C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 003166

SIPDIS

AF FOR A/S RICE, P/DAS POWELL, AND DAS SCHNEIDMAN
AF/S FOR A. RENDER, D. BOOTH, AND C. GURNEY
NSC FOR GAYLE SMITH
PASS USAID FOR A/AID RMCALL AND AFR/SA WJEFFERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/10
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM EAID PHUM ZI EU
SUBJECT: UN PULLS OUT OF ELECTION PROCESS; CONFUSION OVER
ACCREDITATION REMAINS


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PAGE 02 HARARE 03166 01 OF 02 131551Z
REF: HARARE 3098

CLASSIFIED BY EARL IRVING, DCM. REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: THE UN ANNOUNCED AT A DONORS' MEETING
JUNE 9 THAT IT WAS WITHDRAWING ITS ELECTORAL SUPPORT UNIT.
THE UN CITED THREE REASONS: CHANGES IN ELECTORAL
REGULATIONS GIVING A GOZ BODY CONTROL OVER ACCREDITATION
FOR INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS, WHICH THE UN HAD PLANNED TO
COORDINATE; A NOTE VERBALE FROM THE GOVERNMENT ASKING THE
UN TO FIELD AN OBSERVER MISSION, A ROLE IT SAYS IT HAD
NEVER OFFERED OR EXPECTED TO PLAY; AND THE SLOWNESS OF
DONORS TO PROVIDE FULL ASSISTANCE FOR THE UN MISSION. THE
WITHDRAWAL OF THE UN MISSION IN ITSELF IS NOT AN
INSURMOUNTABLE PROBLEM FROM A LOGISTICAL POINT OF VIEW,
SINCE THE EU HAS OFFERED TO PROVIDE LOGISTICAL SUPPORT TO
SMALLER MISSIONS. HOWEVER, THE OPPORTUNITY PROVIDED BY THE
PROPOSED UN COORDINATING FRAMEWORK HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY
COMPROMISED AS NO SINGLE DONOR CAN DO THIS FOR ALL THE TEN
MISSIONS. SPECIFICALLY, THE CIVIL SOCIETY-INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATION INTERFACE, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR JOINT
BRIEFINGS/DEBRIEFINGS, AND SHARING OF DRAFT STATEMENTS NOW
WILL BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO
ACCOMPLISH. SOME INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS BELIEVE,
PLAUSIBLY IN OUR VIEW, THAT THE SUDDEN ISSUANCE OF THE
ELECTION REGULATIONS, AND THE GOVERNMENT'S LACK OF CLARITY
ON WHAT THEY MEAN IN PRACTICAL TERMS, REPRESENT A
DELIBERATE EFFORT ON THE GOVERNMENT'S PART TO IMPEDE THE
WORK OF INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS. IN OUR VIEW THE UN MADE
THE RIGHT DECISION GIVEN THE TIMING OF THE AMENDMENTS TO
THE ELECTION REGULATIONS AND THE GOZ'S CHANGED GOALPOST FOR
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PAGE 03 HARARE 03166 01 OF 02 131551Z
THE UN ROLE. END SUMMARY.

2. (C) AT A DONORS' MEETING JUNE 9, UNDP RESREP CARLOS
LOPES ANNOUNCED THAT THE UN ELECTORAL ASSISTANCE MISSION
WAS PLANNING TO SHUT DOWN. LOPES CITED THREE REASONS FOR
THE MISSION'S WITHDRAWAL:

1) NEW ELECTORAL REGULATIONS GAZETTED BY THE GOVERNMENT
JUNE 7 HAD ASSIGNED TO THE ELECTION DIRECTORATE, AN INTER-
MINISTERIAL GOZ BODY, RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACCREDITING
ELECTION OBSERVERS (REFTEL). THE UN HAD ANTICIPATED THAT
IT WOULD COORDINATE THE ACCREDITATION OF OBSERVERS, SUBJECT
TO APPROVAL BY THE ELECTION DIRECTORATE OR ANOTHER
GOVERNMENT BODY.

2) THE GOZ HAD, IN A JUNE 8 NOTE VERBALE, ASKED THE UN FOR
THE FIRST TIME TO FIELD AN ELECTION OBSERVER MISSION -- A
ROLE THAT THE UN SAYS IT HAD NEVER PLANNED, OR WANTED, TO
PLAY. DESPITE THE UN'S LONGSTANDING (SINCE DECEMBER)
POSITION THAT IT WOULD NOT PLAY A FORMAL LEADERSHIP ROLE
FOR THE INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS (IO'S), DONORS HAD ASKED
UNDP TO PLAY A COORDINATING ROLE AND TO NEGOTIATE A
FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT WITH THE GOZ.

3) DONORS WERE STILL SOME USD 55,000 SHORT OF THE USD
400,000 BUDGET FOR THE ELECTION ASSISTANCE UNIT. HOWEVER,
IF THE UN HAD STAYED, THE FUNDING WOULD HAVE BEEN PROVIDED,
SINCE THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT DECIDED ON JUNE 9 THAT IT
WOULD MEET ANY SHORTFALL.


3. (C) LOPES TOLD THE DONORS THAT THE INSTRUCTION TO
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TERMINATE THE ELECTORAL SUPPORT OPERATION HAD COME DIRECTLY
FROM THE UNSYG. UNDP HAS BEEN INSTRUCTED BY NEW YORK NOT
EVEN TO PLAY THE TYPE OF COORDINATION ROLE IT MIGHT HAVE
PLAYED IN THE ABSENCE OF A UN ELECTION ASSISTANCE UNIT.
HOWEVER, LOPES SAID THAT UNDP WILL, AS USUAL, STILL HOST
PERIODIC INFORMAL INFORMATION MEETINGS OF DIPLOMATIC
MISSIONS TO ASSESS THE POLITICAL SITUATION. THE EUROPEAN
UNION OBSERVER MISSION, WHICH HAS BY FAR THE LARGEST
DELEGATION (APPROXIMATELY 150 MEMBERS), HAS VOLUNTEERED TO
DO WHAT IT CAN TO FACILITATE COORDINATION AND TO PROVIDE
LOGISTICAL ASSISTANCE TO SMALLER MISSIONS. (NOTE: USAID
HAS OFFERED TO UNDP TO SUPPORT THE COSTS OF A SHARED IO
MISSION VENUE FOR MEETING AND COORDINATING DURING THE
ACTUAL POLLING DAYS. END NOTE.)


4. (C) FOLLOWING THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE UN PULLOUT,
INTERNATIONAL OBSERVER MISSIONS HAVE STRUGGLED TO COMPLY
WITH NEW PROCEDURES FOR ACCREDITATION, WHICH ARE LENGTHY,
CUMBERSOME, AND UNCLEAR. THE TEAM FROM THE NATIONAL
DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE AND INTERNATIONAL REPUBLICAN INSTITUTE
(NDI/IRI), WHICH UNLIKE OTHER MISSIONS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL
GOVERNMENT DELEGATION, IS HAVING PROBLEMS BECAUSE OF ITS
NON-GOVERNMENTAL STATUS (SEPTEL). DOMESTIC OBSERVERS ALSO
FACE NEW COMPLICATIONS. ALTHOUGH, AS IN THE PAST, THEY ARE
REQUIRED TO REGISTER THOUGH THE ELECTORAL SUPERVISORY

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CONFIDENTIAL PTQ6313

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ACTION AF-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 DODE-00
ANHR-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00
INR-00 IO-00 LAB-01 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00
NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00
ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 IRM-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00
R-00 IIP-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-01 DRL-02 G-00
NFAT-00 SAS-00 /010W
-------------- 625188 131552Z /38
P 131556Z JUN 00
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6307
INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
ALL EUROPEAN UNION POST COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 003166

SIPDIS

AF FOR A/S RICE, P/DAS POWELL, AND DAS SCHNEIDMAN
AF/S FOR A. RENDER, D. BOOTH, AND C. GURNEY
NSC FOR GAYLE SMITH
PASS USAID FOR A/AID RMCALL AND AFR/SA WJEFFERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/10
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM EAID PHUM ZI EU
SUBJECT: UN PULLS OUT OF ELECTION PROCESS; CONFUSION OVER
ACCREDITATION REMAINS

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PAGE 02 HARARE 03166 02 OF 02 131552Z
COMMISSION, A NEW STEP HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE PROCESS
WHEREBY EACH OF THE 17,000 DOMESTIC OBSERVERS IS REQUIRED
TO APPEAR IN PERSON AT THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR
GENERAL'S OFFICE IN HARARE FOR CREDENTIALS. OBSERVER
ORGANIZATIONS ARE STRUGGLING TO MOBILIZE THEIR MEMBERS TO
COMPLY WITH THIS REQUIREMENT.


5. (C) COMMENT: EMBASSY DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT THE
DEPARTURE OF THE UN ELECTORAL ASSISTANCE UNIT, IN ITSELF,
WILL HAVE MUCH OF AN EFFECT ON THE OBSERVER MISSIONS FROM A
LOGISTICAL POINT OF VIEW. MANY OF THE MISSIONS, INCLUDING
THE EU DELEGATION AND THE USAID-FUNDED IRI/NDI DELEGATION,
HAD PLANNED ALL ALONG TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN
ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS RATHER THAN RELYING ON THE UN.
IN ADDITION, THE UN MISSION HAD GOTTEN OFF TO A BAD START
WITH DOMESTIC OBSERVERS, WHO WERE HIGHLY CRITICAL OF THE
MISSION'S UNWILLINGNESS TO PRESS FOR A STRONGER ROLE FOR
THE ELECTORAL SUPERVISORY COMMISSION IN THE OBSERVER
ACCREDITATION PROCESS (REFTEL). HOWEVER, THE OPPORTUNITY
PROVIDED BY THE PROPOSED UN COORDINATING FRAMEWORK HAS BEEN
SERIOUSLY COMPROMISED AS NO SINGLE DONOR CAN DO THIS FOR
ALL THE IO MISSIONS. SPECIFICALLY, THE CIVIL SOCIETY-IO
INTERFACE, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR JOINT BRIEFINGS/DEBRIEFINGS,
AND SHARING OF DRAFT STATEMENTS NOW WILL BE EXTREMELY
DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCOMPLISH.


6. (C) FURTHERMORE, THE GOZ'S LAST-MINUTE CHANGES HAVE
BROADER IMPLICATIONS. SOME OBSERVERS BELIEVE, PLAUSIBLY IN
OUR VIEW, THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S SUDDEN INTRODUCTION OF THE
NEW REGULATIONS, AND ITS SUBSEQUENT LACK OF CLARITY AS TO
HOW OBSERVERS ARE TO COMPLY WITH THEM, REPRESENT A
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PAGE 03 HARARE 03166 02 OF 02 131552Z
DELIBERATE ATTEMPT TO KEEP OBSERVERS FROM DOING AN
EFFECTIVE JOB OF MONITORING THE POLITICAL SITUATION. CIVIL
SOCIETY CONTACTS BELIEVE THE GOZ'S GOAL, IN PART, WAS TO
IMPEDE THE CHANCES OF A PERCEIVED UN-LED CONDEMNATION OF
THE ELECTIONS AS NOT FREE AND FAIR. THE GOZ'S ACTIONS HAVE
FURTHER ENSURED THAT EACH MISSION WILL ISSUE ITS OWN, AND
POSSIBLY LESS COORDINATED, STATEMENT ON THE PROCESS.


7. (C) IN OUR VIEW THE UN MADE THE RIGHT DECISION GIVEN
THE TIMING OF THE AMENDMENTS TO THE ELECTION REGULATIONS
AND THE GOZ'S CHANGED GOALPOST FOR THE UN ROLE. END
COMMENT.

MCDONALD

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