US embassy cable - 01HARARE2760

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 002760 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL. 09/18/11 
TAGS: PREL, KDEM, PGOV, ZI 
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE NIXES INITIAL VISIT BY EU ELECTION OBSERVERS 
 
REFS:  A) HARARE 2710  B) HARARE 2690 
 
CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF MATT HARRINGTON.  REASONS: 
1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) EU ACTING CHIEF OF MISSION ALEX KREMER, ACCOMPANIED BY 
BRUSSELS-BASED EU STAFFER TIM SHEEHY, DESCRIBED TO POLITICAL 
SECTION CHIEF ON SEPTEMBER 17 THE HEADACHES EXPERIENCED BY THE EU 
IN TRYING TO GET A NINE-PERSON TECHNICAL TEAM ON THE GROUND TO LAY 
THE GROUNDWORK FOR A SUSTAINED ELECTION OBSERVATION EFFORT. 
ACCORDING TO KREMER, THE EU MISSION IN HARARE INFORMED THE 
GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE IN A NOTE VERBALE ON SEPTEMBER 14 THAT THE 
TEAM WOULD BE ARRIVING ON SEPTEMBER 23, AND PROVIDED THE TEAM'S 
TERMS OF REFERENCE.  KREMER RECEIVED A POLITE BUT FIRM LETTER IN 
RESPONSE FROM DEPUTY PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMAN GEORGE CHARAMBA 
STATING THAT THE EU SHOULD WAIT TO SEND ELECTION OBSERVERS UNTIL 
IT IS INVITED TO DO SO.  CHARAMBA OFFERED NO DETAILS ON WHEN THE 
EU MIGHT EXPECT SUCH AN INVITATION. 
 
2.  (C) THE FOREIGN MINISTRY'S DIVISION DIRECTOR FOR EUROPE AND 
THE AMERICAS JONATHAN WUTAWUNASHE ASKED TO SPEAK WITH KREMER AND 
THE BELGIAN AMBASSADOR ON SEPTEMBER 17 TO DISCUSS THE MATTER 
FURTHER.  WUTAWUNASHE REPORTEDLY SAID THE GOZ DOES NOT OBJECT "IN 
PRINCIPLE" TO EU ELECTION SUPPORT, BUT EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE 
LANGUAGE IN THE EU'S NOTE VERBALE AND TERMS OF REFERENCE RAISED 
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TEAM'S REAL OBJECTIVES.  THE MFA OFFICIAL 
RECOMMENDED THAT THE EU SEND ANOTHER NOTE VERBALE PROPOSING THE 
VISIT OF THE TEAM AND SUGGESTING A DISCUSSION OF ITS TERMS OF 
REFERENCE.  KREMER TOLD US THAT THE EU PLANS TO PROCEED ALONG THE 
LINES SUGGESTED BY WUTAWUNASHE.  ASKED WHETHER THE EU CONSIDERED 
THIS THE END OF THE ROAD FOR ITS ELECTION OBSERVATION EFFORT, 
SHEEHY SAID NO, BUT HE FULLY EXPECTED THE GOZ TO ERECT ALL SORTS 
OF OBSTACLES, ENSURING THAT NO OBSERVERS ARE ADMITTED UNTIL MUCH 
CLOSER TO THE DATES OF THE ELECTION. 
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COMMENT 
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3.  (C) WE AGREE WITH KREMER THAT THE GOZ WILL MAKE ALL PROPOSED 
OBSERVER GROUPS -- PARTICULARLY THOSE FROM WESTERN GOVERNMENTS AND 
ORGANIZATIONS -- JUMP THROUGH A NUMBER OF INCREASINGLY NARROW 
HOOPS IN THE RUN-UP TO THE ELECTION.  THE GOZ'S LIKELY GOAL IS TO 
PREVENT OUTSIDE GROUPS FROM WITNESSING THE PRE-ELECTION VIOLENCE 
AND INTIMIDATION THAT IS ALREADY A FACT OF LIFE FOR MANY 
ZIMBABWEANS, AND TO ALLOW THEM IN AT THE LAST MINUTE, JUST IN TIME 
TO PUT THEIR STAMP OF APPROVAL ON THE VOTING DAYS THEMSELVES, 
WHICH HISTORICALLY HAVE BEEN PEACEFUL.  THUS IT IS IMPORTANT TO 
KEEP THE PRESSURE ON, AND WE WILL PRESS THE GOZ FOR A RESPONSE TO 
OUR SEPTEMBER 13 DIPLOMATIC NOTE REGARDING THE IFES TEAM'S 
EXPULSION (REFTELS) BY THE END OF THIS WEEK. 
 
ROTH 
 
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