US embassy cable - 00HARARE4311

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 004311 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/10 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MOPS, CG, ZI 
SUBJECT: S/E WOLPE BRIEFS MNANGAGWA ON LUANDA MEETINGS 
 
CLASSIFIED BY S/E HOWARD WOLPE FOR REASONS 1.5 B/D. 
 
1.  (C) ON AUGUST 3 SPECIAL ENVOY HOWARD WOLPE AND AF 
SPECIAL ASSISTANT JOHN PRENDERGAST MET BRIEFLY WITH 
ZIMBABWE'S SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT EMMERSON MNANGAGWA IN 
THE LATTER'S OFFICE.  MNANGAGWA REMAINS PRESIDENT 
MUGABE'S ENVOY FOR SENSITIVE MISSIONS VIS-A-VIS THE 
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO.  WOLPE REPORTED THAT HE 
HAD HAD VERY GOOD MEETINGS IN LUANDA, PARTICULARLY WITH 
VICE-MINISTER OF SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONS MANUEL AUGUSTO, 
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WHOM HE DESCRIBED AS THE EXPERT ON THE DETAIL OF LUSAKA 
ACCORDS AND BEING VERY CLOSE TO PRESIDENT DOS SANTOS. 
"ZIMBABWE AND ANGOLA ARE POINTED IN THE SAME DIRECTION," 
WOLPE STATED.  HE REPORTED THAT THE ANGOLANS WANTED TO 
BRIDGE THE DIVIDE BETWEEN THEIR COUNTRY AND RWANDA AND 
UGANDA, AND THAT THE UNITED STATES WAS COMMITTED TO HELP 
THEM DO SO. 
 
2.  (C) RESPONDING TO WOLPE'S CONCERN THAT CONGOLESE 
PRESIDENT LAURENT KABILA WAS PLACING OBSTACLES IN THE 
WAY OF THE PEACE PROCESS AND THAT ONLY TWO WEEKS 
REMAINED UNTIL THE UN SECURITY GENERAL HAD TO SUBMIT HIS 
REPORT ON THE CONGO TO EXPAND THE MONUC MANDATE, 
MNANGAGWA CHIMED IN THAT "THE DRC DELEGATION WAS WAY OFF 
THE MARK."  THE SPEAKER SAID THAT HE HAD CHAIRED THE 
VICTORIA FALLS MEETING OF JULY 27 IN WHICH HE MADE PLAIN 
TO THE CONGOLESE CHIEF DELEGATE TO THE UPCOMING 
POLITICAL COMMITTEE MEETING THAT ZIMBABWE WAS COMMITTED 
TO THE LUSAKA PROCESS.  THE CONGOLESE IN TURN OBDURATELY 
INSISTED THAT HE HAD "A MESSAGE" FROM PRESIDENT KABILA 
AND COULD NOT CHANGE HIS POSITION.  MNANGAGWA 
NEVERTHELESS THOUGHT THAT SOME CONGOLESE MINISTERS HAD 
SENSE AND FELT ZIMBABWE'S POSITION WAS THE CORRECT ONE. 
OBSERVING THAT SOMETIMES THOSE MINISTERS DO NOT GIVE 
THEIR PRESIDENT THE BEST ADVICE, MNANGAGWA REPORTED THAT 
HE WOULD BE TRAVELING TO LUBUMBASHI, ACCOMPANIED BY 
MEMBERS OF THE ZIMBABWEAN MILITARY, TO MEET WITH 
PRESIDENT KABILA ON AUGUST 7. 
 
3.  (C) SPECIAL ASSISTANT PRENDERGAST INFORMED MNANGAGWA 
THAT UGANDA AND RWANDA HAD GIVEN THE USG ASSURANCES THAT 
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THEY WOULD NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE IF ZIMBABWE WERE WILLING 
TO APPLY NEEDED PRESSURE ON THE CONGOLESE, SUCH AS 
WITHDRAWING OR RE-DEPLOYING TROOPS.  WOLPE NOTED THAT 
THE RWANDANS ALSO WOULD LIKE TO RE-DEPLOY TO THE KIVUS, 
BUT ARE CONCERNED THAT KABILA AND THE FAC WOULD SEEK TO 
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SUCH A MOVE.  IN RESPONSE THE SPEAKER 
INTERJECTED THAT "OUR INTERESTS ARE IDENTICAL."  "WE 
NEED TO FORCE KABILA'S HAND IN IMPLEMENTING LUSAKA," HE 
ADDED, "HE WON'T DIFFER WITH US IF WE TELL HIM."  THE 
SPECIAL ENVOY CONTINUED THAT THERE WERE TWO FLASH POINTS 
THAT NEEDED IMMEDIATE ATTENTION: EQUATEUR AND IKELA, 
WHERE WE HAD UNCONFIRMED MOVEMENTS ON BOTH SIDES. 
MNANGAGWA SAID HE WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY DEVELOPMENTS IN 
IKELA, BUT WOULD CHECK WITH THE COMMANDER OF THE DEFENSE 
FORCE.  HE CONCURRED WITH WOLPE'S ASSESSMENT THAT 
ZIMBABWE WAS PERILOUSLY CLOSE TO BEING DRAGGED INTO 
RENEWED HOSTILITIES AS A RESULT OF KABILA'S MISPLACED 
TRIUMPHALISM. 
 
4.  (C) IN RESPONSE TO WOLPE'S AND PRENDERGAST'S 
QUESTIONS ON INTERNAL ZANU-PF DEBATES ON ZIMBABWE'S 
MILITARY PRESENCE IN THE CONGO, MNANGAGWA SAID THAT THE 
RULING PARTY HAD IN FACT DECIDED TO PULL OUT ZIMBABWEAN 
TROOPS FROM THE CONGO.  IT IS NOW UP TO THE GOVERNMENT 
TO IMPLEMENT THIS POLICY DECISION, MNANGAGWA CONCLUDED. 
 
IRVING 
 
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