UNHCR TO PROPOSE RESETTLING CUBAN DOCTORS IN UNSPECIFIED THIRD COUNTRY

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 003344 SIPDIS DEPT FOR PRM A/S TAFT, PRM/A, PRM/AAA, AF/S, AF/PD, WHA/CCA NAIROBI FOR REFCOORD AND INS CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 03344 201559Z ROME FOR INS LONDON FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/10 TAGS: PREF PGOV PHUM PREL ZI CU SUBJECT: UNHCR TO PROPOSE RESETTLING CUBAN DOCTORS IN UNSPECIFIED THIRD COUNTRY REF: A). WHITE/HEBRON TELCON 6/20/00 B). HARARE 3323 CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD FOR REASONS 1.5 B/D. ¶1. (C) UNHCR REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE OLUSEYI BAJULAIYE TOLD AMBASSADOR MCDONALD ON JUNE 20 THAT HE WOULD BE DELIVERING THAT DAY A LETTER FROM UNITED NATIONS DEPUTY HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES SOREN JESSEN-PETERSEN TO ZIMBABWEAN VICE PRESIDENT JOSEPH MSIKA THROUGH THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. THE LETTER WILL PRESENT A CONCRETE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF THE CUBAN DOCTORS, AND STATE THAT THE UNHCR HAS IDENTIFIED A COUNTRY FOR THEIR IMMEDIATE RESETTLEMENT. BAJULAIYE WOULD NOT IDENTIFY THE COUNTRY BEFORE HE HAD PROPOSED IT TO THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT. HE SAID THAT HE HOPED THAT THE ZIMBABWEANS WOULD REACT QUICKLY AND POSITIVELY, AND COUNTED ON HIS PERSONAL FRIENDSHIP WITH ZIMBABWEAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PERMANENT SECRETARY MACHIVENYIKA MAPURANGA TO HELP LUBRICATE THE CUBANS' RELEASE PROCESS. HOWEVER, HE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THE GOVERNMENT'S DISTRACTION WITH THE PARLIAMENTARY CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 03344 201559Z ELECTION, A FACT THAT COULD REQUIRE THE CUBANS TO EXTEND THEIR STAY IN ZIMBABWE. ¶2. (C) THE REGIONAL UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE ASSURED AMBASSADOR MCDONALD THAT HIS STAFF VISITED THE CUBANS EVERY DAY. SPEAKING "OFF THE RECORD," BAJULAIYE (PROTECT) SAID THAT THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT FORCIBLY REPATRIATE THE CUBANS, BUT RATHER WANTED THEM TO "STEW" FOR A WHILE. BY MAKING THE CUBANS SUFFER, THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT WOULD SEND A SIGNAL TO OTHER WOULD-BE DEFECTORS REGARDING THEIR CHOICE OF ZIMBABWE AS A JUMPING OFF POINT. ¶3. (C) CONSUL HANDED OVER THE CUBANS PASSPORTS TO BAJULAIYE ALONG WITH A FEW OTHER PERSONAL BELONGINGS. EMBASSY SOUGHT GUIDANCE FROM DEPARTMENT (REFTEL B) AS TO THE ADVISABILITY OF HANDING OVER THE CUBANS PASSPORTS TO UNHCR TO FACILITATE THEIR TRAVEL TO A THIRD COUNTRY FOR RESETTLEMENT. DEPARTMENT (PRM'S CRAIG WHITE) CONCURRED THAT EMBASSY SHOULD HAND OVER THE CUBANS' PASSPORTS TO UNHCR, AS THAT ORGANIZATION WAS OFFICIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CUBANS (REF A). MCDONALD CONFIDENTIAL >