US embassy cable - 03HARARE890

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000890 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF; AF/S; AND DRL 
PRETORIA AND GABORONE PLEASE PASS TO A/S KANSTEINER 
NSC FOR SR DIR FRAZER 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, SF, ZI 
SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICAN EMBASSY BELIEVES PROGRESS BEING MADE 
TOWARD DIALOGUE 
 
REF: HARARE 883 
 
Classified By: JGSULLIVAN FOR REASONS 1.5B/D 
 
1. (c) The Ambassador met May 8 with South African High 
Commissioner Jeremiah Ndou to discuss the May 5 visit of 
Presidents Mbeki, Muluzi and Obasanjo.  Ndou confirmed that 
President Mugabe had accepted that the MDC court challenge of 
presidential election results would not be an impediment to 
dialogue.  Ndou was still working with the GOZ to clear the 
remaining sticking point regarding Mugabe's insistence that 
the MDC recognize him as the "legitimate" President.  Ndou 
said that the visiting presidents had discussed this issue 
with the MDC leadership and brought back to Mugabe that the 
MDC accepted that he was "de facto" President and exercising 
the functions of the President.  Ndou said Mugabe appeared to 
be satisfied with this formulation and prepared to let 
dialogue continue on that basis. As of the morning of May 8, 
the South Africans were faxing back and forth to Mugabe's 
office formulations which might allow both sides to say that 
the two had agreed to begin a dialogue. 
 
2. (c)  Ndou said that ZANU-PF said it wanted a dialogue held 
without foreign presence, but the MDC is pressing for a 
foreign facilitation or presence at any dialogue. Nor has it 
been determined when a dialogue would begin, although the 
South Africans recognize its urgency.  Ndou said it was 
possible the Presidents might return if this were necessary 
to assure that the dialogue got off the ground.  Preferably, 
however, this could be done by sending emissaries. 
 
3. (c) Ndou acknowledged that Monday's session had dealt only 
with how to get dialogue begun and not dealt with any of the 
complex issues of substance, such as Mugabe's retirement. 
Indeed, what the dialogue should focus on had not been 
addressed.  One idea would be to seek to resolve the 
differences among the several different constitutions 
presented in recent years as a way to assure a new 
presidential election, changes in electoral procedures, etc. 
Ndou said that ZANU-PF was divided on this idea.  The MDC was 
concerned that its civil society supporters might oppose the 
MDC acting on behalf of civil society. 
SULLIVAN