US embassy cable - 01HARARE2710

UNCLAS HARARE 002710 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL. N/A 
TAGS: OPDC, ZI 
SUBJECT: DIPLOMATIC NOTE TO GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE CONCERNING IFES 
EXPULSION 
 
REF:  HARARE 2690 
 
1.  (SBU) AFTER THE DE FACTO EXPULSION OF THE TEAM FROM THE 
INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR ELECTION SYSTEMS (REFTEL), POST SENT 
THE FOLLOWING DIPLOMATIC NOTE EXPRESSING OUR CONCERN TO THE 
GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE. 
 
2.  (SBU) BEGIN TEXT: 
 
THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PRESENTS ITS 
COMPLIMENTS TO THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF 
ZIMBABWE, AND EXPRESSES ITS CONCERN THAT A TWO-MEMBER TEAM FROM 
THE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR ELECTION SYSTEMS (IFES) HAS BEEN 
ASKED TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY BY THE DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION.  IFES 
IS A HIGHLY-RESPECTED, INTERNATIONALLY-RECOGNIZED NON-GOVERNMENTAL 
ORGANIZATION HEADQUARTERED IN WASHINGTON, DC.  THE ORGANIZATION IS 
NOT PART OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT BUT RECEIVES FUNDING FROM 
THE UNITED STATES AND A VARIETY OF OTHER DONORS.  IT HAS WORKED 
WORLD-WIDE OBSERVING ELECTIONS, INCLUDING U.S. ELECTIONS, AND 
CREATING LINKAGES BETWEEN ELECTORAL COMMISSIONS.  IFES HAS EMERGED 
AS A FINALIST IN THE COMPETITION TO EXAMINE THE STATE OF FLORIDA'S 
ELECTORAL LAWS, WITH AN EYE TO PREVENTING FUTURE CONTROVERSIES 
SUCH AS THE ONE REPORTED ON DURING THE 2000 U.S. PRESIDENTIAL 
VOTING IN THAT STATE. 
 
THE TWO INDIVIDUALS FROM IFES, BOTH OF WHOM ARE AMERICAN CITIZENS, 
WERE HERE TO CONDUCT AN INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF YOUR GOVERNMENT'S 
PREPARATIONS FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, IN ANTICIPATION OF 
LAUNCHING THEIR OWN INDEPENDENT ELECTION OBSERVATION EFFORT. 
IFES'S OBJECTIVE IS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AN INDEPENDENT 
ASSESSMENT OF THE CONDUCT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, INCLUDING 
THE PRE-ELECTION PERIOD.   TOWARD THAT END, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE 
IFES OFFICIALS MADE SEVERAL EFFORTS TO MEET WITH KEY GOVERNMENT 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  02710  141157Z 
OFFICIALS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING ELECTIONS, INCLUDING THE 
REGISTRAR-GENERAL, TO EXPLAIN THEIR PURPOSE IN VISITING ZIMBABWE, 
BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. 
 
TO THEIR SURPRISE, THE TEAM MEMBERS WERE SUBSEQUENTLY ASKED BY THE 
DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY TWO DAYS EARLIER 
THAN THEIR PLANNED DEPARTURE DATES ALTHOUGH, TO THE BEST OF THEIR 
KNOWLEDGE, THEY WERE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THEIR 
BUSINESS VISAS. 
 
WE ARE CONCERNED BY THE TREATMENT GIVEN TO THE IFES TEAM.  THE 
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE ORGANIZATION'S 
EFFORTS TO DISCUSS A WORK PLAN WITH RELEVANT OFFICIALS HERE AND 
POINTS OUT THAT AN ASSESSMENT OF ZIMBABWE'S ELECTORAL PROCESS BY 
SUCH A BROADLY-RESPECTED ORGANIZATION KNOWN FOR ITS INTEGRITY, 
INDEPENDENCE, AND ELECTION EXPERTISE CAN BE A CRUCIAL, POSITIVE 
ELEMENT IN SHAPING THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S PERCEPTION OF 
ZIMBABWE'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.   IN JUNE AND AUGUST, SPEAKER OF 
PARLIAMENT EMMERSON MNANGAGWA ASSURED US ON TWO OCCASIONS THAT THE 
GOZ WOULD WELCOME INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS, AND THUS WE WERE 
PARTICULARLY SURPRISED BY THE WAY IN WHICH THE IFES TEAM'S CASE 
HAS BEEN HANDLED. 
 
WE WOULD APPRECIATE CLARIFICATION FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE 
CONCERNING THE PROCEDURES IFES MUST FOLLOW IN ORDER TO CONTINUE 
WITH THEIR ACTIVITIES IN ZIMBABWE. 
 
THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AVAILS ITSELF OF THIS 
OPPORTUNITY TO RENEW TO THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE THE ASSURANCES OF ITS HIGHEST CONSIDERATION. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 
HARARE, SEPTEMBER 13, 2001. 
 
END TEXT. 
 
ROTH 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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