C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 004849

SIPDIS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS
USUN FOR HOLBROOKE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/10
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 HARARE 04849 01 OF 02 311700Z
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS ZI CG
SUBJECT: DROC FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS HARARE


CLASSIFIED BY AMB. TOM MCDONALD. REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND
(D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: DROC FOREIGN MINISTER YERODIA PAID A
BRIEF VISIT TO ZIMBABWE ON AUGUST 29 TO ASSUAGE
HARARE'S CONCERNS AFTER PRESIDENT KABILA SAID HE WOULD
SEEK TO REVISE THE LUSAKA AGREEMENT. AMBASSADOR
MCDONALD OBTAINED A READOUT ON YERODIA'S VISIT FOM
NEW MFA PERMANENT SECRETARY AND THE UNDERSECRTARY FOR
AFRICA. BOTH ITERATED THAT THE LUSAKA AGREEMENT IS
STILL ON TRACK. THE UNDERSECRETARY SID ZIMBABWE IS
OPEN TO HEARING ANY PROPOSALS TO EVISE THE AGREEMENT,
BUT IT HAS NOT FORMED A POSTION ON KABILA'S DESIRE
THAT UGANDA, RWANDA, ANDBURUNDI SHOULD BE NAMED AS
AGGRESSORS. HOWEVER, ANY REVISION PROCESS SHOULD NOT
BE A HINDRANCE TOTHE MONUC PHASE II DEPLOYMENT,
ACCORDING TO THE IMBABWEAN MFA. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) AFTER AN AGUST 29 MEETING IN HARARE WITH
PRESIDENT MUGABE,DROC FOREIGN MINISTER YERODIA TOLD
REPORTERS THAT THE LUSAKA PROCESS WAS STILL ON TRACK
BUT SHOULDBE REVISED TO NAME RWANDA, UGANDA, AND
BURUNDI A AGGRESSORS. CURRENT FACILITATOR MASIRE WAS
A "OMPLICATOR" AND COULD NOT BE TRUSTED. IN HIS
PULIC COMMENTS, YERODIA SAID THAT, ALTHOUGH THE DROC
DID NOT THINK A FACILITATOR WAS NECESSARY, IT HAD
PROPOSED POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES IN AN EFFORT TO B
FORTHCOMING, INCLUDING KENNETH KAUNDA, FREDERIKDE
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PAGE 03 HARARE 04849 01 OF 02 311700Z
KLERK, AND CYRIL RAMAPHOSA. ZIMBABWEAN FOREIN
MINISTER MUDENGE TOLD JOURNALISTS THAT THE LUSAKA
ACCORDS HAD NOT BEEN "WRITTEN IN STONE," AND SID THE
DROC'S DESIRE TO REVISE THE LUSAKA ACCORD WOULD BE
CONSIDERED.


3. (C) IN AN AUGUST 30MEETING ON A DIFFERENT TOPIC
WITH MFA PERMSEC WILARD CHIWEWE, THE AMBASSADOR ASKED
FOR A READOUT OF YERODIA'S VISIT. CHIWEWE NOTED THAT
HE HAD ATENDED PRESIDENT MUGABE'S MEETING WITH

YERODIA, AD HAD NOT COME AWAY WITH THE SENSE THAT THE
CONGLESE GOVERNMENT WAS AN OBSTACLE TO FORWARD
MOVEMNT ON LUSAKA. MASIRE HAD NOT BEEN DISCUSSED,
BUT HE EMPHASIZED THAT THE PHASE II MONUC DEPLOYMENT
MUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT KABILA'S CONCERNS ABOUT WHEE
THE TROOPS WILL BE DEPLOYED. THE AMBASSADOR AKED
WHETHER YERODIA HAD INSISTED THAT LUSAKA BE EVISED.
THE USG, HE SAID, IS STRONGLY CONCERNED THAT OPENING
UP THE LUSAKA ACCORDS TO REVISION WOUD BE A SERIOUS
SETBACK TO THE PEACE PROCESS. TH ZIMBABWEAN
GOVERNMENT, CHIWEWE REPLIED, BELIEVE WE HAVE COME
THIS FAR BECAUSE OF LUSAKA. ANY REQUEST FOR REVISION,
HE SAID, WOULD REQUIRE A STRONG JUSTIFICATION, BUT THE
DROC GOVERNMENT HAD NOT YET ENGAGED IN THE FORMAL
AMENDMENT PROCESS PERMITTED UNDER ARTICLE 26. ALL
INDICATIONS, CHIWEWE THOUGHT, ARE THAT LUSAKA IS ON
COURSE, PROVIDED THAT MONUC II DEPLOYS QUICKLY.


4. (C) THE AMBASSADOR AND POLOFFS MET SEPARATELY ON
AUGUST 31 WITH MFA UNDERSECRETARY FOR AFRICA DAVID
HAMADZIRIPI ABOUT YERODIA'S DISCUSSIONS HERE.
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HAMADZIRIPI SAID THE MEETING WAS INTENDED TO BE A
CONSULTATION AMONG THE ALLIES TO ENSURE THEY WERE ON
THE SAME TRACK AND TO DISCUSS ACCELERATING
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LUSAKA AGREEMENTS. DUE TO
SCHEDULING CONFLICTS, HOWEVER, ANGOLA WAS UNABLE TO
SEND ANYONE AND NAMIBIA WAS REPRESENTED BY ITS
AMBASSADOR HERE.


5. (C) YERODIA, HAMADZIRIPI SAID, HAD AGREED THAT
LUSAKA REMAINS VALID, BUT BELIEVED THERE WAS A NEED TO
REVIEW THE AGREEMENTS NOW THAT RWANDA, BURUNDI, AND
UGANDA HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED AS AGGRESSOR NATIONS IN
UNSCR 1304, AND BECAUSE SOME OF THE ORIGINAL REBEL
SIGNATORIES HAVE NOW WITHDRAWN FROM THE CONFLICT.
HAMADZIRIPI INDICATED THAT ZIMBABWE IS OPEN TO
REVIEWING ANY PROPOSALS FOR AMENDMENTS, AS PERMITTED
BY ARTICLE 26, BUT HAD NOT YET TAKEN A POSITION ON THE
SUBSTANCE OF POSSIBLE CHANGES. HAMADZIRIPI DID NOT
SEE A FORMAL REVIEW OF LUSAKA AS AN OBSTACLE TO THE
MONUC PHASE II DEPLOYMENT. PARTICIPANTS IN THE
DISCUSSIONS WELCOMED RWANDA'S PROPOSAL TO WITHDRAW 200
KM, AND DEFENSE MINISTERS OF DROC'S ALLIES PLAN TO
MEET SOON TO DISCUSS THE MODALITIES OF DISENGAGEMENT.

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ACTION AF-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 INL-00 DODE-00
DOEE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00 FAAE-00
VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 LAB-01 L-00
VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00
PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 SSO-00 TRSE-00
USIE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-01 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00
SAS-00 SWCI-00 /010W
-------------- 804B1C 311700Z /38
O 311659Z AUG 00
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6981
INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RWANDA COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY LONDON
AMEMBASSY PARIS
NSC WASHDC
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 004849

SIPDIS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS
USUN FOR HOLBROOKE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/10
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 HARARE 04849 02 OF 02 311700Z
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS ZI CG
SUBJECT: DROC FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS HARARE


6. (C) ACCORDING TO HAMADZIRIPI, MASIRE'S ROLE AS
PEACE FACILITATOR DID NOT COME UP IN THE PRIVATE
DISCUSSIONS. THIS IS A SENSITIVE ISSUE FOR ZIMBABWE,
HE POINTED OUT, BECAUSE THE GOZ WANTS TO IMPLEMENT
LUSAKA BUT DOES NOT WANT TO OFFEND BOTSWANA BY
UNCEREMONIOUSLY DUMPING THE WELL-RESPECTED MASIRE.
PRESIDENT KABILA IS ABSOLUTELY OPPOSED TO MASIRE, SO
ZIMBABWE MUST HELP COME UP WITH AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN
THAT DOES NOT DENIGRATE MASIRE. THE GOZ, HAMADZIRIPI
RECALLED, HAD ACCEPTED THE NAMIBIAN PROPOSAL THAT TWO
EMINENT PERSONS BE ASKED TO WORK WITH MASIRE. DESPITE
THE OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSAL BY THE DROC AND OTHERS,
HAMADZIRIPI WAS CONFIDENT A WAY OUT COULD BE FOUND, AS
THE DROC IS COMMITTED TO THE FACILITATION PROCESS.


7. (C) EVINCING A BIT OF FRUSTRATION, HAMADZIRIPI
SAID THE COUNTRIES OF THE REGION HAD WORKED HARD TO
KEEP THE LUSAKA PROCESS ALIVE, AND HE CRITICIZED THE
UN FOR "LETTING US DOWN." THE AMBASSADOR REMINDED
HAMADZIRIPI THAT PRESIDENT KABILA BORE MOST OF THE
BLAME FOR THE SLOW PACE OF PROGRESS, AND SAID MONUC II
COULD NOT PROCEED UNTIL KABILA PROVIDES THE NECESSARY
SECURITY GUARANTEES AND ALLOWS DEPLOYMENT IN AREAS HIS
GOVERNMENT CONTROLS. HAMADZIRIPI ACKNOWLEDGED THE
POINT, AND SAID THE GOZ WOULD DO ALL IT COULD TO
ENSURE THE CONDITIONS WERE RIGHT FOR THE PHASE II
DEPLOYMENT. ZIMBABWE'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE DROC,
HAMADZIRIPI INSISTED, WAS MOTIVATED GENUINELY BY THE
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PRINCIPLE OF PROTECTING A NATION'S SOVEREIGN BORDERS,
NOT BY ECONOMIC INTERESTS, AND THE GOZ WOULD CONTINUE
TO REMAIN ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS.


8. (C) COMMENT: HAMADZIRIPI IS THE MOST SENIOR MFA
OFFICIAL ENGAGED ON A DAILY BASIS ON DROC POLICY, AND
SO IS MUCH MORE THOROUGHLY BRIEFED ON DROC THAN
CHIWEWE, WHO ASSUMED HIS CURRENT POSITION ONLY ON
AUGUST 28. HAMADZIRIPI, HOWEVER, IS SOMETIMES OVERLY
OPTIMISTIC AND FAILS TO ACKNOWLEDGE ZIMBABWE'S CLEAR
ECONOMIC INTERESTS IN THE DROC. LIKE THE REST OF THE
MFA, HE DID NOT APPEAR PHASED BY KABILA'S LATEST
WRANGLINGS, AND REMAINED HOPEFUL AFTER YERODIA'S VISIT
THAT THE DROC WOULD STICK TO LUSAKA AND THAT THE MONUC
DEPLOYMENT WOULD GO FORWARD. DESPITE ZIMBABWE'S
CONTINUING AND INTENSIFYING DIFFICULTIES WITH KABILA,
HE IS STILL KEY TO ENDING THE GOZ'S MILITARY
ENTANGLEMENT THERE.

MCDONALD

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