ZIMBABWE'S POSITION ON UN SCALES OF ASSESSMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 007086 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH USUN FOR HOLBROOKE E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/10 TAGS: PREL ZI SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE'S POSITION ON UN SCALES OF ASSESSMENT REFS: A) USUN NEW YORK 03004, B) HARARE 6585, C) SECSTATE 218802 CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D). CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 07086 181334Z ¶1. (C) ON DECEMBER 12, POLOFF SPOKE TO CEPHAS TSOKODAYI, UNDERSECRETARY FOR INTERNATIONAL SIPDIS ORGANIZATIONS IN ZIMBABWE'S MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ABOUT ZIMBABWE'S POSITION ON UN SCALES OF ASSESSMENT REFORM. HE STATED THAT FOREIGN MINISTER STANISLAUS MUDENGE IS SENDING A LETTER ADDRESSED TO SECRETARY ALBRIGHT VIA EMBASSY HARARE ON ZIMBABWE'S POSITION. ACCORDING TO TSOKODAYI, THE MAIN MESSAGE OF THE LETTER WILL BE THAT ZIMBABWE WILL SUPPORT THE US POSITION "UNDER THE PARAMETERS THAT OTHER DEVELOPED NATIONS ARE INDEED UNDERPAYING THEIR SHARE OF UN DUES," AND THAT DEVELOPING NATIONS WILL NOT SEE AN INCREASE IN THEIR REQUIRED CONTRIBUTIONS. ¶2. (C) AS OF DECEMBER 18, EMBASSY HARARE HAD NOT YET RECEIVED THE FOREIGN MINISTER'S LETTER. ACCORDING TO THE MINISTER'S OFFICE ON DECEMBER 18, THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS OFFICE HAD NOT YET SENT THE LETTER TO THE MINISTER FOR HIS SIGNATURE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE MINISTRY AND ADVISE IF THE CONTENT OF THE LETTER VARIES SIGNIFICANTLY WITH TSOKODAYI'S REMARKS. IRVING CONFIDENTIAL >