US embassy cable - 03HARARE1548

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 001548 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR J. FRAZER 
LONDON FOR C. GURNEY 
PARIS FOR C. NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR T. PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PINR, ZI 
SUBJECT: TSVANGIRAI BRIEFS AMBASSADOR ON MEETINGS WITH 
BISHOPS 
 
REF: A. HARARE 1532 
     B. HARARE 1491 
 
Classified By: Political Officer Audu Besmer for reasons 1.5 b/d 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
1. (C) The Ambassador met with MDC President Morgan 
Tsvangirai on July 29 to discuss the mediation effort by the 
 
SIPDIS 
Manicaland Bishops.  Tsvangirai reported that when the 
Bishops' discussion with President Mugabe turned to the 
possibility of a unity government, Bishop Mutume said they 
would oppose any deal in which ZANU-PF swallowed MDC. 
Tsvangirai asked the Ambassador for USG help to ensure South 
 
SIPDIS 
African accountability to better guarantee the negotiations 
make progress, and also to put pressure on ZANU-PF to be 
sincere.  A key indicator of whether Mugabe takes this 
initiative seriously will be the ZANU-PF position document, 
if it is submitted, and if it is reasonable.  End Summary. 
 
Tsvangirai on Bishops' Meeting with Mugabe 
 
SIPDIS 
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2. (C) In a meeting with the Ambassador on July 29, MDC 
President Morgan Tsvangirai confirmed much of what was 
reported (Ref A) on the meeting between President Mugabe and 
the Manicaland Bishops on July 25.  He added that the meeting 
lasted about two hours.  Tsvangirai said that initially Vice 
President Joseph Msika poo pooed the MDC, calling them 
puppets of Bush and Blair.  The Bishops argued that the 
country could not afford to proceed on its present course, 
and that they were actually helping the GOZ.  The Bishops 
asked Mugabe what it would take for him to meet Tsvangirai. 
Mugabe suggested what terms were necessary (Ref A).  The 
Bishops responded that the court challenge was immaterial to 
the impasse between the two parties.  When the discussion 
turned to the possibility of a unity government, Roman 
Catholic Bishop Patrick Mutume mentioned that they would 
oppose any deal in which ZANU-PF swallowed MDC, noting he had 
been involved in the interparty talks in 1987 when ZANU-PF 
swallowed ZAPU. 
 
Way Forward 
----------- 
 
3. (C) Tsvangirai said there were no sticking points in the 
MDC discussion with the Bishops on July 28.  The Bishops said 
they would remain in the process until the end.  They said a 
next step would be to explain to the South African Government 
that they were taking this role.  The idea was raised during 
the MDC-Bishops' meeting that the discussion with ZANU-PF 
could start on constitutional issues, as a way of avoiding 
the legitimacy issue.  The two sides agreed to submit 
documents to the Bishops outlining their positions.  The 
Bishops said they would compare the two and come up with an 
outline for negotiations. 
 
4. (C) Contrary to speculation in the local press, Tsvangirai 
confirmed to the Ambassador that the MDC plans to pursue its 
challenge of the March 2002 in court (currently scheduled for 
November 3).  However, pursuing that case could become 
irrelevant depending on the amount of progress on talks with 
ZANU-PF. 
 
South Africa as Guarantor 
------------------------- 
 
5. (C) Tsvangirai also said that South African High 
Commissioner Jeremiah Ndou had phoned him to pass along 
President Mbeki's thanks for Tsvangirai going to the opening 
of Parliament on July 22.  Tsvangirai told the Ambassador 
that the Bishops do not want to exclude South Africa from the 
mediation process, and that they could play an important role 
as a guarantor.  Tsvangirai said the Bishops would send a 
team to South Africa soon to brief the SAG directly. 
Tsvangirai said that MDC was speaking with civil society 
 
SIPDIS 
colleagues, such as the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions 
(ZCTU) to firm up alliances.  None of MDC's civil society 
allies opposed exploring prospects for dialogue. 
 
US Backing Needed 
----------------- 
 
6. (C) Tsvangirai asked the Ambassador if the USG could help 
to ensure South African accountability to better guarantee 
the negotiations make progress, and also to put pressure on 
ZANU-PF to be sincere.  Tsvangirai mentioned that incidents 
of violence were still being perpetrated on MDC candidates 
(Ref B) and if ZANU-PF was sincere about reaching common 
ground, these should stop.  Tsvangirai said that the MDC was 
raising the need to end political violence with Justice 
Minister Patrick Chinamasa rather than making such cessation 
a pre-condition for talks.  Similarly, the MDC was 
petitioning the courts to re-open the nomination process in 
those urban councils where MDC was excluded (Ref B).  MDC 
would avoid setting any pre-conditions for dialogue in order 
to keep the pressure on ZANU-PF to agree to unconditional 
dialogue. 
 
Comment: 
-------- 
 
7. (C) The next important step is the position documents from 
each side.  We have no doubt the MDC will follow through with 
theirs; however it is unclear whether and how Mugabe's team 
will follow through on their side.  This will be a key 
indicator of whether Mugabe might actually take this effort 
seriously.  End Comment. 
SULLIVAN