US embassy cable - 00HARARE4147

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 004147 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
LONDON FOR PFLAUMER 
 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
 
PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/10 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, EFIN, ZI, US 
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE TAKES ITS CASE AGAIQ THE ZIMBABWE 
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DEMOCRACY ACT TO THE NONALIGNED MOVEMENT 
 
REF: HARARE 3634 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR 
REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.  (U) ON THE MORNING OF JULY 27 FOREIGN MINISTER 
STANISLAUS MUDENGE CONVENED THE AMBASSADORS AND HIGH 
COMMISSIONERS FROM THE NONALIGNED MOVEMENT (NAM) 
COUNTRIES REPRESENTED IN HARARE FOR A BRIEFING ON THE 
IMPLICATIONS OF THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY ACT AT THE 
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.  ACCORDING TO LOCAL PRESS 
REPORTING, THE MINISTER TOLD THE ASSEMBLED HEADS OF 
MISSION THAT THE BILL, IF PASSED, WOULD CUT AID TO 
ZIMBABWE, INCLUDING DEBT RELIEF, AND WOULD REQUIRE U.S. 
REPRESENTATIVES AND MULTILATERAL INSTITUTIONS (SIC) TO 
VOTE AGAINST LOANS TO ZIMBABWE.  MUDENGE SAID THE 
ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY ACT "VIOLATED ALL THE FUNDAMENTAL 
PRINCIPLES OF NAM, NAMELY NON-INTERFERENCE IN THE 
INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF OTHER STATES, RESPECT FOR 
SOVEREIGNTY, TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY AND INDEPENDENCE OF 
ALL MEMBER STATES." 
 
2.  (U) THE FOREIGN MINISTER'S APPEAL FOLLOWED A 
SIMILAR REPRESENTATION TO THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN 
DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS.  THE LOME SUMMIT OF 
THE ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY MADE A DECLARATION 
CONDEMNING THE BILL AND REPORTEDLY INSTRUCTED OAU 
AMBASSADORS IN WASHINGTON TO LOBBY THE U.S. CONGRESS NOT 
TO PROCEED WITH PASSING THE BILL INTO LAW. 
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3.  (C) SOUTH AFRICAN HIGH COMMISSIONER A. J. D. NDOU 
TOLD CHARGE JULY 27 THAT MUDENGE WAS THE ONLY PERSON WHO 
TALKED DURING THE ENTIRE MEETING.  HE ASKED THE HEADS OF 
MISSION TO REPORT ZIMBABWE'S APPEAL TO THEIR CAPITALS TO 
JOIN IN THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE BILL.  CHARACTERIZING 
THE ZIMBABWEAN FOREIGN MINISTER AS "ARROGANT," THE SOUTH 
AFRICAN ENVOY CRITICIZED MUDENGE FOR NOT SHARING WITH 
THE NAM AMBASSADORS THE WHOLE TRUTH.  RATHER, MUDENGE 
GAVE ONLY ZIMBABWE'S INTERPRETATION OF THE BILL AND SAID 
NOTHING ABOUT RESTORING THE RULE OF LAW ON COMMERCIAL 
FARMS.  "MY PRESIDENT IS GOING TO ASK ME ABOUT THAT WHEN 
THE REQUEST GETS TO HIS DESK," NDOU AVERRED. 
 
4.  (C) COMMENT: THE GOZ'S PANIC OVER THE BILL HAS BEEN 
EXPRESSED ON MANY FRONTS.  THE GOVERNMENT-INFLUENCED 
PRESS HAS RAILED AGAINST WHAT IT TERMS U.S. "SANCTIONS." 
FORMER MINISTER OF INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE NATHAN 
SHAMUYARIRA, CONSIDERED A RELATIVELY INDEPENDENT-MINDED 
ZANU-PF MEMBER, MADE A POINT OF STRESSING TO A VISITING 
INR ANALYST THAT THE BILL WOULD CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE TO 
ZIMBABWE.  THE FOREIGN MINISTER RAISED THE BILL WITH 
VISITING S/E WOLPE AT THE END OF A MEETING OTHERWISE 
DEVOTED ENTIRELY TO THE DRC.  NOT SURPRISINGLY, THE 
GOVERNMENT HAS SPENT CONSIDERABLE ENERGY IN HOWLING 
AGAINST PERCEIVED INJUSTICES AND NONE IN EXAMINING HOW 
IT CAN ALTER ITS POLICIES AND BEHAVIOR IN ORDER TO 
IMPROVE ITS IMAGE OVERSEAS.  THE LOME SUMMIT DECLARATION 
NOTWITHSTANDING, THE GOVERNMENT SEEMS BY AND LARGE TO 
HAVE FAILED TO FIND A KEENLY RESPONSIVE AUDIENCE FOR ITS 
COMPLAINT AND CALL TO ACTION.  END COMMENT. 
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IRVING 
 
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