Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
00HARARE3264
2000-06-16 08:54:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Harare
Cable title:  

ZIMBABWEAN PRESIDENT MAKES NO DECISION ON

Tags:  PREF PGOV PHUM PREL ZI CU 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

160854Z Jun 00


 CONFIDENTIAL PTQ8284

PAGE 01 HARARE 03264 161115Z 
ACTION PRM-01 

INFO LOG-00 AF-00 AID-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 WHA-00 SRPP-00 
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 INSE-00 IO-00 L-00 AC-01 NEA-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 
 OIC-02 OMB-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 
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 SA-00 PMB-00 DRL-02 G-00 SAS-00 /008W
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FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6336
INFO USINT HAVANA IMMEDIATE 
COMMISSIONER USINS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY ROME 
USMISSION GENEVA 
AMEMBASSY CAIRO 
AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
AMEMBASSY LONDON
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.

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 CUBA'>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

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