ZIMBABWEAN PRESIDENT MAKES NO DECISION ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 003264 SIPDIS DEPT FOR PRM A/S TAFT, PRM/A, PRM/AAA, AF/S, AF/PD, WHA/CCA CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 03264 161115Z NAIROBI FOR REFCOORD AND INS ROME FOR INS LONDON FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/16/10 TAGS: PREF PGOV PHUM PREL ZI CU SUBJECT: ZIMBABWEAN PRESIDENT MAKES NO DECISION ON RELEASE OF CUBAN DOCTORS REF: A) HARARE 3263 CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD FOR REASONS 1.5 B/D. ¶1. (C) ON JUNE 16 UNHCR ATTORNEY MICHIEL SALOMONS REPORTED THAT HE HAD RECEIVED NO INFORMATION FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE ON A POSSIBLE PRESIDENTIAL DECISION TO RELEASE CUBANS DOCTORS LEONEL CORDOVA RODRIGUEZ AND NORIS DEL CARMEN PENA MARTINEZ TO THE CUSTODY OF THE UNHCR. UNHCR REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE OLUSEYI BAJULAIYE SEPARATELY INFORMED AMBASSADOR MCDONALD THAT HE WOULD ASK UNHCR HEAD OGATA TO WRITE PRESIDENT MUGABE ASKING HIM TO ARRANGE FOR THEIR EARLY RELEASE. SALOMONS SAID HE WAS GOING TO MEET WITH THE DUTCH AMBASSADOR ON THE MORNING OF JUNE 16 TO PURSUE THE IDEA OF TEMPORARILY RESETTLING THE CUBANS IN THE NETHERLANDS (REFTEL). HE ALSO INFORMED US THAT LOCAL UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE JOHN ADU IS TO VISIT THE CUBANS ON CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 03264 161115Z THE SAME DAY. ¶2. (C) COMMENT: WE ARE CONVINCED THAT BAJULAIYE SINCERELY WISHES TO REACH AN EARLY SOLUTION TO THE CASE OF THE CUBANS DOCTORS THAT IS SATISFACTORY TO ALL. WE ALSO DETECTED EXCESSIVE OPTIMISM ON HIS ORGANIZATION'S PART. BAJULAIYE IS A COMPETENT AND HARD-WORKING DIPLOMAT, BUT HAS LITTLE TO SHOW FOR HIS EFFORTS TO DATE. WE HAVE MADE OUR POSITION QUITE CLEAR, FORCEFULLY AND OFTEN, ON A BILATERAL BASIS TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE AND HAVE EXHAUSTED THE POSSIBILITIES FOR INTERVENTION. THE ZIMBABWEAN PRESIDENT IS NOT FOCUSED ON THIS PROBLEM ON THE EVE OF AN ELECTION THAT MAY DETERMINE HIS PARTY'S FUTURE. INDEED, WE DOUBT THAT MUGABE EVEN HEARD ABOUT THE CASE ON JUNE 15, PER REFTEL, AS WE SAW HIS MOTORCADE ON THE STREETS HEADING TOWARD HIS RESIDENCE AT THE TIME THE FOREIGN MINISTRY HAD INFORMED THE UNHCR OFFICIALS THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BRIEFED. END COMMENT. ¶3. (C) ACTION REQUESTED: WE THINK THAT MAXIMUM PRESSURE NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO BEAR ON UNHCR IN GENEVA. WHILE BAJULAIYE SAID THAT UNHCR HEAD OGATA WOULD WRITE PRESIDENT MUGABE, WE THINK THAT A TELEPHONE CALL IS A MORE POTENT INSTRUMENT. DEPARTMENT MAY WISH TO CONTACT THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES AGAIN TO STRESS OUR DESIRE FOR HER PERSONAL INTERVENTION WITH THE ZIMBABWEAN HEAD OF STATE IN THIS MATTER. ¶4. (C) ACTION REQUESTED CONTINUED: WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE POWER OF THE MEDIA COULD BE BROUGHT TO BEAR ON THIS CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 03264 161115Z CASE THROUGH A BACKGROUND BRIEFING FOR REPORTERS CHRIS GAITHER AND/OR SANDRA MARQUEZ AT "THE MIAMI HERALD." THE AIM OF SUCH A BRIEFING SHOULD BE TO GET "THE MIAMI HERALD" TO FOCUS ITS ATTENTION ON THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE'S UNILATERAL ABILITY TO RESOLVE THE CASE. THAT ATTENTION, IN TURN, MAY HELP THE GOZ UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT CASE, ONE THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED NOW. MCDONALD CONFIDENTIAL >