US embassy cable - 02HARARE588

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Identifier:	02HARARE588
Wikileaks:	View 02HARARE588 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Harare
Created:	2002-03-06 14:41:00
Classification:	CONFIDENTIAL
Tags:	PREL PGOV ZI
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000588 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/FO KANSTEINER AND BELLAMY 
NSC FOR AFRICA SR ADVISER FRAZER 
CAPE TOWN PLEASE PASS TO A/S KANSTEINER 
USUN FOR AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2012 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, ZI 
SUBJECT: REPORTED UNSYG CONSIDERATIONS RE ZIMBABWE 
 
REF: HARARE 481(NOTAL) 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  00588  061447Z 
 
CLASSIFIED BY JOSEPH SULLIVAN FOR REASONS 1.5 B/D. 
 
1.(C) UN RESREP VICTOR ANGELO CALLED ON THE AMBASSADOR 
MARCH 6 TO RELATE CONSIDERATIONS OF UNSYG ANNAN RE 
ZIMBABWE AND TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE FUTURE SYG ACTIONS.  HE 
NOTED THAT SYG HAD ISSUED FEB 21 APPEAL THAT "PEOPLE OF 
ZIMBABWE BE ALLOWED TO CAST THEIR BALLOTS FREE FROM 
VIOLENCE, INTIMIDATION AND HINDRANCE," THAT "PRESIDENT 
MUGABE AND THE OPPOSITION TO WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE 
THAT ELECTIONS ARE CONDUCTED IN A FREE AND FAIR MANNER" 
AND THAT "THE GOVERNMENT ... LET THE PEOPLE MAKE THEIR 
CHOICE AND TO LIVE BY IT."  HE SAID THAT HE HAD SPOKEN 
TO THE SYG FOR AN HOUR LAST FRIDAY AS THE SYG 
CONTEMPLATED WHAT MORE COULD BE DONE IN ADVANCE OF 
ELECTIONS.  ANGELO AND THE AMBASSADOR AGREED THAT MORE 
APPEALS TO MUGABE IN ADVANCE OF ELECTIONS WOULD NOT BE 
WORTHWHILE, SINCE MUGABE HAD TURNED A DEAF EAR TO ALL 
APPEALS TO DATE AND WAS FIXED ON THE COURSE HE HAD SET. 
WE AGREED THAT THE DAYS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING ELECTIONS 
WOULD BE THE NEXT CRITICAL MOMENT FOR PHONE CALLS, 
MESSAGES AND PUBLIC STATEMENTS. 
 
2. (C) ANGELO SAID THAT THE SYG HAD BEEN IN FREQUENT 
CONTACT WITH PRESIDENTS MBEKI AND OBASSANJO REGARDING 
ZIMBABWE AND TENDED TO HAVE A TOUGHER ATTITUDE THAN THEY 
DID.  WE AGREED THAT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR THE SYG 
TO BE IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THOSE TWO PRESIDENTS AND 
WITH THE USG IN THE LEADUP TO AND DAYS IMMEDIATELY 
FOLLOWING ELECTIONS.  IN THE EVENT OF A LIKELY MDC 
VICTORY, WE AGREED THAT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  00588  061447Z 
PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE SUCH A VICTORY EARLY AND GET CALLS 
AND MESSAGES TO PRESIDENT MUGABE AND MILITARY CHIEFS 
URGING THAT THEY DO THE RIGHT THING BY WORKING FOR A 
PEACEFUL DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION.  IN THE EVENT OF A 
BLATANT ZANU-PF FRAUD OR SEIZURE OF POWER, WE AGREED 
THAT ALL THOSE WITH INFLUENCE NEEDED TO SEND IMMEDIATE 
PRIVATE MESSAGES AND TO MAKE PUBLIC STATEMENTS TO INSIST 
THAT SUCH A RESULT COULD NOT STAND AND MUST BE ANNULLED. 
IN THE EVENT OF AN APPARENT ZANU VICTORY ACHIEVED BY 
DINT OF THE VIOLENCE, INTIMIDATION AND ELECTORAL 
SHENANIGANS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY, ANGELO JUDGED THAT THE 
SOUTH AFRICANS WOULD BE THE KEY DETERMINANTS OF WHETHER 
SUCH A RESULT WOULD STAND OR COULD BE ROLLED BACK. 
 
3.(C) WE WILL MAINTAIN CLOSE CONTACT WITH UN RESREP IN 
THE DAYS FOLLOWING ELECTIONS AND URGE THAT WE COORDINATE 
CLOSELY WITH THE UN SYG IN OUR EFFORTS TO INFLUENCE 
EVENTS IN ZIMBABWE AND THE POSITIONS OF PRESIDENTS MBEKI 
AND OBASSANJO. 
 
SULLIVAN 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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