Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
01HARARE1914
2001-06-17 14:54:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Harare
Cable title:  

READOUT ON SADC MINISTERIAL MEETING IN HARARE

Tags:  PREL PGOV PINR ZI AO 
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171454Z Jun 01

 

 CONFIDENTIAL PTO6161

PAGE 01 HARARE 01914 171453Z 
ACTION AF-00 

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 USNW-00 DODE-00 
 DOTE-00 DS-00 EB-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 
 INR-00 LAB-01 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 ACE-00 DSCC-00 
 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /004W
 ------------------F9D4D0 171453Z /38 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9111
INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 001914 

SIPDIS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/11
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR ZI AO
SUBJECT: READOUT ON SADC MINISTERIAL MEETING IN HARARE


CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES AUBREY HOOKS FOR
REASONS: 1.5(B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 001914

SIPDIS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/11
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR ZI AO
SUBJECT: READOUT ON SADC MINISTERIAL MEETING IN HARARE


CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES AUBREY HOOKS FOR
REASONS: 1.5(B) AND (D).


1. (C) SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY (SADC)
MINISTERS MET IN HARARE ON JUNE 11 TO APPROVE A PROTOCOL
THAT WILL RESTRUCTURE SADC'S ORGAN ON POLITICS, DEFENSE
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 HARARE 01914 171453Z
AND SECURITY. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF "DISCREPANCIES" IN
THE TEXT OF THE PROTOCOL, THE APPROVAL WAS DEFERRED
UNTIL THE NEXT SADC MINISTERIAL MEETING IN MASERU,
LESOTHO IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS, ACCORDING TO EDWIN MANGAZA,
THE NEW UNDER SECRETARY FOR AFRICA IN ZIMBABWE'S
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. MANGAZA WOULD NOT
ELABORATE ON THE DISCREPANCIES OR THE SUBSTANCE OF THE
PROTOCOL, BUT EMPHASIZED THAT THERE WERE NO SUBSTANTIVE
DISAGREEMENTS AMONG THE PARTIES ABOUT FORMALIZING THE
AGREEMENT. THE DATE FOR THE MASERU MEETING HAS NOT BEEN
ESTABLISHED YET, BUT MUST TAKE PLACE BEFORE THE JULY 9-
11 OAU SUMMIT, WHICH WILL TAKE UP THE ISSUE OF THE SADC
PROTOCOL, THE UNDER SECRETARY TOLD POLOFF. MANGAZA
REPORTED THAT THE HARARE MEETING INCLUDED THE FOREIGN
MINISTERS OF ZIMBABWE, LESOTHO, MOZAMBIQUE, AND NAMIBIA,
THE DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER OF ANGOLA, THE HOME AFFAIRS
MINISTERS OF ZAMBIA AND MALAWI, AND THE MINISTER OF
DEFENSE OF SOUTH AFRICA. TANZANIA AND THE DRC WERE
REPRESENTED BY THEIR LOCAL DIPLOMATS.


2. (U) IN REMARKS OPENING THE HARARE MEETING, PRESIDENT
MUGABE URGED SADC TO TAKE CONCRETE MEASURES AGAINST
ANGOLAN REBEL LEADER JONAS SAVIMBI, ACCORDING TO THE
JUNE 12 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED "THE
HERALD." THE PRESIDENT SAID THE REGIONAL BODY SHOULD
NOT WAIT FOR THE UN TO CONCLUDE ITS INVESTIGATION ON THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF SANCTIONS AGAINST UNITA. MUGABE ALSO
IMPLORED THE UN TO MOVE SWIFTLY IN DEPLOYING MONUC IN
THE DRC, THE ARTICLE STATED.


3. (C) COMMENT: IN A RESTRUCTURING ON THE AGENDA TO BE
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03 HARARE 01914 171453Z
FORMALIZED AT SADC'S AUGUST 2001 SUMMIT, THE ORGAN ON
POLITICS, DEFENSE AND SECURITY WILL BE MADE SUBORDINATE
TO THE SADC SUMMIT AND HEADS OF STATE. IF THE
RESTRUCTURING IS APPROVED, IT WILL EVENTUALLY RELEASE
THE STRANGLEHOLD THAT PRESIDENT MUGABE -- THE ORGAN'S
CHAIRMAN -- HAS HAD ON SADC SECURITY ISSUES FOR THE LAST
FIVE YEARS. IT IS UNCLEAR AT THIS POINT WHETHER THE NEW
PROTOCOL WILL FORCE MUGABE TO GIVE UP HIS CHAIR THIS
YEAR OR NEXT. HIS GRANDSTANDING AT THE OPENING OF THE
SADC MEETING SUGGESTS HE MAY NOT HAVE GIVEN UP ON THE
POSSIBILITY OF HOLDING SWAY OVER THE ORGAN FOR ANOTHER
YEAR. WE WILL DEFER TO EMBASSY GABORONE, HOWEVER, ON
WHAT THIS MAY MEAN FOR SADC. END COMMENT.

HOOKS

CONFIDENTIAL

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