FOR A FEW INDIVIDUALS, 
PERHAPS THIS COULD BE TAKEN UP BY THE BODY OF GREAT LAKES 
PRESIDENTS, CHAIRED BY PRESIDENT MUSEVENI, RATHER THAN BY 
THE UN.  MANDELA WILL DISCUSS THE ISSUE WITH THE OTHER 
PRESIDENTS AT THE ARUSHA MEETING ON JULY 19, ZUMA SAID. 
MANDELA HAD FEARED, ZUMA CONTINUED, THAT INDIVIDUAL 
NEGOTIATORS MIGHT BE KILLED BY THOSE WHO QUESTIONED THEIR 
LEGITIMACY TO NEGOTIATE ON BEHALF OF OTHERS.  SHE NOTED 
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PAGE 03        HARARE  03959  02 OF 02  190955Z 
THAT MANY OF THESE NEGOTIATORS REPRESENTED THEMSELVES ONLY. 
ZUMA REMARKED THAT MANDELA "HAS DONE VERY WELL AND IS 
LEARNING ABOUT BURUNDI AS HE GOES ALONG.  HE STARTED LATE, 
BUT HAS BEEN BRIEFED.  EVEN GOING TO BURUNDI HAS OPENED 
HIS EYES AND HE IS ABLE TO TALK WITH BURUNDIANS OF ALL 
PERSUASION."  SHE SURMISED THAT MANDELA BENEFITED BY 
INTERACTION WITH OTHERS ON THE ISSUES. "IT IS IMPORTANT," 
SHE ADVISED WOLPE, "THAT YOU KEEP A DIALOGUE GOING WITH HIM." 
 
---------------------------------------- 
STRUCTURING A SUSTAINABLE PEACE DOCUMENT 
---------------------------------------- 
 
7. (C) WOLPE EXPRESSED TO ZUMA HIS CONCERN THAT IT MIGHT 
TAKE UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR TO REACH A SUSTAINABLE ACCORD. 
BOTH NHLAPO AND DON MATTEO ZUPPI BELIEVE THAT THE AGREEMENT 
DOCUMENT NEEDS TO BE DIGESTED BY THE PARTIES.  THERE WILL BE 
DIFFICULTIES ON THE LARGER ISSUES, EVEN ON THE PROPOSAL OF A 
50-50 SPLIT OF REPRESENTATION IN THE BURUNDI ARMY.  AT SOME 
POINT, WOLPE SAID, THE FIVE OR SIX KEY PLAYERS WILL NEED 
TO BE BROUGHT TOGETHER TO RESOLVE ALL REMAINING ISSUES. 
 
8. (C) ZUMA SUGGESTED THAT ONCE THE DOCUMENT IS RECEIVED, 
EACH PARTY SHOULD BE ASKED TO PUT HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT THE 
DOCUMENT ON PAPER SO THAT THE FACILITATION TEAM CAN SEE 
WHERE THE DIFFERENCES ARE AND WORK OUT A SUSTAINABLE 
COMPROMISE.  ZUMA EXPLAINED THAT THE PARTIES "HAVE TO LIVE 
WITH" THE FINAL PEACE AGREEMENT. "IT WILL AFFECT THEIR LIVES. 
IT HAS TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF THEIR COUNTRY.  SUSTAINABILITY 
MEANS LIVING WITH IT AND YOU HAVE TO BE SURE THEY CAN LIVE 
WITH IT."  SHE CONTINUED: "I THINK HE (MANDELA) IS RIGHT TO 
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PUSH THE PROCESS TO MOVE, BUT HE SHOULD FACILITATE AGREEMENT. 
HE SHOULD BE JUST A LITTLE BIT PATIENT."  HOWEVER, SHE ADDED 
THAT SHE THOUGHT MANDELA'S ACTIONS WERE INTENDED PRIMARILY 
TO PUSH THE PARTIES ALONG. 
 
9. (C) WOLPE ALSO ADVISED ZUMA THAT THE USD 500,000 PLEDGED 
BY THE U.S. IN SUPPORT OF THE ARUSHA PROCESS HAS BEEN 
DEPOSITED AND AN ADDITIONAL USD 500,000 WILL FOLLOW.  ZUMA 
EXPRESSED SATISFACTION WITH THIS NEWS.  SHE ADDED THAT 
MANDELA HAS ACTUALLY DONE VERY WELL.  LAST YEAR, BEFORE 
NYERERE DIED, MUCH DISCUSSION ABOUT BURUNDI HAD TAKEN PLACE 
BUT THOSE TALKS HAD NOT INCLUDED THE REBELS.  WOLPE SECONDED 
ZUMA'S OBSERVATION, ADDING THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO DISCUSSION 
ON CORE ISSUES UNTIL MANDELA BECAME FACILITATOR.  ZUMA AGAIN 
EXPRESSED THE NEED FOR PATIENCE "SO THAT THE GOOD WORK IS 
SUSTAINED" AND INDICATED HER INTENTION TO TALK TO MANDELA 
WHEN HE RETURNED FROM ARUSHA AFTER HIS MEETINGS ON JULY 20. 
IRVING 
 
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