C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 001169

SIPDIS

LONDON FOR GURNEY

PARIS FOR WILLIAMS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER

PASS USAID FOR A-AA/AFR - V. DICKSON-HORTON,
AFR/SA - C. PALMA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/11
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 HARARE 01169 01 OF 02 291504Z
TAGS: PGOV PREL ZI
SUBJECT: UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE CONSULTS WITH
DONORS ON GOZ RESPONSE TO MALLOCH-BROWN LETTER

REF: HARARE 1016

CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR
REASONS 1.5 B/D.


1. (C) SUMMARY: UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
(UNDP) RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE VICTOR ANGELO CONVENED
A MEETING OF DIPLOMATIC HEADS OF MISSION MARCH 28 TO
DISCUSS THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE TO THE
MALLOCH-BROWN LETTER (REFTEL). MOST OF THE DIPLOMATS
SAID THAT THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT RESPONSE GAVE THE
DONOR COMMUNITY PRECIOUS LITTLE WITH WHICH TO WORK,
ALTHOUGH SOME SAW MERIT IN THE FACT THAT IT ANSWERED
AT ALL. IN GENERAL, HOWEVER, THE DONORS WERE
UNSYMPATHETIC WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S PLEA FOR
ASSISTANCE ON THE FAST TRACK RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM, A
NON-NEGOTIABLE ITEM. THE LETTER'S FAILURE TO ADDRESS
THE ISSUE OF RULE OF LAW IN THE BROADEST SENSE WAS THE
PRINCIPAL CONCERN OF MOST DONORS. THEY ASKED ANGELO
TO CONTINUE ENGAGING THE GOVERNMENT, PUTTING ACROSS
THEIR CONCERNS AND ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION OF SOME
THE TERMS USED IN THE LETTER. ALTHOUGH THE MALLOCH-
BROWN INITIATIVE APPEARS TO BE COLLAPSING, THE VICTIM
OF THE UNDP'S MISBEGOTTEN ROLE OF TACKLING THE LAND
QUESTION INSTEAD OF RULE OF LAW, WE CONTINUE TO
BELIEVE IN THE UTILITY OF DIALOGUE WITH THE
GOVERNMENT. END SUMMARY.
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2. (C) UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE VICTOR ANGELO
CONVENED DIPLOMATIC HEADS OF MISSION ON MARCH 28 FOR A
DISCUSSION ON THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE'S RESPONSE TO
UNDP ADMINISTRATOR MALLOCH-BROWN'S DECEMBER 15 LETTER
TO PRESIDENT MUGABE (REFTEL). THERE WERE BASICALLY
TWO GROUPS: THOSE WHO WERE VERY NEGATIVE (UK, GERMANY,
NETHERLANDS, AND CANADA), AND THOSE WHO WERE LOOKING
FOR SOMETHING POSITIVE IN THE RESPONSE (ITALY, FRANCE,
BELGIUM AND ARGENTINA). (COMMENT: THE LIKELY DONORS
ARE IN THE FORMER, NOT THE LATTER GROUP. END COMMENT.)

3. (C) POSITIVE ASPECTS, AS PITCHED BY ANGELO, WERE
THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE RESPONDED (RATHER THAN
IGNORED THE LETTER), USED DIPLOMATIC LANGUAGE, AND
ENDORSED CONTINUING DIALOGUE WITH THE DONORS, BUT
WITHOUT SPECIFYING MODALITIES. SOME DONORS WELCOMED
THE GOVERNMENT'S ACCEPTANCE OF A TRUST FUND (WHICH IS
PROVIDED FOR IN THE CONSTITUTION) AND ESTABLISHING A
TECHNICAL UNIT WITHIN THE OFFICES OF THE UNDP, BUT NO
ONE INDICATED THEY ARE READY TO OFFER FUNDING.
(COMMENT: NEITHER THE BRITISH NOR WE ARE PREPARED TO
SUPPORT A TECHNICAL UNIT WITHIN UNDP AT THIS TIME
BECAUSE IT IS IN THE WRONG PLACE: IT ESTABLISHES DONOR
AND NOT ZIMBABWEAN CAPACITY. MOREOVER, ANY TECHNICAL
SUPPORT UNIT AT THIS TIME WOULD SUPPORT THE FAST-TRACK
RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM. END COMMENT.) THE GOVERNMENT'S
APPEAL TO CONTINUED DIALOGUE WAS UNANIMOUSLY VIEWED AS
A POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT, ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO DEARTH OF
THOSE WHO CONSIDER IT LITTLE MORE THAN AND A COMBINED
PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORT AND DELAYING TACTIC. ON THE
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ISSUE OF DIALOGUE, VIRTUALLY ALL THE DONORS WANT A
TIMEFRAME SPELLED OUT FOR THE PROCESS, REALIZING THAT
DELAY (AS THE LETTER'S 90 DAY PLUS TURNAROUND HAS
SHOWN) ONLY WIDENS THE GULF AND PLAYS INTO THE
GOVERNMENT'S POLITICAL GAME PLAN.


4. (C) ON THE NEGATIVE SIDE, MOST OBSERVERS AGREED
THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE'S POSITION HAS NOT
CHANGED AND OBSERVED THAT THE FAST-TRACK RESETTLEMENT
EXERCISE REMAINS NON-NEGOTIABLE. THE BRITISH HIGH
COMMISSIONER POINTED OUT THE FUNDAMENTAL CONTRADICTION
IN THE UNDP PLAN THAT APPROACHES THE LAND REFORM
PROGRAM AS A DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, RATHER THAN A
POLITICAL POWER PLAY. IN ADDITION, THE GOVERNMENT
RESPONSE IGNORES THE CORE ISSUE OF THE RULE OF LAW,
EXCEPT FOR THE CLAIM THAT ITS FAST-TRACK RESETTLEMENT
EXERCISE IS FULLY LEGAL, AN ASSERTION THAT THE
CANADIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER DESCRIBED AS
"BREATHTAKING." THE RESPONSE LETTER YIELDS NO
CONCESSIONS TO DONOR CONCERNS AND MAKES THE ABSURD
CLAIM THAT 60,000 FAMILIES HAVE ALREADY BEEN RESETTLED
ON TWO MILLION HECTARES IN UNDER ONE YEAR'S TIME.
FINALLY, THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT BLAMES EVERYONE
(E.G., THE DONORS AND THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION)
EXCEPT ITSELF FOR ITS CURRENT PREDICAMENT, AND FAILS

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ACTION AF-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 USNW-00
DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EUR-00 VC-00 HHS-01 H-01
SSA-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01
DCP-01 NSAE-00 OES-01 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00
PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 SSO-00 TRSE-00
USIE-00 BBG-00 R-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-01 DRL-02
G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /013W
-------------- D8D114 291504Z /38
O 291508Z MAR 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8533
INFO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE
NSC WASHDC
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 001169

SIPDIS

LONDON FOR GURNEY

PARIS FOR WILLIAMS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER

PASS USAID FOR A-AA/AFR - V. DICKSON-HORTON,
AFR/SA - C. PALMA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/11
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 HARARE 01169 02 OF 02 291504Z
TAGS: PGOV PREL ZI
SUBJECT: UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE CONSULTS WITH
DONORS ON GOZ RESPONSE TO MALLOCH-BROWN LETTER

TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT FIVE DONORS ACTUALLY DELIVERED
SOMETHING TO ADVANCE THE CAUSE OF LAND REFORM IN
ZIMBABWE. MANY HEADS OF MISSION HAD DIFFICULTY
VIEWING FAVORABLY THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT'S REQUEST
FOR ASSISTANCE TO CLEAN UP THE MESS CREATED BY ITS
FAST-TRACK RESETTLEMENT EXERCISE, ABOUT WHICH THE
DONORS HAD WARNED IT.


5. (C) THERE WAS CONSENSUS THAT IT WAS PREMATURE TO
BEGIN ASSISTING THE GOZ'S LAND REFORM PROGRAM,
PARTICULARLY AS THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE HAS NOT
ADDRESSED THE DONORS' CONCERNS WITH THE RESPECT TO THE
RULE OF LAW. NEVERTHELESS, ALL DONORS EXPRESSED THE
DESIRE TO FOSTER DIALOGUE WITHIN A SPECIFIED TIME
FRAME WITH BOTH THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE AND THE
NATIONAL ECONOMIC CONSULTATIVE FORUM, A POSSIBLE
VEHICLE FOR SUCH ENGAGEMENT. THE DONORS REQUESTED
VICTOR ANGELO TO SEEK CLARIFICATION ON THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE NECF AND THE CABINET LAND
COMMITTEE. REGARDING HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, THE
DONORS INSISTED THAT A CLEAR DISTINCTION HAD TO BE
MADE BETWEEN THAT FOR THE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM (I.E.,
THE MAN-MADE CRISIS) AND THAT FOR NATURAL DISASTERS
(I.E., DROUGHTS AND FLOODS).


6. (C) ANGELO AGREED TO CONSULT WITH THE ZIMBABWEAN
GOVERNMENT BEGINNING MARCH 30 AND PUT ACROSS THE
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PAGE 03 HARARE 01169 02 OF 02 291504Z
DONORS' VIEWS. HE WILL EXPLORE AMBIGUITIES IN THE
LETTER, INCLUDING WHAT PRECISELY THE ZIMBABWEAN
GOVERNMENT MEANS BY ITS LABELING OF THE CHAOTIC
PROCESS AS A "LEGAL (HOW IT UNDERSTANDS THE RULE OF
LAW), TRANSPARENT AND EQUITABLE (BENEFICIARY
SELECTION) LAND REFORM PROGRAM." THE UNDP RESREP
UNDERSTOOD THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO PACKAGE HIS POINTS IN
SUCH A WAY THAT THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT SLAM THE DOOR
IN HIS FACE.


7. (C) COMMENT: WE HAVE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE
UNDP'S APPROACH TO THIS ENTERPRISE. RATHER THAN
TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION TO THE LAND QUESTION, IT
SHOULD HAVE TACKLED THE OVER-ARCHING ISSUE OF THE RULE
OF LAW THAT WILL TRIP UP ANY DONOR HEADQUARTERS AND
MOST LEGISLATIVE BRANCHES. THE UNITED NATIONS IS THE
BEST PLACED, IF NOT THE ONLY, ORGANIZATION ABLE TO DO
SO. THE UNITED NATIONS WAS TRAPPED INTO TAKING ON THE
LAND ISSUE, A FACT THAT HAS PLAYED INTO THE HANDS OF
THE GOZ, WHICH HAS MADE A RHETORICAL DISTINCTION
BETWEEN THE RULE OF LAW ON THE FARMS AND THE RULE OF
LAW IN GENERAL. THIS IS A NON-STARTER, AND ANGELO HAS
NOT BEEN ABLE TO QUASH THIS CYNICAL DIFFERENTIATION.
WE BELIEVE THAT LAND REFORM IS AN INTERNAL ZIMBABWEAN
MATTER, AND THAT THERE SHOULD BE A FRANK AND OPEN
DIALOGUE BETWEEN ALL STAKEHOLDERS. WE SEE NO
PERCENTAGE IN GETTING IN THE MIDDLE OF A GOZ-CFU
DIALOGUE, FOR EXAMPLE. THE MALLOCH-BROWN INITIATIVE
APPEARS TO BE COLLAPSING, ALTHOUGH WE CONTINUE TO
BELIEVE IN THE UTILITY OF GENUINE DIALOGUE. END
COMMENT.
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IRVING

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