MAPUTO FOLLOW-UP: KATANGA OFFENSIVE MUST CEASE

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 006111 SIPDIS LONDON FOR GURNEY PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS PASS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/30/10 TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO ZI SUBJECT: MAPUTO FOLLOW-UP: KATANGA OFFENSIVE MUST CEASE REF: STATE 208224 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 06111 301553Z CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD FOR REASONS 1.5 B/D. ¶1. (C) PER REFTEL INSTRUCTION, AMBASSADOR MCDONALD MET WITH MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PERMANENT SECRETARY WILLARD CHIWEWE, IN THE ABSENCE OF FOREIGN MINISTER MUDENGE, OCTOBER 30, AND MADE THE POINTS IN PARA 1. THE AMBASSADOR ALSO LEFT A NON-PAPER WITH THE POINTS FOR CHIWEWE'S CONSIDERATION. ¶2. (C) THE SENIOR ZIMBABWEAN DIPLOMAT RESPONDED, "WE UNDERSTAND." HE NOTED THAT ZIMBABWE AND THE U.S. HAD VIRTUALLY NO DIFFERENCES ON PRINCIPLES, BUT HE TOOK EXCEPTION TO OUR CHARACTERIZATION OF KABILA BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LATEST OFFENSIVE IN KATANGA. "IT COULD BE SOLDIERS," HE SHRUGGED. IN ANY EVENT, HE CONTINUED, THE "SKIRMISH NEEDS TO BE REGRETTED." HE UNDERSCORED ZIMBABWE'S POSITION THAT THE SADC STATES ARE ANXIOUS TO SEE A PERMANENT END TO HOSTILITIES IN THE CONGO. HE ALSO CALLED FOR THE UNITED STATES TO USE ITS INFLUENCE TO SECURE THE WITHDRAWAL OF RWANDA AND UGANDA FROM THE CONGO. AMBASSADOR MCDONALD ASSURED THE PERMANENT SECRETARY THAT HIS COUNTERPARTS IN KIGALI AND KAMPALA ARE MAKING SIMILAR POINTS TO THEIR HOST GOVERNMENTS ON A REGULAR BASIS. MCDONALD CONFIDENTIAL >