MUGABE PUTS ON THE DOG FOR MOGAE

1. (SBU) BOTSWANA'S PRESIDENT, FESTUS MOGAE, ARRIVED IN
HARARE ON APRIL 25 FOR A FOUR-DAY STATE VISIT, THE
STATED PURPOSE OF WHICH IS FOR THE BOTSWANA CHIEF
EXECUTIVE TO OPEN THE ZIMBABWE INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR
IN BULAWAYO. THIS IS MOGAE'S SECOND WORKING VISIT IN 8
MONTHS; HE WAS LAST HERE IN AUGUST TO OPEN AN
AGRICULTURAL EXHIBIT IN HARARE. THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN
AFFAIRS CONVOKED HEADS OF DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS TO MEET
THE PRESIDENT AT THE AIRPORT, A RARE HONOR GRANTED TO
VISITING HEADS OF STATE IN ZIMBABWE. THE AIRPORT
CEREMONY ENTAILED A TWENTY-ONE-GUN SALUTE AND AN HONOR
GUARD REVIEW. THE TWO PRESIDENTS MET PRIVATELY FOR
THREE HOURS IN THE AFTERNOON AND, INTER ALIA, SIGNED A
TRADE AGREEMENT DESIGNED TO EASE RESTRICTIONS ON CROSS-
BORDER MOVEMENT OF MANUFACTURING INPUTS. INDUSTRY AND
INTERNATIONAL TRADE MINISTER NKOSANA MOYO INFORMED US
THAT HE ORGANIZED THE VISIT AT THE LAST MOMENT AND WAS
SURPRISED THAT IT ACTUALLY HAD COME TOGETHER.



2. (SBU) IN THE EVENING, PRESIDENT MUGABE HOSTED A SET-
PIECE STATE DINNER FOR HIS BOTSWANA COUNTERPART. THE
GUEST LIST CONSISTED MOSTLY OF DIPLOMATIC HEADS OF
MISSION, SELECTED MINISTERS, AND ZANU-PF LUMINARIES,
HALF OF WHOM DID NOT SHOW JUDGING FROM THE MASS OF EMPTY
TABLES. THE ZIMBABWEAN PRESIDENT DELIVERED A TWENTY-
MINUTE WELCOME SPEECH IN WHICH HE ADDRESSED MOGAE IN
CLOYING TERMS -- "MY DEAR BROTHER" BEING ONE OF THE LESS
SACCHARINE -- AND PLEDGED ETERNAL FRIENDSHIP. THE
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SPEECH CONTAINED A NUMBER OF BRICKBATS FOR THE WEST, AND
PARTICULARLY THE BRITISH, FOR DISTORTING THE NATURE OF
ZIMBABWE'S FAST TRACK RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM. HE WAS
DISMISSIVE OF THOSE WHO CLAIMED THAT WHAT HAD HAPPENED
IN ZIMBABWE SINCE 1999 BOILED DOWN TO A PROBLEM OF BASIC
GOVERNANCE AND A THREAT TO THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE
JUDICIARY. HE CLAIMED ZIMBABWE WAS READY TO ENGAGE
BRITAIN AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, AS DISPLAYED IN
ITS RESPONSE TO THE LETTER OF UNDP ADMINISTRATOR MARK
MALLOCH-BROWN. HE THANKED BOTSWANA FOR ITS HELP IN
GETTING VITAL FUEL AND OTHER SUPPLIES TO ZIMBABWE AND
CONDEMNED THE "VIRTUAL SANCTIONS IMPOSED FROM THE WEST,"
ON WHICH HE PARTIALLY BLAMED ZIMBABWE'S CURRENT BAD
ECONOMIC PATCH. "WE ARE A DETERMINED NATION; AS GALLANT
FIGHTERS WE SHALL NEVER ALLOW OUR ECONOMY TO COLLAPSE."
MUGABE EXPRESSED CERTAINTY THAT WITH THE FORMATION OF
THE AFRICAN UNION IN JULY IN LUSAKA, THE IMF, WORLD BANK
AND WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION WOULD BE OBLIGED TO TAKE
THE CONTINENT SERIOUSLY. MOGAE RESPONDED LARGELY WITH
PLEASANTRIES, CONCLUDING HIS REMARKS BY THANKING MUGABE
FOR THE "FULL BRIEFING" HE GAVE ON THE CHALLENGES
ZIMBABWE FACES AND THE MEASURES ITS GOVERNMENT IS TAKING
TO ADDRESS THEM.



3. (C) COMMENT: MOGAE IS THE SECOND AFRICAN HEAD OF
STATE TO VISIT ZIMBABWE IN THE LAST MONTH: THE
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO'S JOSEPH KABILA WAS
HERE MARCH 25-27. MUGABE REGALED BOTH VISITORS WITH
HOSPITALITY SO LAVISH IT BORDERED ON THE OBSCENE, GIVEN
THE COUNTRY'S CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES. IT HAS NOT GONE
UNNOTICED. MOST HEADS OF MISSION HERE ATTRIBUTE THE
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LATEST STAGED HOOPLA TO MUGABE'S WISH TO COURT THE
PEACEABLE MOGAE. BOTSWANA PROVIDES A LIFELINE FOR
ZIMBABWE, SUPPLYING INPUTS THAT ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF
THIS COUNTRY'S ECONOMY AND REMITTANCES FROM ZIMBABWEANS
LIVING AND WORKING IN THE NEIGHBORING COUNTRY. BOTSWANA
ALSO CHAIRS THE COMMONWEALTH MINISTERIAL ACTION GROUP
THAT CURRENTLY WISHES TO SEND A MISSION TO ZIMBABWE TO
INVESTIGATE THE REIGN OF TERROR BEING UNLEASHED AGAINST
SUSPECTED OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS, THE JUDICIARY, THE
INDEPENDENT PRESS AND MOST RECENTLY, COMPANY MANAGERS IN
URBAN AREAS. THE OPPOSITION MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC
CHANGE (MDC) HAS COURTED THE MOGAE GOVERNMENT
ASSIDUOUSLY -- A STRATEGY THAT HAS BEGUN TO PAY
DIVIDENDS -- AND MUGABE LIKELY HOPES TO PREVENT THAT
RELATIONSHIP FROM GETTING ANY WARMER. MUGABE SPENT
CONSIDERABLE TIME TELLING MOGAE THAT ALL WAS WELL IN
ZIMBABWE, BUT HEARD NO PUBLIC STATEMENT FROM HIS GUEST
ENDORSING THE FAST-TRACK RESETTLEMENT EXERCISE. END
COMMENT.

IRVING

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