US embassy cable - 01HARARE882

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000882 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/11 
TAGS: PREL, MOPS, MCAP, ZI, CG 
SUBJECT: UN SPECIAL ENVOY MORJANE SPEAKS AT SADC 
PEACEKEEPING CENTER IN ZIMBABWE 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR 
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REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.  (C) ON MARCH 1, UNSG SPECIAL ENJOY MORJANE DELIVERED 
A SPEECH ON THE DRC TO THE SADC REGIONAL PEACEKEEPING 
TRAINING CENTER (RPTC) IN HARARE.  MORJANE'S VISIT WAS 
ARRANGED BY UNITAR-GENEVA AND SPONSORED BY THE RPTC. 
THE RPTC'S MANAGING DIRECTOR, PETER VOETMANN, PROVIDED A 
READOUT TO POLOFF ON MORJANE'S SPEECH, WHICH WAS 
ATTENDED BY A NUMBER OF ZIMBABWE MILITARY OFFICERS AND 
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE ZIMBABWEAN MINISTRIES OF 
DEFENSE AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS. 
 
2.  (C) ACCORDING TO VOETMANN, MORJANE WAS VERY 
OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE DRC PEACE PROCESS AND PROGRESS 
BEING MADE IN MONUC DEPLOYMENT.  MORJANE OUTLINED 
OBSTACLES TO THE DEPLOYMENT OF PEACEKEEPERS, 
PARTICULARLY POOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND DENSELY FORESTED 
TERRAIN IN THE CONGO.  MORJANE CALLED FOR THE USE OF 
SMALLER, COMPANY-SIZED UNITS OPERATING MORE 
INDEPENDENTLY THAN NORMAL MILITARY UNITS.  AN ARMORED 
INFANTRY BATTALION SIMPLY WOULD NOT BE EFFECTIVE IN THE 
CONGOLESE ENVIRONMENT, THE ENVOY ARGUED.  HE ALSO STATED 
THAT MORE SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT, SUCH AS HELICOPTERS, 
WOULD BE NEEDED FOR EFFECTIVE MONITORING. 
 
3.  (C) MORJANE ALSO FLOATED THE IDEA THAT THE SADC 
ALLIES SHOULD CONSIDER "CHANGING THEIR BERETS TO BLUE" 
IN THE DRC.  HOWEVER, THE CONSENT OF ALL THE LUSAKA 
PARTIES WOULD BE NECESSARY, INCLUDING PEOPLE ON ALL 
LEVELS, FROM THE SOLDIERS ON UP.  THE ENVOY STATED THAT 
MORE ROBUST RULES OF ENGAGEMENT WOULD HAVE TO BE DEVISED 
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AS WELL, ACCORDING TO VOETMANN.  VOETMANN COMMENTED THAT 
MORJANE'S IDEA WOULD REQUIRE A "SUBSTANTIAL" COMMITMENT 
FROM THE UN, HOWEVER. 
 
4.  (C) COMMENT: MORJANE'S PROPOSAL TO CONVERT SADC 
TROOPS ALREADY IN THE DRC TO UN PEACEKEEPERS IS AN 
INTERESTING IDEA THAT PROBABLY HAS NOT RECEIVED WIDE 
CONSIDERATION HERE.  AS VOETMANN SAID, HOWEVER, IT WOULD 
REQUIRE A MAJOR FINANCIAL COMMITMENT THAT NEITHER THE UN 
NOR THE BELLIGERENTS MAY BE PREPARED TO MAKE YET.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
IRVING 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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