US embassy cable - 04LILONGWE823

C O N F I D E N T I A L LILONGWE 000823 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, ZI, MI, Political 
SUBJECT: MUTHARIKA TO "OPEN DIALOGUE" WITH MUGABE 
 
 
Classified By: Pol/Econ Officer Peter W. Lord, reasons 1.5 (b/d). 
 
SUMMARY 
-------- 
1. (C) President Bingu wa Mutharika plans "to open a 
behind-the-scenes dialogue" with Zimbabwean President Robert 
Mugabe during a August 26-28 trip to Zimbabwe.  Mutharika, 
who will be in Zimbabwe to attend the annual Agricultural 
Society Show on August 27, is "concerned" about the situation 
in Zimbabwe because of its impact on Malawi, and he hopes to 
help "promote peace and security in SADC" through re-newed 
discussions.  During his short visit, Mutharika has no plans 
to meet with members of the opposition.  Minister of Foreign 
Affairs George Chaponda, who called the Western Heads of 
Mission together on August 23, said Mutharika wanted to 
explain his intention to meet with Mugabe to prevent any 
misunderstandings.  END SUMMARY. 
 
BRIEFING WESTERN MISSIONS ON MUTHARIKA'S INTEREST IN ZIM 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
2. (C) Minister of Foreign Affairs George Chaponda, flanked 
by newly-appointed MFA PS Lucius Chikuni and Secretary to the 
President and Cabinet Bright Msaka, told the Heads of Mission 
from the British, French, German, European Union, and 
American Missions at a meeting on August 23 that President 
Bingu wa Mutharika will discreetly meet with Zimbabwean 
President Robert Mugabe during an August 26-28 visit to 
Zimbabwe.  According to Chaponda, Mutharika, who will attend 
the annual Agricultural Society Show in Harare on August 27, 
set the private meeting with Mugabe during the recent SADC 
Heads of State Conference in Mauritius because Mutharika 
wanted "to open a behind-the-scenes dialogue" with Mugabe. 
 
3. (C) Chaponda said the GOM, like the respective Western 
nations assembled at the meeting, is "concerned" about the 
situation in Zimbabwe.  Chaponda noted the issues in Zimbabwe 
have on impact on Malawi because Zimbabwe is Malawi's second 
largest trading partner and is home to many Malawians. 
Chaponda said Mutharika's interest to engage with Mugabe is 
because Mutharika thinks that Malawi, as a member of SADC, 
has a role to play in the region's peace and security. 
 
RE-ENGAGING MUGABE 
------------------ 
4. (C) According to Chaponda, Mutharika wanted to explain his 
plans to open discussions with Mugabe so that there was no 
misunderstanding about his intentions.  Chaponda also 
carefully noted that this initiative, although not entirely, 
was in response to demarches the UK and later the UK and EU 
recently gave regarding Zimbabwe.  Refering to Malawi's 
previous initiatives, Msaka commented that engagement with 
Zimbabwe had waned since the December 2003 Commonwealth Heads 
of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Abuja and that Mutharika's 
meeting would be a way of re-opening the regional dialogue 
former President Bakili Muluzi began.  Chaponda said 
Mutharika has no plans to meet with members of the opposition. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
5. (C) The GOM has long been an advocate of behind-the-scenes 
dialogue with Zimbabwe, and, with the dust of the elections 
settling, Mutharika seems keen to pick up where Muluzi left 
off.  While we do not anticipate much will come of this 
initial meeting, it is possible that Mutharika will later 
become an effective avenue of communication. 
RASPOLIC