TSVANGIRAI APOLOGIZES TO AMBASSADOR FOR MDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 006455 SIPDIS NAIROBI PLEASE TO A/S RICE NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH LONDON FOR GURNEY E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2010 TAGS: PGOV OPRC ZI SUBJECT: TSVANGIRAI APOLOGIZES TO AMBASSADOR FOR MDC PRESS RELEASE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 06455 01 OF 02 201442Z CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD FOR REASON 1.5 (D) . ¶1. (C) MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC) PRESIDENT MORGAN TSVANGIRAI CAME TO THE CHANCERY ON NOVEMBER 20 AND APOLOGIZED TO AMBASSADOR MCDONALD FOR A PRESS RELEASE DATED NOVEMBER 16. AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE PRESS RELEASE CLAIMS THAT TSVANGIRAI AND AF ASSISTANT SECRETARY RICE DISCUSSED "HOW TO MANAGE A TRANSITION OF SIPDIS POWER" IN ZIMBABWE, AND CLAIMED A/S RICE SAID THAT "THE U.S. GOVERNMENT WAS KEEN TO ASSIST THE MDC IN RESTORING FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY IN THE COUNTRY AND ENDORSED THE NEED FOR ADDED PRESSURE ON THE GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE LAW AND ORDER RESUMED THROUGHOUT ZIMBABWE." TSVANGIRAI EXPLAINED THAT HE DID NOT AUTHORIZE THE MDC STATEMENT OF THE 16TH, AND ONLY FIRST LEARNED OF IT WHEN THE SATURDAY (NOVEMBER 18) EVENING TELEVISION NEWS ON THE ZIMBABWE BROADCASTING CORPORATION LED WITH THE EMBASSY'S STATEMENT REBUTTING THE CONTENTS OF THE NOVEMBER 16 MDC STATEMENT. TSVANGIRAI EXPLAINED TO US THAT AFTER SEEING THE STORY, HE IMMEDIATELY ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE AMBASSADOR FOR AN EXPLANATION, BUT SPOKE WITH THE DCM. THE DCM EXPLAINED THAT THE EMBASSY'S RESPONSE HAD BEEN PROMPTED BY THE APPEARANCE TWO DAYS EARLIER ON THE INTERNET OF AN APPARENTLY AUTHORITATIVE MDC RELEASE. ¶2. (C) THE MDC PRESIDENT CONTINUED THAT HE CHECKED WITH HIS INFORMATION CHIEF, NOMORE SIBANDA, WHO DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE PIECE. AFTER RESEARCHING THE MATTER FURTHER, THEY ESTABLISHED THAT ANNABEL HUQHES, "AN OVERZEALOUS STAFFER", HAD ISSUED THE STATEMENT. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 06455 01 OF 02 201442Z TSVANGIRAI STRESSED SHE HAD BEEN DEALT WITH. TSVANQIRAI SIPDIS SAID HE TOLD HUQHES THAT THE STATEMENT HAD PUT HIM IN AN EMBARRASSINQ POSITION AND IT WAS NOT THE WAY TO SECURE MUGABE'S OUSTER. HE HOPED THAT THE AMBASSADOR WOULD TAKE IT ON QOOD FAITH THAT HE HAD NOT ORDERED OR CLEARED ON THE STATEMENT ISSUED, AND WOULD NOT BREACH THE CONFIDENCE OF DISCUSSIONS HELD BEHIND CLOSED DOORS THIS TIME OR ON ANY OTHER OCCASION. ¶3. (C) AMBASSADOR MCOONALD ACCEPTED TSVANQIRAI'S APOLOQY AND NOTED THAT ASSISTANT SECRETARY RICE HAD BEEN "QUITE CHAQRINED" WHEN SHE LEARNED OF THE STATEMENT'S CONTENTS AND THOUQHT IT REQUIRED AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE. HE STRESSED THAT THE USG DID NOT FAVOR A PARTICULAR PARTY IN ZIMBABWE AND INDEED, MAINTAINED ACTIVE DIALOQUE WITH THE GOZ AND OPPOSITION QROUPS. THE AMBASSADOR SAID THAT THE EMBASSY HAD MAINTAINED QOOD RELATIONS WITH THE MDC IN THE PAST AND HOPED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO REPEAT OF THIS UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT. "ONCE BURNED, TWICE SHY," THE MOC PRESIDENT STATED, AND SAID HE WOULD PERSONALLY PEN AN APOLOQY TO ASSISTANT SECRETARY RICE. HE ALSO SHARED WITH US A COPY OF A PRESS RELEASE, WHICH THE MOC ISSUED NOVEMBER 19, CLARIFYINQ THE MATTER, THE TEXT OF WHICH APPEARS IN PARAQRAPH 4. ¶4. (U) BEQIN TEXT OF MOC PRESS RELEASE. LAST WEEK THE UNITED STATES ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE SUSAN RICE WAS IN ZIMBABWE AND HELD CONSULTATIONS WITH A WIDE CROSS SECTION OF ZIMBABWEAN SOCIETY. WE CONFIRM THAT THE MOC HELD A MEETINQ WITH SUSAN RICE AND HER CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 06455 01 OF 02 201442Z DELEQATION DURINQ HER CONSULTATIVE TOUR. AT NO TIME DURINQ THE MEETINQ DID THE MOC REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE TO REMOVE PRESIDENT MUQABE FROM POWER OR INDEED ANY OTHER FORM OF ASSISTANCE FROM THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. INSTEAD THE MOC PRESENTED TO SUSAN RICE AND HER DELEGATION ITS PERSPECTIVE OF THE CURRENT ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CRISIS AS WELL AS THE MOC PERSPECTIVE ON HOW TO RESOLVE IT. THE MDC STRONQLY BELIEVES THAT THE MANDATE OF PRESIDENT MUQABE LIES WITH THE ZIMBABWEAN PEOPLE AND THEY ALONE HAVE THE RIQHT TO DECIDE THE POLITICAL FUTURE OF THIS COUNTRY. CONTRARY TO THE STATEMENT ISSUED ON NOVEMBER 16, 2000, ON THE INTERNET THE MDC HAS MAINTAINED THE CONFIDENCE OF THE DISCUSSION. NO OFFICIAL STATEMENT WAS ISSUED, THEREFORE ANY SUGGESTION THAT THE MDC SOUGHT THE ASSISTANCE OF THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT IS TOTALLY UNFOUNDED AND MISCHIEVOUS. END TEXT. CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ4914 PAGE 01 HARARE 06455 02 OF 02 201442Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 DODE-00 DOEE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EUR-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 SSO-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 G-00 SSR-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /006W -------------- A166F8 201442Z /38 O 201442Z NOV 00 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7652 INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY NAIROBI IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 006455 SIPDIS NAIROBI PLEASE TO A/S RICE NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH LONDON FOR GURNEY E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2010 TAGS: PGOV OPRC ZI SUBJECT: TSVANGIRAI APOLOGIZES TO AMBASSADOR FOR MDC PRESS RELEASE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 06455 02 OF 02 201442Z MCDONALD CONFIDENTIAL >