US embassy cable - 00HARARE4064

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 004064 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
LONDON FOR PFLAUMER 
 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
 
ROME ALSO FOR VATICAN 
 
NAIROBI PLEASE PASS TO S/E WOLPE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/25/2010 
TAGS: PREL, MOPS, PINR, ZI, CG, MZ 
SUBJECT: AJELLO TRYING TO SELL NON-CONGOLESE 
BELLIGERENTS' SUMMIT TO ZIMBABWEANS 
 
REF:  (A) LUSAKA 3300 (NOTAL) 
 
      (B) MAPUTO 2843 (NOTAL) 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR 
REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) EUROPEAN UNION SPECIAL ENVOY ALDO AJELLO IS IN 
HARARE FOR A TWO-DAY VISIT DURING WHICH HE HOPES TO SELL 
THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT ON A SUMMIT OF NON-CONGOLESE 
BELLIGERENTS, AS DESCRIBED IN REFTELS.  AJELLO, WHO HAD 
BEEN IN HARARE FOR 24 HOURS AND HAD MET ONLY WITH 
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THE CONGOLESE AMBASSADOR, DR. KIKAYA BIN KARUBI, WAS 
HOPING TO SEE FOREIGN MINISTER MUDENGE, NATIONAL SECURITY 
MINISTER GOCHE AND PRESIDENT MUGABE, BUT HAD RECEIVED NO 
CONFIRMATION OF ANY OF THE REQUESTED MEETINGS BY LATE 
JULY 24. 
 
2.  (C) AJELLO EXPRESSED THE VIEW TO CHARGE THAT NEITHER 
SIDE OF THE CONGOLESE CIVIL WAR WANTED PEACE, AND THAT 
THE CURRENT SITUATION FOLLOWED AN ALREADY ESTABLISHED 
PATTERN.  ONCE ONE OF THE SIDES ENJOYED A SLIGHT 
ADVANTAGE IN THE FIELD, IT BEGAN TO PLAY GAMES IN TERMS 
OF THE PEACE PROCESS.  AT THE MOMENT IT WAS KABILA, WHO 
WAS MOUNTING SUNDRY PRETEXTS TO DUMP SIR KETUMILE MASIRE 
AS FACILITATOR, AND PURPOSELY MISINTERPRETING THE LIMITS 
OF THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS AND 
THE MANDATE OF A PEACEKEEPING OPERATION THAT WOULD BE 
DEPLOYED IN PHASES.  WITHOUT ALLIES NEITHER SIDE WOULD 
LAST LONG, AJELLO REASONED, PARTICULARLY KABILA.  THE 
EUROPEAN UNION ENVOY ALSO ESTIMATED THAT THE POLITICAL 
AND HUMAN COST TO THE EXTERNAL BELLIGERENTS HAD BEEN 
SUFFICIENTLY HIGH THAT THEY WERE READY TO WITHDRAW. 
 
3.  (C) THE GOAL OF A SUMMIT OF THE NON-CONGOLESE 
BELLIGERENTS WOULD BE TO PUT THEIR CONGOLESE PROXIES ON 
NOTICE THAT EITHER THEY ADHERED TO THE LUSAKA PEACE 
PLAN, HOWEVER IMPERFECT, OR FACED REVOCATION OF SUPPORT. 
AJELLO WAS ESPECIALLY CURIOUS TO KNOW THE ZIMBABWEAN 
REACTION TO SUCH AN IDEA, AS HE WAS CONFIDENT THE OTHER 
PARTIES (INCLUDING RWANDA AND UGANDA) WOULD AGREE TO IT. 
A MEETING OF THE CONGOLESE BELLIGERENTS WOULD FOLLOW THE 
SUMMIT, HE CONTINUED.  CALLING CONGOLESE PRESIDENT 
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KABILA A MAN WITH NO VISION BUT A MASTER MANIPULATOR, 
THE EUROPEAN UNION ENVOY AFFIRMED THAT THE CONGOLESE HAD 
TO BE PERSUADED THAT CONTINUING TO PROSECUTE THE WAR WAS 
NOT AN OPTION. 
 
4.  (C) AJELLO THEN EXPLAINED THAT MOZAMBICAN PRESIDENT 
CHISSANO ("A MAN WITH NO CHARISMA, GREY AND PALE") WOULD 
BE THE ONE TO ORGANIZE AND HOST THE SUMMIT.  ALTHOUGH 
CHISSANO REPORTEDLY CONFIDED TO AJELLO THAT HE WAS IN 
KABILA'S BAD BOOKS, AS THE CONGOLESE PRESIDENT THOUGHT 
HE WAS IN LEAGUE WITH THE SOUTH AFRICANS, THE ANGOLANS 
RULED OUT ZAMBIAN MEDIATOR CHILUBA CONVENING THE SUMMIT. 
 
IRVING 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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