US embassy cable - 01HARARE349

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000349 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
USUN FOR HOLBROOKE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/01 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MOPS, ZI, CG 
SUBJECT:  INITIAL ZIMBABWEAN THINKING ON NEXT STEPS IN DRC 
 
REF: A) STATE 9311  B) HARARE 343 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  00349  181034Z 
REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.  (C) CHARGE, ACCOMPANIED BY POLOFF, DELIVERED REF A 
POINTS ON JANUARY 18 TO SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT EMMERSON 
MNANGAGWA, STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF REFRAINING FROM 
OFFENSIVE ACTION AND OF INCLUDING RWANDA AND UGANDA IN 
DISCUSSIONS ON THE WAY FORWARD.  MNANGAGWA WAS PRESIDENT 
MUGABE'S DRC SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS MAN IN HIS PREVIOUS JOB AS 
MINISTER OF JUSTICE, AND REMAINS A KEY PLAYER ON DRC 
POLICY.  CHARGE ALERTED THE SPEAKER THAT A SENIOR U.S. 
OFFICIAL IN WASHINGTON LIKELY WOULD ATTEMPT TO REACH 
PRESIDENT MUGABE TODAY TO MAKE SIMILAR POINTS, ONCE 
KABILA'S DEATH IS PUBLICLY CONFIRMED BY KINSHASA. 
 
2.  (C) MNANGAGWA REPORTED THAT PRESIDENT MUGABE RETURNED 
FROM YAOUNDE EARLY ON THE MORNING OF JANUARY 18, AND THAT 
MNANGAGWA HAD TO RUSH OFF SHORTLY TO BRIEF HIM ON THE 
SITUATION IN KINSHASA.  THE SPEAKER CONFIRMED THAT KABILA'S 
BODY WAS IN HARARE AND SAID IT WOULD BE RETURNED TO THE DRC 
TODAY. 
 
3.  (C)  AFTER REVIEWING A NON-PAPER CONTAINING REF A 
POINTS, MNANGAGWA SAID ZIMBABWE AGREED WITH ALL OF THE 
POINTS EXCEPT ONE.  CLARIFYING, MNANGAGWA EMPHASIZED THAT 
THE ALLIES PLANNED TO MEET FIRST TO DISCUSS THE WAY 
FORWARD, THEN RWANDA AND UGANDA WOULD BE ASKED TO JOIN 
SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSIONS.  THE SPEAKER INFORMED THE CHARGE 
THAT THREE PRIMARY ISSUES WERE THE FOCUS OF THE GOZ'S 
CURRENT INTERNAL DELIBERATIONS AND EFFORTS.  FIRST, 
ENSURING THAT THE DRC REMAINS CALM.  HE THOUGHT THAT HAD 
BEEN ACHIEVED SO FAR, AND OFFERED THE ASSESSMENT THAT 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  00349  181034Z 
JOSEPH KABILA'S APPOINTMENT AS INTERIM LEADER HAD BEEN 
WELL-RECEIVED.  SECOND, THE GOZ IS INVOLVED IN THE 
ARRANGEMENTS FOR KABILA'S STATE FUNERAL, ALTHOUGH MNANGAGWA 
WAS NOT SURE WHEN THE FUNERAL WOULD BE.  THIRD, THE GOZ IS 
DETERMINED THAT NOTHING SHOULD BE DONE TO JEOPARDIZE THE 
PEACE PROCESS.  ZIMBABWE, THEREFORE, EXPECTS THE NEW 
ADMINISTRATION IN KINSHASA TO PRONOUNCE ITS COMMITMENT TO 
THE LUSAKA PROCESS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
4.  (C) MNANGAGWA'S AGREEMENT WITH OUR POINTS WAS 
ENCOURAGING, PARTICULARLY ON THE NEED TO INCLUDE RWANDA AND 
UGANDA IN DISCUSSIONS ON NEXT STEPS.  HIS EASE IN RATTLING 
OFF THREE SENSIBLE POINTS SUGGESTS THAT THE SPEAKER OF 
PARLIAMENT HAS BEEN AT THE CENTER OF ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT 
PLANNING ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION IN THE CONGO. 
THAT SAID, HOWEVER, MNANGAGWA AND OTHERS IN THE GOZ ARE 
CLEARLY WAITING FOR PRESIDENT MUGABE TO WEIGH IN BEFORE 
PROCEEDING ON ANY FRONT, INCLUDING CONVENING THE INITIAL 
MEETING OF ALLIES. 
 
IRVING 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
>