US embassy cable - 00HARARE6175

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 006175 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY 
 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
 
USUN FOR HOLBROOKE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/10 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, MOPS, ZI, CG 
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE LOOKING INTO KATANGA CLASHES 
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REFS: A) SECSTATE 208489, B) MAPUTO 4092 
 
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD FOR REASONS: 1.5 
(B) AND (D). 
 
1.  (C) AMBASSADOR, ACCOMPANIED BY POLOFF (NOTETAKER), 
MET SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT EMMERSON MNANGAGWA NOVEMBER 1 
TO CONVEY USG CONCERN OVER RECENT REPORTS OF ZIMBABWEAN 
INVOLVEMENT IN NEW FIGHTING IN THE DRC.  MNANGAGWA, WHO 
IS STILL ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN MANAGING ZIMBABWE'S 
ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL AFFAIRS IN THE DRC, PROFESSED 
IGNORANCE OF AN OFFENSIVE BY FAC FORCES IN KATANGA 
PROVINCE.  HE ALSO SAID IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE FOR 
ZIMBABWEAN FORCES TO BE ASSISTING IN ANY OFFENSIVE NEAR 
LAKE TANGANYIKA BECAUSE 1) ZIMBABWE NO LONGER HAS AN 
AIRLIFT CAPABILITY IN THE DRC, AND 2) ZIMBABWEAN FORCES 
PULLED OUT OF KALEMIE ON LAKE TANGANYIKA LONG AGO. 
MNANGAGWA REITERATED A POINT HE HAS MADE TO US BEFORE 
THAT KABILA OFTEN GOES BEHIND HIS ALLIES' BACKS ON NEW 
MILITARY OPERATIONS AND THAT THIS WAS ONE OF THEIR 
BIGGEST QUARRELS WITH HIM. 
 
2.  (C) THE AMBASSADOR EMPHASIZED THAT MONUC'S MANDATE 
EXPIRES DECEMBER 15 AND TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO STOP 
FIGHTING SO THAT MONUC OBSERVERS CAN FULLY DEPLOY.  THE 
USG IS TELLING RWANDA AND UGANDA THE SAME THING AND 
URGING THEM NOT TO TRY TO RETAKE LOST TERRITORY SO THAT 
THE PEACE PROCESS STAYS ON TRACK.  IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 
MEETING, MNANGAGWA TELEPHONED GENERAL VITALIS 
ZVINAVASHE, COMMANDER OF THE ZIMBABWE DEFENSE FORCES 
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(ZDF), TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE KATANGA CLASHES. 
ZVINAVASHE CONFIRMED THAT AN "INCIDENT" HAD TAKEN PLACE 
IN KATANGA, BUT THAT IT INVOLVED FAC AND INTERAHAMWE 
FORCES, AND NOT ZIMBABWEAN FORCES.  NONETHELESS, THE ZDF 
COMMANDER WAS GOING TO TALK TO HIS COMMANDERS IN THE DRC 
AND PERSONALLY VISIT THE REGION ON NOVEMBER 3, ACCORDING 
TO THE SPEAKER.  THE AMBASSADOR SUGGESTED THAT PERHAPS 
SOME LOCAL ZIMBABWEAN COMMANDERS WERE ACTING ON THEIR 
OWN IN HELPING THE CONGOLESE, TO WHICH MNANGAGWA REPLIED 
THAT HE DID NOT BELIEVE THAT WAS OCCURRING SINCE THE ZDF 
IS A VERY DISCIPLINED FORCE. 
 
3.  (C) COMMENT:  MNANGAGWA, EVER COY WITH US ON DRC 
MATTERS, ALMOST CERTAINLY PRETENDED TO BE IGNORANT OF 
THE FIGHTING IN KATANGA.  HE PERSONALLY HAS TOO MANY 
FINANCIAL INTERESTS AT STAKE TO BE UNAWARE OF WHAT'S 
GOING ON, ESPECIALLY WITH HIS EASY ACCESS TO GENERAL 
ZVINAVASHE.  NONETHELESS, MNANGAGWA, WHO REMAINS ONE OF 
OUR FEW AUTHORITATIVE CONTACTS ON THE DRC IN THE 
ZIMBABWE GOVERNMENT, APPEARED TO TAKE OUR CONCERNS ON 
BOARD.  IF ZVINAVASHE INTENDS TO GO TO KATANGA THIS 
WEEK, IT IS A SIGN THAT, AT A MINIMUM, ZIMBABWEAN FORCES 
ARE THREATENED BY THE RECENT CLASHES.  WE WILL BE 
CONTACTING MINISTER OF STATE FOR NATIONAL SECURITY 
NICHOLAS GOCHE, WHEN HE RETURNS LATER THIS WEEK, TO GET 
AN ADDITIONAL READ ON THE DRC FIGHTING.  END COMMENT. 
 
MCDONALD 
 
                       CONFID