ZIMBABWE/SOUTH AFRICA TALKS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 004319

SIPDIS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH

LONDON FOR PFLAUMER

PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/10
TAGS: PREL ZI PGOV EAGR ZI
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE/SOUTH AFRICA TALKS


CLASSIFIED BY ECON OFFICER MARK PROKOP FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND
(D)

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REF: HARARE 4317


1. (C) SUMMARY: THE AUGUST 2 ZIMBABWE/SOUTH AFRICA REGULAR
BIANNUAL SUMMIT FOCUSED LARGELY ON BILATERAL ECONOMIC
ISSUES, MBEKI'S AFRICAN RENAISSANCE PLAN AND ISSUES OF LAND AND
LAWLESSNESS. THE ZIMBABWEAN PRESIDENT EXPLAINED THAT THE
WAR VETERANS' ACTIONS CONSTITUTED A DEMONSTRATION, BUT
OCCUPIED FARMS WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY BE ALLOCATED TO THEM.
INSTEAD THE GOZ HAS STRUCTURES AND A PLAN, ACCORDING TO
PRESIDENT MUGABE, AIMED AT ENSURING THAT THE LAND ACQUISITION
PROCESS IS AS DIVERSE AND EQUITABLE AS POSSIBLE. IN THE NEAR
FUTURE THE WAR VETS WILL BE REMOVED FROM FARMS THAT ARE NOT
LISTED, MUGABE TOLD HIS SOUTH AFRICAN COUNTERPART. HE
APOLOGIZED TO MBEKI FOR THE LOSS OF LIFE DURING THE PRE-ELECTION
PERIOD ON THE FARMS, NOTING THAT BOTH SIDES SHARED BLAME FOR
IT. THE SOUTH AFRICANS SEEMED PLEASED WITH THEIR MEETINGS HERE,
AND CONSCIOUS OF NOT APPEARING TO BE THE REGIONAL HEAVY. THEY
TOOK THE ZIMBABWEANS EXPLANATIONS AND RATIONALIZATIONS FOR
THE LAWLESSNESS, AT LEAST PUBLICLY, AT FACE VALUE. END
SUMMARY


2. (C) ON AUGUST 3 THE CHARGE CALLED ON VICTOR MDITSHWA, SOUTH
AFRICAN DEPUTY HIGH COMMISSIONER, TO GET A READOUT ON THE VISIT
ON AUGUST 2 OF A SENIOR GOVERNMENT DELEGATION FROM SOUTH
AFRICA, LED BY PRESIDENT MBEKI. THE GROUP INCLUDED THE
MINISTERS OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, FINANCE, TRADE, AGRICULTURE, AND
MINERALS AND ENERGY, AS WELL AS THE GOVERNOR GENERAL OF THE
SOUTH AFRICAN RESERVE BANK, THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE
MINISTRY OF FINANCE, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE
MINISTRY OF TRADE, AND DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE PRESIDENT'S
OFFICE CHIKANE. THE ZIMBABWEAN AND SOUTH AFRICAN HEADS OF
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STATE MEET REGULARLY ON A BIANNUAL BASIS; THEIR LAST MEETING
TOOK PLACE IN PRETORIA IN FEBRUARY. A WEEK EARLIER SOUTH
AFRICAN MINISTER OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY ALEC ERWIN HAD VISITED
HARARE TO MEET HIS NEW COUNTERPART, NKOSANA MOYO, AND BRIEF
HIM ON THE PROCESS OF BILATERAL ECONOMIC INTERACTION AS WELL
AS THE SADC TRADE PROTOCOL.


3. (C) WE WERE TOLD THAT THE TWO LEADERS HAD OVER A TWO-HOUR
ONE-ON-ONE DISCUSSION COVERING A RANGE OF TOPICS, ALTHOUGH
NONE IN GREAT DEPTH. TOPICS INCLUDED THE FUEL CRISIS, THE
ELECTRICITY BILL AND THE GENERAL STATUS OF THE ECONOMY
PARTICULARLY THE MILLENIUM ECONOMIC RECOVERY PROGRAM. THEY
REFLECTED ON REGIONAL, CONTINENTAL AND GLOBAL ISSUES. MBEKI
VIGOROUSLY FLOGGED HIS AFRICAN RECOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT
PLAN, STATING THAT ZIMBABWE AND THE SADC COUNTRIES WERE ALL
STRATEGIC PARTNERS IN ITS EXECUTION. THE MINISTERS ALSO MET
THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN SIMILARLY RESTRICTED CIRCUMSTANCES. THE
TALKS WERE A PRELIMINARY ENCOUNTER AND THE MINISTERIAL TEAMS
(TO WHICH THE TWO GOVERNMENTS ARE REFERRING AS THE STANDING
OMMITTEE) WOULD BE LOOKING TO MEET AGAIN SOON AFTE THIS
COMING WEEKEND'S WINDHOEK SUMMIT PROVIDINGTHE CHANCE TO RE-
ENGAGE IN MORE DETAIL.


4. C) THE SOUTH AFRICANS' THEME HAD BEEN THAT THE TWOCOUNTRIES
MUST EITHER SWIM TOGETHER IN THE REGIONOR SINK TOGETHER. THEY
WERE STRUCK BY A MORE FLEIBLE AND POSITIVE APPROACH BY THE
POST-ELECTION ANU-PF GOVERNMENT. ACCORDING TO MDITSHWA
THERE PPEARED TO BE A WILLINGNESS (AT LAST) TO FACE UP T
MAKING DIFFICULT DECISIONS, PARTICULARLY ON THE CONOMIC
ISSUES (MBEKI REPORTEDLY TOLD ZIMBABWEANMINISTER MAKONI AND
MOYO THAT IN THIS RESPECT THY MUST HELP THEIR PRESIDENT TO THE
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FULLEST). ITWAS ALSO ENCOURAGING, TO THE SOUTH AFRICANS, THAT
THE LAW AND ORDER ISSUE WAS BEING ADDRESSED, WITH PLANS FOR
THE WAR VETERANS TO BE MOVED OFF NON-LISTED FARMS WITHIN A
MONTH. MUGABE SPECIFICALLY STATED THAT THE VETS WOULD COME
OFF THE FARMS NOT ON THE ACQUISITION LIST, BUT WOULD BE
ALLOWED TO REMAIN ON THE LISTED PROPERTIES. BOTH PRESIDENTS
AGREED THAT THE LAND ISSUE WAS AN IMPORTANT ONE FOR ZIMBABWE.
MUGABE ADDED THAT NOW THAT HIS GOVERNMENT HAD COME UP WITH
A LIST OF FARMS TO BE RESETTLED, THE WAR VETS COULD BE DEALT
WITH, THOUGH THE SPECIFICS OF THIS PROCESS WERE LEFT UNSTATED.


5. (C) MUGABE WENT INTO A DETAILED EXPLANATION OF HOW THE
PROCESS WOULD WORK WITH SEVERAL LAYERS OF FAIL SAFE MEASURES
AGAINST UNJUST LAND GRABS. ZIMBABWE'S PRESIDENT ALSO POINTED
OUT THAT THE PLAN WOULD AIM TO BE AS INCLUSIVE AS POSSIBLE.
PROVINCIAL LAND ACQUISITION COMMITTEES WOULD IDENTIFY LAND
FOR COMPULSORY ACQUISITION ACCORDING TO TRANSPARENT
CRITERIA, WHILE A VERIFYING COMMISSION CHAIRED BY VICE
PRESIDENT MSIKA WOULD REVIEW THE LISTS. THE PROPERTIES WOULD
BE GAZETTED AND OWNERS WOULD HAVE 30 DAYS WITHIN WHICH TO
REGISTER THEIR OBJECTIONS. THE ZIMBABWEAN PRESIDENT NOTED
THAT OCCUPIED FARMS WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY BE ALLOCATED TO
WAR VETERANS. HE ALSO MADE THE POINT (THAT HE HAS REPEATEDLY

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ACTION AF-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 DS-00
EB-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 NSAE-00
SSO-00 SS-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /002W
-------------- 75E879 031652Z /38
O 031644Z AUG 00
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6769
INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 004319

SIPDIS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH

LONDON FOR PFLAUMER

PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/10
TAGS: PREL ZI PGOV EAGR ZI
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE/SOUTH AFRICA TALKS

WITH US) THAT HE CONSIDERS THE WAR VETERANS ACTION TO BE A
DEMONSTRATION. THE SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT TOOK AT FACE
VALUE MUGABE'S LINE THAT VIOLENCE ON THE FARMS WAS
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PAGE 02 HARARE 04319 02 OF 02 031647Z
REGRETTABLE, BUT THAT BOTH SIDES SHARED BLAME FOR IT. THE
ZIMBABWEAN PRESIDENT SAID THAT THE POLICE DID NOT HAVE THE
CAPACITY TO DEAL WITH THE INVADERS AND SENDING IN THE ARMY,
WITH NO ABILITY TO NEGOTIATE, AGAINST SEASONED MILITARY CADRES
COULD PRODUCE A NASTY OUTCOME.


6. (C) THE SOUTH AFRICANS SEEM BROADLY SATISFIED WITH THIS INITIAL
RAFT OF MEETINGS. MDITSHWA EXHIBITED THE CLASSIC SOUTH
AFRICAN CONCERN NOT TO GIVE ANY IMPRESSION OF DICTATING TO
THEIR NEIGHBORS, THOUGH HE HINTED THAT IN THE COURSE OF THESE
SUMMITS IT WAS HOPED THAT THE ZIMBABWEANS COULD LEARN
SOMETHING FROM SOUTH AFRICA. THIS DOUBTLESS IS THE REASON FOR
THEIR CAUTIOUS COMMENTS TO THE MEDIA AT THE JOINT PRESS
CONFERENCE AFTERWARDS.


7. (C) COMMENT: IN THE PRESIDENTIAL DIALOGUE MBEKI DOES NOT
APPEAR TO HAVE LAID A GLOVE ON MUGABE ON THE TOPIC OF RESPECT
FOR THE RULE OF LAW. HE DEFERRED TO HIS SENIOR NEIGHBOR. WHILE
MUGABE INTIMATED THAT THE WAR VETS WERE A TOOL TO APPLY
PRESSURE ON THE COMMERCIAL FARMING COMMUNITY, HIS APOLOGY
FOR DEATHS NEARING THE 40 COUNT RINGS HOLLOW AND EMPTY TO US.
EMBASSY PRETORIA MAY BE ABLE TO GLEAN MORE FROM THEIR
CONTACTS, ALTHOUGH ATTENTION WILL NO DOUBT NOW BE FOCUSED
ON THE UPCOMING WINDHOEK SADC SUMMIT.

IRVING

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