Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
01HARARE2012
2001-06-27 14:54:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Harare
Cable title:  

AJELLO IN HARARE TO DELIVER EU ULTIMATUM ON RULE OF LAW

Tags:  PREL PGOV ZI 
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271454Z Jun 01


 CONFIDENTIAL PTO9480

PAGE 01 HARARE 02012 271453Z 
ACTION AF-00 

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 DS-00 EUR-00 
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 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /002W
 ------------------FE3F27 271453Z /38 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9177
INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
USEU BRUSSELS
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 002012 

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL. 06/26/11
TAGS: PREL PGOV ZI
SUBJECT: AJELLO IN HARARE TO DELIVER EU ULTIMATUM ON RULE OF LAW
AND TO DISCUSS DRC

REF: A) HARARE 1999 B) USEU BRUSSELS 3304

CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES AUBREY HOOKS. REASONS: 1.5
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 HARARE 02012 271453Z
(B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 002012

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL. 06/26/11
TAGS: PREL PGOV ZI
SUBJECT: AJELLO IN HARARE TO DELIVER EU ULTIMATUM ON RULE OF LAW
AND TO DISCUSS DRC

REF: A) HARARE 1999 B) USEU BRUSSELS 3304

CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES AUBREY HOOKS. REASONS: 1.5
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 HARARE 02012 271453Z
(B) AND (D).


1. (U) AMBASSADOR HOOKS ATTENDED A DINNER ON JUNE 26 HOSTED BY
HIS SWEDISH COUNTERPART, LENNARTH HJELMAKER, IN HONOR OF VISITING
EU GREAT LAKES ENVOY ALDO AJELLO. ALSO IN ATTENDANCE WERE UNDP
RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE VICTOR ANGELO AND THE CHIEFS OF MISSION
FROM AUSTRALIA, DENMARK, NORWAY, AND CANADA, AS WELL AS AJELLO'S
TWO ASSISTANTS.

ZIMBABWE
--------------


2. (C) AMBASSADOR HJELMAKER INFORMED THE GROUP THAT AJELLO AND HE
HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO DELIVER TO THE GOZ A LETTER FROM THE EU
GENERAL AFFAIRS COUNCIL EXPRESSING UNHAPPINESS OVER THE LACK OF
PROGRESS IN THE ARTICLE 8 DIALOGUE (REFTELS). THE SWEDISH
AMBASSADOR UNDERSCORED THE FEELING OF DEEP FRUSTRATION FELT BY EU
MINISTERS GATHERED IN BRUSSELS, AMONG WHOM THERE HAD BEEN COMPLETE
UNANIMITY ON THE NEED TO SEND THE LETTER AND TO IMPOSE A TWO-MONTH
DEADLINE FOR ACHIEVEMENT OF SATISFACTORY PROGRESS. THE GOVERNMENT
OF ZIMBABWE, HE SAID, MUST MEET THE CONDITIONS IN THE LETTER
WITHIN TWO MONTHS OR THE EU WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY MOVE TO ARTICLE

96. HE NOTED THAT EU AMBASSADORS IN HARARE PREFER A MORE MEASURED
APPROACH, BUT THE MINISTERS ARE DETERMINED TO TAKE A TOUGHER TACK.
HJELMAKER AND AJELLO PLANNED TO PRESENT THE LETTER TO PRESIDENT
MUGABE THE FOLLOWING DAY, ON JUNE 27.

DRC
---


3. (C) AJELLO REPORTED THAT HE HAD MET ON JUNE 25 WITH FM
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03 HARARE 02012 271453Z
MUDENGE, WHO FOCUSED ON DEVELOPMENTS IN THE DRC AND AVOIDED
DISCUSSION OF ZIMBABWE'S INTERNAL SITUATION. MUDENGE CRITICIZED
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FOR LETTING DOWN THE DRC AND DISMISSED
EFFORTS TO ARRANGE THE NATIONAL DIALOGUE, SAYING THEY WOULD NOT
SUCCEED. WHEN AJELLO INQUIRED ABOUT KETUMILE MASIRE'S RECENT
VISIT, MUDENGE BURST OUT LAUGHING. ASKED WHY HE WAS LAUGHING,
MUDENGE CONTINUED GUFFAWING, BUT FINALLY COMPOSED HIMSELF ENOUGH
TO COMMENT THAT MASIRE DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO MANAGE THE NATIONAL
DIALOGUE, AND IT WOULD FAIL. MUDENGE INSISTED THAT ZIMBABWE IS
NOT REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW ITS TROOPS BECAUSE THEY WERE INVITED INTO
THE DRC. AJELLO HAD BEEN TOLD HE COULD MEET ON JUNE 26 WITH
PRESIDENT MUGABE BUT WAS KEPT WAITING ALL DAY. THE MUGABE MEETING
WAS RESCHEDULED FOR THE MORNING OF JUNE 27.


4. (C) SHARING HIS OWN VIEWS ON THE DRC, AJELLO SAID KABILA AND
HIS ALLIES ARE DELIBERATELY PUSHING NEGATIVE FORCES (RWANDAN EX-
FAR/INTERAHAMWE) TO THE EAST. HE REJECTED MUDENGE'S CONTENTION
REGARDING THE WITHDRAWAL OF ZIMBABWEAN TROOPS, SAYING THE FOREIGN
MINISTER SEEMED TO HAVE OVERLOOKED THE FACT THAT HIS GOVERNMENT
SIGNED THE LUSAKA ACCORDS. REGARDING THE NATIONAL DIALOGUE, THE EU
ENVOY DECLARED THAT MASIRE IS GOING ABOUT IT THE WRONG WAY AND
REFUSES TO ACCEPT ANY ADVICE. HE LAMENTED THAT THE PROCESS COULD
DRAG ON FOR YEARS. TWO FUNDAMENTAL OBSTACLES TO THE NATIONAL
DIALOGUE, ACCORDING TO AJELLO, ARE THAT THE REBELS WILL NOT ACCEPT
KABILA AS PRESIDENT, AND KABILA WILL NOT COMMIT POLITICAL SUICIDE
BY ENGAGING TOO SERIOUSLY.

COMMENT
--------------


5. (C) MUDENGE'S REPORTED CLAIM THAT ZIMBABWE IS NOT REQUIRED TO
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PAGE 04 HARARE 02012 271453Z
WITHDRAW ITS TROOPS IS TROUBLING AND REFLECTS A DELIBERATE
MISINTERPRETATION OF THE LUSAKA ACCORDS. HIS REMARK, HOWEVER, IS
CONSISTENT WITH RECENT COMMENTS WE HAVE HEARD FROM OTHER GOZ
OFFICIALS, INCLUDING SENIOR DEFENSE FORCE LEADERS. THEIR REMARKS
SUGGEST A DETERMINATION TO LEAVE BEHIND AT LEAST A SMALL MILITARY
CONTINGENT TO PROTECT ZIMBABWEAN ECONOMIC INTERESTS, IRRESPECTIVE
OF THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE OTHER ALLIED FORCES OR THE LANGUAGE
CONTAINED IN THE LUSAKA ACCORDS. ZIMBABWE IS ALSO RELUCTANT TO
GIVE UP ITS INFLUENCE OVER THE NEW KABILA REGIME, SOMETHING ITS
TROOP PRESENCE ENSURES. THAT SAID, WE REMAIN CONVINCED THAT THE
GOZ HOPES TO BRING HOME MOST OF ITS TROOPS PRIOR TO THE
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION EXPECTED IN EARLY 2002. AJELLO WAS
CONTEMPTUOUS OF MASIRE'S APPROACH TO THE NATIONAL DIALOGUE AND HAD
NO EXPECTATION THAT HIS EFFORTS WOULD BEAR FRUIT.

HOOKS

CONFIDENTIAL

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