SUBJECT: WOLPE/MUGABE TETE-A-TETE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 06 HARARE 002206 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/10 TAGS: PGOV CG PREL PHUM PINS CG ZI EAGR EAID SUBJECT: SUBJECT: WOLPE/MUGABE TETE-A-TETE DEPT FOR P U/S PICKERING, A/S SUSAN RICE USUN FOR AMBASSADOR RICHARD HOLBROOKE NSC FOR GAYLE SMITH SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR AFRICA PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS LONDON FOR PFLAUMER CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD, FOR REASONS 1.5 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 02206 01 OF 06 241301Z (B) AND (D). REFS: A) HARARE 2205, B) HARARE 2202 ¶1. (U) THIS MESSAGE CONTAINS AN ACTION REQUEST. SEE PARAGRAPHS FOUR AND TWENTY EIGHT. -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶2. (C) IN A FORTY FIVE MINUTE TETE-A-TETE ZIMBABWEAN PRESIDENT MUGABE AND I HAD A CORDIAL BUT FRANK EXCHANGE ON ZIMBABWE'S DOMESTIC POLITICAL CRISIS. I TOLD THE ZIMBABWEAN PRESIDENT, WHOM I HAVE KNOWN SINCE THE 1970'S, THAT THERE WAS A GROWING AND WIDELY HELD PERCEPTION, EVEN AMONG HIS COUNTRY'S LONGEST AND STRONGEST SUPPORTERS, THAT THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT HAD ABANDONED ITS COMMITMENT TO THE RULE OF LAW; WAS COMPLICIT IN RECENT ACTS OF LAWLESSNESS AND VIOLENCE; AND WAS CONTRIBUTING TO A CLIMATE OF INCREASED RACIAL POLARIZATION AND DANGEROUS POLITICAL TENSION. I TOLD MUGABE THAT RECENT EVENTS WERE THREATENING TO IMPERIL ZIMBABWE'S FUTURE AND HIS OWN PERSONAL LEGACY. ¶3. (C) THE ZIMBABWEAN PRESIDENT LISTENED CLOSELY AND APPEARED TO WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK THROUGH A NUMBER OF HIS IMMEDIATE PREOCCUPATIONS: --HE WAS KEENLY AWARE OF THE IMMEDIATE DANGERS, HAD PUBLICLY CONDEMNED THE VIOLENCE THAT HAD OCCURRED, AND CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 02206 01 OF 06 241301Z WAS WORKING TO DEFUSE THE CRISIS. --HIS GOVERNMENT HAD NOT ABANDONED THE RULE OF LAW, BUT FEARED THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY POLICE OR ARMY EFFORT TO FORCIBLY REMOVE THE WAR VETERANS WHO HAD OCCUPIED THE COMMERCIAL FARMS. --HE FELT THAT THE BRITISH HAD YET TO HOLD UP THEIR PART OF THE BARGAIN STRUCK AT LANCASTER HOUSE, AND HAD NO MORAL BASIS TO COMPLAIN NOW ABOUT ZIMBABWE'S INSISTENCE THAT LONG-DELAYED LAND REFORM BE IMPLEMENTED WITH OR WITHOUT COMPENSATION TO THE WHITE COMMERCIAL FARMERS. AFTER ALL, IT WAS THE AFRICANS WHO HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN FORCIBLY SEPARATED FROM THEIR TRADITIONAL LANDS BY THE WHITE SETTLERS. --THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT APPEARED IMPLACABLY AND UNREASONABLY HOSTILE TO HIM AND HIS GOVERNMENT. AS FAR AS THE LAND ISSUE WAS CONCERNED, HE HAD BEEN PARTICULARLY DISAPPOINTED AT THE FAILURE OF THE NEW LABOR GOVERNMENT TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THE CONSTRUCTIVE RECOMMENDATIONS OF A COMMISSION APPOINTED BY CONSERVATIVE PRIME MINISTER JOHN MAJOR. --WHILE HE STILL HOPED FOR A NEGOTIATED SOLUTION TO THE LAND QUESTION, HE WAS DETERMINED TO ADDRESS THIS HISTORICAL INJUSTICE ONCE AND FOR ALL. --HE HAD YET TO HAVE A REAL MEETING OR EXCHANGE WITH PRIME MINISTER BLAIR AND, MORE GENERALLY, FELT SLIGHTED BY THE NEW LABOR GOVERNMENT. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 02206 01 OF 06 241301Z --A ZIMBABWEAN DELEGATION WAS TRAVELLING NEXT WEEK TO LONDON IN AN ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISH A MORE CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. --MANY OF ZIMBABWE'S WHITE FARMERS HAD NEVER RECONCILED THEMSELVES TO A BLACK-LED ZIMBABWE. THERE WERE, HOWEVER, SOME NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS. UNFORTUNATELY, ONE PROGRESSIVE COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION PRESIDENT HAD FAILED IN HIS EFFORTS TO PERSUADE HIS COLLEAGUES TO NEGOTIATE A BINDING SETTLEMENT THAT WOULD DEFINITIVELY RESOLVE THE LAND ISSUE. --HE WELCOMED THE WILLINGNESS OF THE USG GOVERNMENT TO BE OF ASSISTANCE, BOTH IN DIRECT SUPPORT OF ZIMBABWE'S LAND REFORM PROGRAM AND IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE BRITISH. ¶4. (C) PARAGRAPH 28 BELOW CONTAINS AN ACTION REQUEST THAT, IN ADVANCE OF NEXT WEEK'S UK/GOZ MEETING IN LONDON, THIS REPORT OF MY MEETING WITH PRESIDENT MUGABE BE SHARED WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, AND THAT UNDERSECRETARY PICKERING SPEAK DIRECTLY TO FOREIGN MINISTER COOK. END SUMMARY.