1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUESTED MESSAGE. PLEASE SEE
PARAGRAPH 6.



2. (C) DCM AND CONSUL MET WITH UNHCR ATTORNEY MICHIEL
SALOMONS THE MORNING OF JUNE 20 IN RESPONSE TO HIS
REQUEST THAT THE PASSPORTS OF CUBAN DOCTORS' LEONEL
CORDOVA RODRIGUEZ AND NORIS DEL CARMEN PENA MARTINEZ BE
GIVEN TO UNHCR. SALOMONS NEEDED THESE TO OBTAIN VISAS
THAT AN UNNAMED COUNTRY WOULD GRANT FOR CONDITIONAL
RESETTLEMENT. THE UNHCR ATTORNEY APOLOGIZED FOR NOT
BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE COUNTRY, STATING THAT IN
DOING SO HE WAS ONLY FOLLOWING THE ORDERS OF HIS BOSS
(UNHCR REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE OLUSEYI BAJULAIYE).



3. (C) ACCORDING TO SALOMONS, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
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PAGE 03 HARARE 03323 01 OF 02 201125Z
ELEMENTS IN THE CASE PREVENTING THE UNHCR FROM ISSUING
THEM TRAVEL DOCUMENTS. THEY INCLUDE THE STRONG PROTEST
MADE BY THE UNHCR ON THE GOZ'S DENIAL OF ACCESS TO
PROPER AND LEGAL REFUGEE PROCEDURES, THE RULING BY THE
ZIMBABWE ELIGIBILITY COMMITTEE THAT IT COULD NEITHER
ACCEPT NOR REJECT THE CUBANS CLAIM FOR REFUGEE STATUS,
AND THE COMMITTEE'S REQUEST THAT UNHCR FIND A DURABLE
SOLUTION HAS ONLY FURTHER COMPLICATED THE PROCESS.
SALOMONS WAS PROUD TO CLAIM THAT THE UNHCR HAS NOW COME
UP WITH A "SOLUTION", HAVING LOCATED A COUNTRY WILLING
TO ACCEPT THE CUBANS ON A TEMPORARY BASIS. THE UNHCR
HAS NEGOTIATED A WRITTEN AGREEMENT WITH THIS UNSPECIFIED
COUNTRY.



4. (C) SALOMONS SAID THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRY HAS
STIPULATED THAT THE PASSPORTS OF THE CUBAN DOCTORS MUST
BE GIVEN TO THEM FOR VISA ISSUANCE. SALOMONS AGAIN
REITERATED THAT THE UNHCR WAS LEGALLY PROHIBITED FROM
ISSUING TRAVEL DOCUMENTS TO THE TWO CUBANS AS IT
CONSIDERS THEM TO BE ASYLUM SEEKERS OR "DE FACTO"
REFUGEES. THEREFORE, THE VISAS WOULD HAVE TO BE PUT IN
THE CUBANS PASSPORTS. SALOMONS ALSO OPINED THAT
REGARDLESS OF THE LEGALITY OF HIS ORGANIZATION ISSUING
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS, IT WOULD NOT DO SO, DUE TO "POLITICAL"
CONSIDERATIONS. SALOMONS ALSO ADVISED US THAT HE
BELIEVES THAT THE GOZ WILL NOT RELEASE THE CUBANS TO THE
UNHCR FOR RESETTLEMENT TO THE UNNAMED COUNTRY EVEN WITH
THE WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE LATTER.



5. (C) OF INTEREST, AND IN DIRECT CONTRADICTION TO WHAT
WE WERE TOLD ON JUNE 19, SALOMONS ADMITTED THAT
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PAGE 04 HARARE 03323 01 OF 02 201125Z
CONDITIONS AT THE NEW LOCATION WHERE THE CUBANS ARE
BEING HELD ARE SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE THAN AT THE GOROMONZI
DETENTION CENTER. DUE TO THIS, THE UNHCR IS NOW
REQUESTING THAT THE CUBANS TO MOVED TO YET ANOTHER,
UNSPECIFIED, THIRD LOCATION. OUR SURPRISE AT THIS
TURNAROUND WAS EVIDENT, HAVING RECEIVED ASSURANCES FROM
BOTH BAJULAIYE AND SALOMONS ONLY 24 HOURS AGO THAT THEY
HAD INSPECTED THE NEW REMAND FACILITIES AND FOUND IT TO
BE FAR BETTER THAN GOROMONZI. UNHCR HAD NEGOTIATED
AMENITIES FOR THE CUBANS AT GORONMONZI TO INCLUDE FIVE
BLANKETS, A DAILY SHOWER AND THREE MEALS A DAY ALL OF
WHICH WAS BEING DENIED TO THEM AT THE NEW FACILITIES.
DOCTOR CORDOVA RODRIGUEZ HAD BEEN PLACED IN A CROWDED
CELL WITH EIGHT OTHER PRISONERS, TWO OF WHOM IMMEDIATELY
BEGAN BEATING HIM. THE POLICE REACTED AND REMOVED THE
CUBAN DOCTOR FROM THE CELL AND PLACED HIM IN A SINGLE
CELL. BOTH CUBANS ARE SCHEDULED TO HAVE MEDICAL
EXAMINATIONS SOMETIME TODAY.



6. (C) ACTION REQUESTED: SINCE UNHCR IS IN FULL CONTROL
OF THIS PROCESS, POST ASSUMES THAT IT SHOULD RELEASE THE
PASSPORTS OF THE CUBAN DOCTORS TO THE UNHCR
REPRESENTATIVE. HOWEVER, POST WOULD APPRECIATE
INSTRUCTIONS ON THIS POINT.

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PAGE 01 HARARE 03323 02 OF 02 201125Z
ACTION PRM-01

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00
SMEC-00 INL-01 DODE-00 DOEE-00 WHA-00 SRPP-00 DS-00
EB-00 EUR-00 OIGO-02 FBIE-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00
INR-00 IO-00 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NEA-00 NSAE-00
NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00
ACE-00 P-00 SCT-00 SP-00 SSO-00 STR-00 TRSE-00
USIE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00
/012W


--------------------------

64C799 201126Z /38
O 201131Z JUN 00
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6351
INFO USINT HAVANA PRIORITY
COMMISSIONER USINS WASHDC PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY
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 SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 003323

SIPDIS

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PAGE 02 HARARE 03323 02 OF 02 201125Z
DEPT FOR PRM A/S TAFT, PRM/A, PRM/AAA, AF/S, AF/PD,
WHA/CCA
NAIROBI FOR REFCOORD AND INS
ROME FOR INS
LONDON FOR PFLAUMER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/10
TAGS: PREF PGOV PHUM PREL ZI CU
SUBJECT: HANDING OVER CUBAN DOCTORS' PASSPORTS TO UNHCR

MCDONALD

CONFIDENTIAL

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