Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
00HARARE6993
2000-12-13 09:05:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Harare
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR'S FAREWELL CALL: MUGABE STILL BITTER

Tags:  PREL PGOV EAID EAGR ZI US 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

130905Z Dec 00

 

 CONFIDENTIAL PTO4742

PAGE 01 HARARE 06993 270838Z 
ACTION AF-00 

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 
 SRPP-00 DS-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 VCE-00 
 NSAE-00 OIC-02 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 
 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /004W
 ------------------AFFAA8 270838Z /38 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7826
INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 006993 

SIPDIS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH

LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY

PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS

NAIROBI FOR AMBASSADOR CARSON

PASS USAID FOR A/AID R. MCALL, AA/AFR V. DERRYCK AND
AFR/SA C. PALMA

PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 HARARE 06993 270838Z
E.O. 12958: DECL: (12-13-2010)
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID EAGR ZI US
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S FAREWELL CALL: MUGABE STILL BITTER
ABOUT BRITISH BUT SAYS HE WILL KEEP AN OPEN MIND ON
MALLOCH-BROWN INITIATIVE

REF: HARARE 6981 AND PREVIOUS (NOTAL)

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 006993

SIPDIS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH

LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY

PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS

NAIROBI FOR AMBASSADOR CARSON

PASS USAID FOR A/AID R. MCALL, AA/AFR V. DERRYCK AND
AFR/SA C. PALMA

PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 HARARE 06993 270838Z
E.O. 12958: DECL: (12-13-2010)
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID EAGR ZI US
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S FAREWELL CALL: MUGABE STILL BITTER
ABOUT BRITISH BUT SAYS HE WILL KEEP AN OPEN MIND ON
MALLOCH-BROWN INITIATIVE

REF: HARARE 6981 AND PREVIOUS (NOTAL)

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


1. (C) PRESIDENT MUGABE RECEIVED ME DECEMBER 13 FOR A
ONE HALF-HOUR FAREWELL CALL. WHILE THE ATMOSPHERICS OF
THE MEETING WERE GOOD AND LIGHT, I DID MANAGE TO
INTERRUPT THE START OF A TIRADE AGAINST THE BRITISH BY
ADVANCING THE ARGUMENT THAT MUGABE SHOULD TO GIVE UNDP
ADMINISTRATOR MARK MALLOCH-BROWN'S INITIATIVE A CHANCE
AND TO REMAIN OPEN TO IT (REF). I SUGGESTED THAT THE
GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE AND THE UNDP AGREE ON THREE OR
FOUR BASIC PRINCIPLES AND MOVE FORWARD ON A TRANSPARENT,
ORDERLY AND SUSTAINABLE LAND REFORM PROGRAM. THE
PRESIDENT COUNTERED, "WHAT CAN MALLOCH-BROWN DO, THE
POOR MAN?" I STRESSED THAT THE UNDP ADMINISTRATOR HAD
SPEARHEADED AN EFFORT THAT WAS SUPPORTED BY A NUMBER OF
DONORS, WHICH REPRESENTED AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE SEIZED
FROM WHICH HE, MUGABE, COULD ACCRUE DOMESTIC POLITICAL
ADVANTAGE. MUGABE'S SOMEWHAT WAN RESPONSE WAS, "WE WILL
TRY."


2. (C) I ALSO ALERTED THE PRESIDENT TO ZIMBABWE'S
POTENTIAL 620(Q) VIOLATION STATUS FOR A SMALL AMOUNT OF
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03 HARARE 06993 270838Z
MONEY OWED TO USAID: USD 210,000. I EXPLAINED TO HIM
THAT IF THE DEBT WAS NOT SETTLED BY THE DROP-DEAD DATE,
DECEMBER 30, WE WOULD BE UNABLE, ACCORDING TO U.S. LAW,
TO PROVIDE BILATERAL ASSISTANCE. MUGABE SAID HE WOULD
RAISE THE MATTER WITH FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
MINISTER SIMBA MAKONI WHOM HE WOULD SEE SOON.

MCDONALD

CONFIDENTIAL

>