ZIMBABWE LOOKING INTO KATANGA CLASHES

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 006175 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS USUN FOR HOLBROOKE E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/10 TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS ZI CG SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE LOOKING INTO KATANGA CLASHES CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 06175 011533Z REFS: A) SECSTATE 208489, B) MAPUTO 4092 CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD FOR REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) AMBASSADOR, ACCOMPANIED BY POLOFF (NOTETAKER), MET SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT EMMERSON MNANGAGWA NOVEMBER 1 TO CONVEY USG CONCERN OVER RECENT REPORTS OF ZIMBABWEAN INVOLVEMENT IN NEW FIGHTING IN THE DRC. MNANGAGWA, WHO IS STILL ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN MANAGING ZIMBABWE'S ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL AFFAIRS IN THE DRC, PROFESSED IGNORANCE OF AN OFFENSIVE BY FAC FORCES IN KATANGA PROVINCE. HE ALSO SAID IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE FOR ZIMBABWEAN FORCES TO BE ASSISTING IN ANY OFFENSIVE NEAR LAKE TANGANYIKA BECAUSE 1) ZIMBABWE NO LONGER HAS AN AIRLIFT CAPABILITY IN THE DRC, AND 2) ZIMBABWEAN FORCES PULLED OUT OF KALEMIE ON LAKE TANGANYIKA LONG AGO. MNANGAGWA REITERATED A POINT HE HAS MADE TO US BEFORE THAT KABILA OFTEN GOES BEHIND HIS ALLIES' BACKS ON NEW MILITARY OPERATIONS AND THAT THIS WAS ONE OF THEIR BIGGEST QUARRELS WITH HIM. ¶2. (C) THE AMBASSADOR EMPHASIZED THAT MONUC'S MANDATE EXPIRES DECEMBER 15 AND TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO STOP FIGHTING SO THAT MONUC OBSERVERS CAN FULLY DEPLOY. THE USG IS TELLING RWANDA AND UGANDA THE SAME THING AND URGING THEM NOT TO TRY TO RETAKE LOST TERRITORY SO THAT THE PEACE PROCESS STAYS ON TRACK. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MEETING, MNANGAGWA TELEPHONED GENERAL VITALIS ZVINAVASHE, COMMANDER OF THE ZIMBABWE DEFENSE FORCES CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 06175 011533Z (ZDF),TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE KATANGA CLASHES. ZVINAVASHE CONFIRMED THAT AN "INCIDENT" HAD TAKEN PLACE IN KATANGA, BUT THAT IT INVOLVED FAC AND INTERAHAMWE FORCES, AND NOT ZIMBABWEAN FORCES. NONETHELESS, THE ZDF COMMANDER WAS GOING TO TALK TO HIS COMMANDERS IN THE DRC AND PERSONALLY VISIT THE REGION ON NOVEMBER 3, ACCORDING TO THE SPEAKER. THE AMBASSADOR SUGGESTED THAT PERHAPS SOME LOCAL ZIMBABWEAN COMMANDERS WERE ACTING ON THEIR OWN IN HELPING THE CONGOLESE, TO WHICH MNANGAGWA REPLIED THAT HE DID NOT BELIEVE THAT WAS OCCURRING SINCE THE ZDF IS A VERY DISCIPLINED FORCE. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: MNANGAGWA, EVER COY WITH US ON DRC MATTERS, ALMOST CERTAINLY PRETENDED TO BE IGNORANT OF THE FIGHTING IN KATANGA. HE PERSONALLY HAS TOO MANY FINANCIAL INTERESTS AT STAKE TO BE UNAWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON, ESPECIALLY WITH HIS EASY ACCESS TO GENERAL ZVINAVASHE. NONETHELESS, MNANGAGWA, WHO REMAINS ONE OF OUR FEW AUTHORITATIVE CONTACTS ON THE DRC IN THE ZIMBABWE GOVERNMENT, APPEARED TO TAKE OUR CONCERNS ON BOARD. IF ZVINAVASHE INTENDS TO GO TO KATANGA THIS WEEK, IT IS A SIGN THAT, AT A MINIMUM, ZIMBABWEAN FORCES ARE THREATENED BY THE RECENT CLASHES. WE WILL BE CONTACTING MINISTER OF STATE FOR NATIONAL SECURITY NICHOLAS GOCHE, WHEN HE RETURNS LATER THIS WEEK, TO GET AN ADDITIONAL READ ON THE DRC FIGHTING. END COMMENT. MCDONALD CONFID