Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|
00HARARE5969 | 2000-10-24 13:49:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Harare |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. 241349Z Oct 00 CONFIDENTIAL PTO3020 PAGE 01 HARARE 05969 241346Z ACTION WHA-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DODE-00 DS-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 VCE-00 NSAE-00 OIC-02 SS-00 DSCC-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /002W ------------------961782 241347Z /38 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7436 INFO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY USINT HAVANA PRIORITY |
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 005969 |
1. (C) CHARGE DELIVERED REFTEL DEMARCHE ON OCTOBER 24 TO CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 05969 241346Z SENIOR MFA ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER AND ACTING AMERICA'S DESK OFFICER ARTHUR CHINGONO IN THE ABSENCE OF MORE SENIOR MINISTRY OFFICIALS. DRAWING ON REFTEL TALKING POINTS, CHARGE URGED ZIMBABWE TO OPPOSE, OR AT A MINIMUM, ABSTAIN ON CUBA'S UNGA RESOLUTION CONDEMNING THE U.S. BILATERAL EMBARGO ON CUBA. CHINGONO RESPONDED THAT ZIMBABWE VOTED FOR THE SAME RESOLUTION LAST YEAR IN HOPE OF MAINTAINING ITS GOOD RELATIONS WITH CUBA. EVEN IF ZIMBABWE VOTES IN FAVOR AGAIN THIS YEAR, ZIMBABWE HOPES THAT IT CAN USE ITS INFLUENCE TO CONVINCE CUBA TO RESUME A DIALOGUE WITH THE UNITED STATES, HE STATED. THE ZIMBABWEAN DIPLOMAT REPORTED THAT HIS GOVERNMENT HAD ASKED CUBA FOR ITS ASSESSMENT OF ITS U.S. RELATIONSHIP, AND CUBA RESPONDED THAT IT DETECTS NO MEANINGFUL CHANGE. 2. (C) CHARGE RESPONDED THAT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WHEN CASTRO DOES NOT RECIPROCATE U.S. GESTURES, AND WORSE, INSULTS THE U.S. BY DERIDING ITS HUMANITARIAN CONCESSIONS TO CUBA. CHARGE ASKED CHINGONO HOW MUCH AUTHORITY ZIMBABWE'S PERMREP IN NEW YORK HAD IN VOTING ON THESE TYPES OF RESOLUTIONS. DEPENDING ON THE ISSUE, HE HAS A FAIR AMOUNT OF DISCRETION, CHINGONO REPLIED. ZIMBABWE WANTS TO AVOID MAKING THESE UNGA RESOLUTIONS A RITUAL, AND INTENDS TO RE-EVALUATE THE SITUATION IN CUBA EVERY YEAR, BUT OFTEN DOES NOT HAVE THE PERTINENT INFORMATION TO MAKE AN INFORMED VOTE. ZIMBABWE APPRECIATES ANY INFORMATION THE U.S. CAN PROVIDE, CHINGONO CONCLUDED. 3. (C) COMMENT: CHINGONO PUT A GOOD, DIPLOMATIC FACE ON WHAT IN ALL LIKELIHOOD WILL BE A ZIMBABWE VOTE IN CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 05969 241346Z FAVOR OF CUBA'S RESOLUTION. GIVEN PRESIDENT MUGABE'S DEMONSTRATED LACK OF CONCERN FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN GENERAL, HUMAN RIGHTS IN CUBA HAS NEVER BEEN A FEATURE OF ZIMBABWEAN FOREIGN POLICY, AND CHINGONO EFFECTIVELY CONFIRMED THIS. THERE ARE TOO MANY STRONG TIES, AND PARALLELS, BETWEEN ZIMBABWE AND CUBA FOR ZIMBABWE TO ABSTAIN OR VOTE AGAINST ITS OLDEST ALLY IN THE AMERICAS. THERE ARE CURRENTLY ABOUT 100 LOW-COST DOCTORS IN ZIMBABWE FROM CUBA, AND PRESIDENT MUGABE LIKELY VIEWS CASTRO AS A FELLOW-IN-ARMS BESIEGED BY A HOSTILE WEST. MUGABE ALSO LIKELY SEES THIS VOTE AS A COST-FREE CHANCE TO POKE THE U.S. IN THE EYE OVER WHAT HE PERCEIVED WAS AN ATTEMPT TO IMPOSE SANCTIONS ON ZIMBABWE WITH THE ZIMBABWE DEMOCRACY ACT. END COMMENT. IRVING CONFIDENTIAL > |