SYMBOLIC MEETING BETWEEN ZIMBABWE

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 006318 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/09/10 TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON PINR ZI SUBJECT: SYMBOLIC MEETING BETWEEN ZIMBABWE PARLIAMENTARIANS FROM GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION REFS: A) HARARE 6189, B) HARARE 6082 CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: AMBASSADOR MCDONALD SUPPORTED A DINNER HOSTED BY MINISTER OF INDUSTRY AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE NKOSANA MOYO NOVEMBER 7 AIMED AT GETTING ZANU-PF AND MDC PARLIAMENTARIANS TALKING TO EACH OTHER. AMONG THE GUESTS WERE TWO MDC AND TWO ZANU-PF MPS. THE ATMOSPHERE WAS CORDIAL AND BOTH SIDES SPOKE FRANKLY OF THEIR OWN DELEGATIONS' FAILINGS IN PARLIAMENT. MINISTER MOYO SOUGHT TO GET BOTH SIDES TALKING IN PARTICULAR ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER TO IMPROVE ZIMBABWE'S INTERNATIONAL TRADE RELATIONS. NO BREAKTHROUGH MATERIALIZED, NOR WAS ANY EXPECTED, BUT THE AMBASSADOR AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS IN THIS PROCESS INTEND THIS TO BE THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF LESS-FORMAL MEETINGS TO GET THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION TALKING BEFORE THE TENSIONS BETWEEN THEM COMES TO BLOWS. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) AMBASSADOR, ALONG WITH THE AMBASSADORS FROM GERMANY, AUSTRALIA, CANADA AND FRANCE, SUPPORTED A DINNER HOSTED BY MINISTER OF INDUSTRY AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE NKOSANA MOYO AT MOYO'S RESIDENCE NOVEMBER 7. THE INVITED GUESTS WERE WELSHMAN NCUBE, MDC SECRETARY- GENERAL AND MP FOR BULAWAYO NORTHEAST, FLETCHER NCUBE, MDC INDUSTRY, COMMERCE AND TRADE SHADOW MINISTER AND MP CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 06318 091550Z FOR LOBENGULA-MAGWEGWE, TYSON KASUKUWERE, ZANU-PF MP FOR MOUNT DARWIN SOUTH, AND DANIEL NCUBE, ZANU-PF MP FOR ZHOMBE DISTRICT. ¶3. (C) THE OBJECTIVE OF THE DINNER WAS TO BEGIN A CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE ZANU-PF AND MDC PARLIAMENTARIANS, WHO HAVE SHOWN FEW SIGNS OF COOPERATION IN THIS NEW SESSION OF PARLIAMENT. THE VITRIOL HAS REACHED A NEW LEVEL FOLLOWING THE INTRODUCTION OF THE MDC'S PRESIDENTIAL IMPEACHMENT MOTION (REF B). THE ATMOSPHERE WAS CORDIAL AND THE DISCUSSION CENTERED AROUND PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE BEFORE TURNING TO INDIVIDUAL PARLIAMENTARIANS. BOTH SIDES POINTED OUT THE "INCOMPETENT" MPS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE DELEGATIONS AND MUSED ABOUT HOW SOME STILL HAD NOT GOTTEN UP TO SPEED. MINISTER MOYO REMARKED THAT HE BELIEVED LANDS, AGRICULTURE AND RESETTLEMENT MINISTER JOSEPH MADE TO BE INCOMPETENT. ON THE OTHER HAND, KASUKUWERE SAID HE THOUGHT YOUTH DEVELOPMENT MINISTER BORDER GEZI WAS "SMART," TO WHICH WELSHMAN NCUBE REPLIED THAT WOULD MAKE GEZI EVEN MORE DANGEROUS. (COMMENT: GEZI, THE FORMER MASHONALAND CENTRAL GOVERNOR, PERSONALLY AND ENTHUSIASTICALLY DIRECTED THE CAMPAIGN OF PRE-ELECTION VIOLENCE IN HIS PROVINCE. KASUKUWERE ALSO IS REPORTED TO HAVE DIRTY HANDS FROM THE PRE-ELECTION PERIOD [REF A] END COMMENT.) ¶4. (C) AS PART OF HIS AGENDA FOR THE DINNER, MINISTER MOYO SOUGHT TO BUILD BI-PARTISAN SUPPORT FOR LAYING THE POLICY GROUNDWORK TO QUALIFY FOR AFRICAN GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY ACT (AGOA) CONCESSIONS. THE AUSTRALIAN HIGH CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 06318 091550Z COMMISSIONER REPORTED TO DCM THAT THE MAIN INITIATIVE IN THE CARDS WAS A POSSIBLE JOINT TRIP TO WASHINGTON TO PLEAD ZIMBABWE'S CASE. SUBSEQUENTLY, MINISTER MOYO BROACHED THE POSSIBLE TRIP TO THE AMBASSADOR, WHO COUNSELED THAT THE EFFORT NOT BE UNDERTAKEN UNTIL LATE FEBRUARY OR MARCH 2001 WHEN THE NEW ADMINISTRATION IS IN PLACE. HE ALSO ADVISED THE MINISTER TO MANAGE EXPECTATIONS BECAUSE THE AGOA DECISION RELATED TO ZIMBABWE IS NOT LIKELY TO BE REVERSED OR OVERTURNED SOON. ¶5. (C) COMMENT: ALTHOUGH NO BREAKTHROUGHS WERE SEEN AT THIS DINNER, AS EXPECTED, WE WERE PLEASED TO SEE BOTH SIDES ENGAGED IN A CORDIAL AND FRANK DISCUSSION. WELSHMAN NCUBE, AN MDC MODERATE, IS WELL THOUGHT OF BY BOTH SIDES AND COULD BE A KEY PERSON IN FUTURE BI- PARTISAN MEETINGS. MINISTER MOYO IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT INTERLOCUTOR AND CLEARLY WANTS ZIMBABWE TO QUALIFY FOR AGOA. THE AMBASSADOR ENVISIONS A SERIES OF THESE LESS FORMAL, CONFIDENCE-BUILDING GATHERINGS, AND WILL BE WORKING WITH HIS DIPLOMATIC COLLEAGUES TO JUMPSTART THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN ZANU-PF AND MDC BEFORE THE TENSION BETWEEN THEM COMES TO BLOWS. END COMMENT. MCDONALD CONFIDENTIAL >