MUGABE TO DEPART FOR CONGO AFTERNOON OF JULY

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 003771 SIPDIS DEPT PLEASE PASS TO AF S/E HOWARD WOLPE NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 03771 121130Z E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/10 TAGS: PGOV PREL CG ZI SUBJECT: MUGABE TO DEPART FOR CONGO AFTERNOON OF JULY 12 REF: (A) HARARE 3465, (B) HARARE 3760 CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD. REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER NICHOLAS GOCHE TOLD AMBASSADOR JULY 12 THAT PRESIDENT MUGABE WAS PLANNING TO DEPART FOR LUBUMBASHI THAT AFTERNOON TO MEET WITH PRESIDENT KABILA. HE IS LIKELY TO RETURN ON JULY 13. ACCORDING TO GOCHE, MUGABE PROBABLY WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY DEFENSE MINISTER MOVEN MAHACHI AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR NATIONAL SECURITY SYDNEY SEKERAMAYI. GOCHE SAID THAT HE DID NOT BELIEVE REPRESENTATIVES OF ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTS WOULD BE PRESENT AT THE MEETING. ¶2. (C) THE AMBASSADOR ASKED WHETHER MUGABE PLANNED TO PRESS PRESIDENT KABILA TO ACCEPT SIR KETUMILE MASIRE AS NATIONAL DIALOGUE FACILITATOR. HE NOTED THAT MUGABE AND NAMIBIAN PRESIDENT SAM NUJOMA HAD APPARENTLY MADE A STRONG PITCH TO KABILA IN SUPPORT OF MASIRE AT THE JUNE 25 MINI-SUMMIT IN HARARE (REF A). THE AMBASSADOR POINTED OUT THAT REMOVING MASIRE AND APPOINTING ANOTHER FACILITATOR WOULD SET THE PROCESS BACK BY MONTHS. GOCHE REPLIED THAT HE HAD NO INFORMATION ON MUGABE'S AGENDA FOR THE MEETING, ALTHOUGH "OBVIOUSLY THE MASIRE ISSUE WILL COME UP." HOWEVER, HE AGREED THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 03771 121130Z FOR THE PARTIES TO SET ASIDE THEIR DIFFERENCES RATHER THAN STARTING OVER WITH A NEW FACILITATOR. MCDONALD CONFIDENTIAL >