ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT CONFIRMS POLITICAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 004083 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 04083 251348Z LONDON FOR PFLAUMER PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS NAIROBI PLEASE PASS TO S/E HOWARD WOLPE E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/25/2010 TAGS: PREL MOPS ZI CG SUBJECT: ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT CONFIRMS POLITICAL COMMITTEE TO MEET IN LUSAKA ON JULY 28 REF: LUSAKA 3300 CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS UNDER SECRETARY FOR AFRICA DAVID HAMADZIRIPI TOLD CHARGE JULY 25 THAT THE POLITICAL COMMITTEE WILL MEET IN LUSAKA ON JULY 28 (REFTEL),AND THAT HE AND HIS MINISTER PLANNED TO ATTEND. AFTER INQUIRING ABOUT KABILA'S RECENT THREAT TO PULL THE PLUG ON MONUC, THE ZIMBABWEAN DIPLOMAT COMPLAINED THAT THE POLITICAL COMMITTEE SEEMED TO BE DISCUSSING THE SAME ISSUE OVER AND OVER AGAIN. ¶2. (C) WHEN CHARGE TOLD HAMADZIRIPI THAT THERE WAS AN EFFORT UNDER WAY TO GET THE OAU MORE INVOLVED IN THE CONGO PEACE PROCESS, THE LATTER REMARKED THAT HE HOPED THE CONTINENTAL BODY WOULD SEND A MORE SENIOR PERSON TO THE LUSAKA MEETING. TO DATE THEY HAVE BEEN SENDING ONLY CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 04083 251348Z "VERY JUNIOR OFFICERS," WHO HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO MAKE ANY PROGRESS VIS A VIS THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE JOINT MILITARY COMMISSION (JMC). JMC CHAIRMAN LALLALI HAD NOT BEEN IN LUSAKA SINCE FEBRUARY AND ZAMBIAN BRIGADIER KAZEMBE WAS UNABLE TO SHOULDER THE ENTIRE BURDEN OF RUNNING THE COMMITTEE HIMSELF, AS HE HAD DUTIES TO ATTEND WITH THE ZAMBIAN ARMY. THE ZIMBABWEANS DO NOT SEE HOW THE POLITICAL COMMITTEE CAN ACHIEVE MUCH WITH A PART-TIME JMC IN PLACE, HAMADZIRIPI CONCLUDED. IRVING CONFIDENTIAL >