C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 006229

SIPDIS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH

LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY

PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS

BRUSSELS FOR HINSON-JONES

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 HARARE 06229 061304Z
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/00
TAGS: PREL PINR ZI LY
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE OPENS AN EMBASSY IN TRIPOLI

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


1. (C) EGYPTIAN EMBASSY COUNSELLOR (DCM) KADRI ABDEL-
MOTTALEB TOLD DCM NOVEMBER 4 THAT ZIMBABWE HAS OPENED AN
EMBASSY IN TRIPOLI. THE AMBASSADOR, JOHN MVUNDURA, LEFT
IN EARLY OCTOBER TO ASSUME CHARGE. THE REMAINING 2-3
MEMBERS OF THE EMBASSY STAFF FLEW TO TRIPOLI VIA CAIRO
TWO WEEKS LATER, CITING LACK OF FOREIGN EXCHANGE AS THE
CAUSE OF DELAY IN THEIR TRAVEL.


2. (C) COMMENT: IT IS CLEAR TO US THAT, EVEN IN AN ERA
OF EXTREMELY SCARCE FOREIGN EXCHANGE AND TIGHT BUDGETS,
WITH DIPLOMATS ABROAD GOING UNPAID FOR MONTHS AT A TIME
OR FINDING THEMSELVES STRANDED AT THE END OF THEIR
TOURS, ZIMBABWE VALUES ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH COLONEL
QADHAFI OVER OTHER, MORE PRESSING SOCIAL AND POLITICAL
DEMANDS. WE SUSPECT THE LIBYAN HEAD OF STATE EITHER
GIFTED OR LOANED THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT THE FUNDS FOR
THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTIES WHERE ITS CHANCERY AND
AMBASSADOR ARE HOUSED. END COMMENT.

MCDONALD

CONFIDENTIAL

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