C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 005602

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/03/10
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS ZI CG SA
SUBJECT: MBEKI TO CONVENE MEETING OF EXTERNAL
SIGNATORIES ON DROC PEACE PROCESS
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PAGE 02 HARARE 05602 031242Z

REFS: A) STATE 186856, B) HARARE 5584

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


1. (C) AMBASSADOR REACHED FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER
STANISLAUS MUDENGE BY PHONE ON OCTOBER 2 TO FOLLOW UP ON
REF A DEMARCHE. MUDENGE HAD BEEN UNAVAILABLE WHEN
DEMARCHE WAS DELIVERED TO MFA PERMANENT SECRETARY
WILLARD CHIWEWE SEPTEMBER 29 (REF B). AMBASSADOR URGED
MUDENGE TO USE ZIMBABWE'S INFLUENCE WITH KABILA TO
PERMIT THE FULL MOVEMENT OF MONUC FORCES IN THE DROC AND
TO ABIDE BY THE LUSAKA ACCORDS. MUDENGE REPORTED THAT
SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT MBEKI WILL CONVENE SHORTLY A
MEETING OF THE HEADS OF STATE OF THE EXTERNAL SIGNATORY
COUNTRIES TO ASSESS THE CURRENT STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION
OF THE LUSAKA ACCORDS AND TO URGE KABILA TO ABIDE BY
LUSAKA AND IMPLEMENT THE PEACE PROCESS. THE MEETING WAS
ORIGINALLY TO HAVE TAKEN PLACE OVER THE SEPTEMBER 30-
OCTOBER 1 WEEKEND, BUT MBEKI POSTPONED IT. MUDENGE
REPORTED THAT PRESIDENT MUGABE SUPPORTS THE IDEA OF SUCH
A MEETING. AMBASSADOR CONVEYED U.S. SUPPORT FOR
DISCUSSIONS THAT WOULD FURTHER THE PEACE PROCESS WITHOUT
COMPROMISING THE LUSAKA AGREEMENTS.


2. (C) COMMENT: MUDENGE HAS BEEN LARGELY INACCESSIBLE
SINCE RETURNING FROM WASHINGTON LAST MONTH AS HIS WIFE
HAS BEEN QUITE ILL. MUDENGE DID NOT STATE THE NATURE OF
HER ILLNESS, BUT SAID THAT SHE WOULD REMAIN IN HARARE
FOR TREATMENT. ALTHOUGH THE MFA HAS FOR SOME TIME BEEN
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PAGE 03 HARARE 05602 031242Z
RATHER DYSFUNCTIONAL, MUDENGE'S RECENT UNAVAILABILITY,
THE LACK OF A DEPUTY MINISTER AND AN EXPERIENCED
PERMANENT SECRETARY HAS RENDERED THE MFA PARTICULARLY
INEFFECTIVE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO APPROACH OTHER SENIOR
INTERLOCUTORS IN GOVERNMENT TO EMPHASIZE THE NEED FOR
ZIMBABWE TO DO EVERYTHING IT CAN TO ENSURE THAT LUSAKA
SUCCEEDS.

MCDONALD

CONFIDENTIAL

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