ZIMBABWE LIKELY TO SUPPORT USG ON UN SCALES OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 006916 SIPDIS USUN FOR AMBASSADOR HOLBROOKE E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/10 TAGS: PGOV PREL ZI SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE LIKELY TO SUPPORT USG ON UN SCALES OF ASSESSMENT REFORM REF: (A) HARARE 6585, (B) STATE 218802 CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD FOR REASONS 1.5 B/D. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 06916 270831Z ¶1. (C) IN THE COURSE OF A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION ON ANOTHER MATTER DECEMBER 7 WITH THE ZIMBABWEAN PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UNITED NATIONS, TICHAONA JOKONYA, I LEARNED THAT ZIMBABWE WOULD SUPPORT THE USG POSITION ON UN SCALES OF REFORM. THE SENIOR ZIMBABWEAN DIPLOMAT CLAIMED THAT HE HAD AUTONOMY TO VOTE AS HE PLEASED. HE CONTINUED THAT ON MORE ORDINARY MATTERS ZIMBABWE FOLLOWS THE G-77 OR NONALIGNED MOVEMENT. HOWEVER, ON IMPORTANT QUESTIONS, SUCH AS UN SCALES OF ASSESSMENT REFORM, THE BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR. JOKONYA EXPLAINED THAT HE HAD CONSULTED WITH THE NAMIBIANS, WHO STILL HOLDS A SECURITY COUNCIL SEAT FOR THE AFRICAN BLOC, AND REPORTED THAT NAMIBIA TOO WOULD SUPPORT THE USG POSITION. ¶2. (C) COMMENT: I HAVE FOUND JOKONYA TO BE A RELIABLE INTERLOCUTOR IN THE PAST. HIS SANGUINE ASSURANCES WOULD APPEAR TO RUN COUNTER TO WHAT HIS HEADQUARTERS THINKS, HOWEVER. IT AIN'T OVER TILL THE FAT LADY SINGS, AND I HOPE THIS ONE WILL PUT ON A VIRTUOSO PERFORMANCE FOR OUR EARS WHEN THE TIME COMES. END COMMENT. MCDONALD CONFIDENTIAL >