US embassy cable - 04MAPUTO1474

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MAPUTO 001474 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
STATE FOR AF/S AND AF/FO 
MCC FOR BRIGGS AND GAULL 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, MZ, Elections 04 
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT CHISSANO ADDRESSES DIPLOMATIC 
CORPS ON ELECTIONS 
 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: Mozambique wants donor involvement 
and support as it prepares to hold national elections 
on December 1-2. President Chissano told Maputo's 
diplomatic corps that the path to democracy in 
Mozambique has been filled with challenges, but the 
process has evolved to the point that Mozambique now 
has credible electoral institutions equipped to carry 
out better and better elections. The President 
welcomed national and international participation in 
the electoral process, but cautioned that there needs 
to be good cooperation and understanding between the 
donors and the electoral organs for the good of the 
elections and the overall process. Comment: It 
appears that the National Elections Commission (CNE) 
may be opening a door to resolving differences with 
the European Union on the conduct of the observation 
effort during the final stages of the vote. The EU 
has not yet reacted to the CNE's latest proposal. 
Analysis on the CNE proposal and EU reaction will 
follow septel. End Comment and Summary 
 
2. (U) President Chissano convoked the diplomatic 
corps in Maputo, November 5, for an exchange on the 
electoral process and to offer donors the opportunity 
to address issues that he sensed might need 
clarification. The room was packed. 
 
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Democratic Processes Are in Place Now 
------------------------------------- 
3. (U) Stressing that elections represent a process 
more than anything else, Chissano opened his remarks 
to the diplomatic community by tracing the development 
of democracy in Mozambique. He noted several times 
that cultural issues, which were often at odds with 
democratic practices, had to be resolved in a way 
acceptable to all. Despite the challenges, Mozambicans 
today are better prepared to use democratic tools in 
settling differences. Mozambicans, the President said, 
are involved in a national debate, which includes 
civil society. As a result, they are resolving issues 
peacefully through discussion and through consensus. 
Mozambicans, he stressed several times, will never 
again resort to war. Those days are over. 
 
4. (U) The President reminded his audience that 
Mozambique has now held several elections, that it has 
a functioning, if somewhat boisterous, parliament, and 
that last year's municipal vote resulted in the 
election of 33 municipal governments. In addition, 
the President continued, the National Elections 
Commission (CNE) and the Constitutional Council are 
now better equipped to continue to organize elections 
and to improve on past performance. An electoral law 
reflecting strong national consensus is in place. 
 
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Electoral Observers Welcomed 
---------------------------- 
5. (U) As his talk turned toward the December 
elections, the President worried about getting out the 
vote, which has declined significantly from 1994 
levels. He emphasized the need for the process to be 
orderly and free from violence. Mozambique, the 
president stressed, is open to national and foreign 
observers, but it is important that there be good 
understanding between the observers and the national 
electoral institutions for the good of the elections. 
Obviously referring to the ongoing dispute between the 
CNE and the European Union on the modalities for 
observing the elections in Mozambique, the President 
told his audience that he had just been told that the 
disagreements would be resolved using available 
technology. 
 
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Donor Meddling 
-------------- 
6. (U) Elections, Chissano noted, have only been 
possible in Mozambique because of external financing. 
The challenge has been enormous, costly not without 
mistakes, he said. Installing multiparty democracy in 
a country where seventy per cent of the population was 
illiterate, where poverty levels were worse than they 
are today, and where there were no roads, no 
television and no phones in many districts has been 
extremely expensive and difficult. As a result, he 
complained, I don't like it when somebody reminds me 
that he paid for my jacket. When I hear that, it 
makes me want to take it off. But it is cold, so I 
keep it on. Using humor again, he took another shot 
at donors, this time by referring to an unnamed former 
U.S. Ambassador whom Chissano claims once told him 
that, we have the right to interfere because we pay 
most of the costs. He went on to say that this remark 
had so angered him that he would have returned the 
money had it not already been spent. He concluded his 
jousting by genuinely thanking donors for their 
support. As he did so, he reminded us that 
Mozambicans are not perfect and that mistakes will 
continue to be made, but the important thing is to be 
able to use the experience to build and to improve the 
process. 
 
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The Need to Stay the Course 
--------------------------- 
7. (U) The president concluded his remarks by 
stressing that it is most important for Mozambique and 
the donor community to stick to established 
priorities, which include improved management of the 
budget, poverty reduction and consolidation of the 
development process. Mozambique is not only about 
reforming institutions. In many cases, such as with 
the justice sector, Mozambicans are trying to build 
institutions where none existed. It is about starting 
with nothing and building something from the bottom 
up. He brought up FRELIMO presidential candidate 
Guebuza by describing him as one who is of the same 
mind as he and as one who would continue Mozambique 
down the path of economic growth and prosperity. He 
asked the donors to work with Mozambique's next 
president in a constructive way so that the course of 
stability and economic growth for the country is 
maintained. And finally, he asked donors to please 
step forward, publicly or privately, if they had any 
additional concerns of which he should be apprised. 
 
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Comment 
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8. (SBU) The president was relaxed and spoke with 
minimal reference to his text. He seemed genuine in 
his effort to improve the climate of communication 
between donors and government over the elections. 
Whether the substance of the CNE's proposal will 
satisfy the EU or other observer groups is another 
matter. Members of the EU who were present were not 
able to confirm whether the CNE's latest proposal 
addressed their concerns. They had not had time to 
study the CNE's document, which was released via press 
conference the day before. In recent weeks, the CNE 
has more than once said incorrectly that the issue has 
been settled satisfactorily. After the President 
concluded his remarks the Dutch Ambassador spoke on 
behalf of the EU and thanked the President for his 
openness and willingness to entertain options, which 
she said could open a door to resolving the current 
difficulties. End Comment. 
LA LIME