DIPLOMATIC NOTE TO GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE CONCERNING IFES

UNCLAS HARARE 002710 SIPDIS SENSITIVE NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR GURNEY PARIS FOR NEARY NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: DECL. N/A TAGS: OPDC ZI SUBJECT: DIPLOMATIC NOTE TO GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE CONCERNING IFES EXPULSION REF: HARARE 2690 ¶1. (SBU) AFTER THE DE FACTO EXPULSION OF THE TEAM FROM THE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR ELECTION SYSTEMS (REFTEL),POST SENT THE FOLLOWING DIPLOMATIC NOTE EXPRESSING OUR CONCERN TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE. ¶2. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT: THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PRESENTS ITS COMPLIMENTS TO THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE, AND EXPRESSES ITS CONCERN THAT A TWO-MEMBER TEAM FROM THE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR ELECTION SYSTEMS (IFES) HAS BEEN ASKED TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY BY THE DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION. IFES IS A HIGHLY-RESPECTED, INTERNATIONALLY-RECOGNIZED NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION HEADQUARTERED IN WASHINGTON, DC. THE ORGANIZATION IS NOT PART OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT BUT RECEIVES FUNDING FROM THE UNITED STATES AND A VARIETY OF OTHER DONORS. IT HAS WORKED WORLD-WIDE OBSERVING ELECTIONS, INCLUDING U.S. ELECTIONS, AND CREATING LINKAGES BETWEEN ELECTORAL COMMISSIONS. IFES HAS EMERGED AS A FINALIST IN THE COMPETITION TO EXAMINE THE STATE OF FLORIDA'S ELECTORAL LAWS, WITH AN EYE TO PREVENTING FUTURE CONTROVERSIES SUCH AS THE ONE REPORTED ON DURING THE 2000 U.S. PRESIDENTIAL VOTING IN THAT STATE. THE TWO INDIVIDUALS FROM IFES, BOTH OF WHOM ARE AMERICAN CITIZENS, WERE HERE TO CONDUCT AN INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF YOUR GOVERNMENT'S PREPARATIONS FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, IN ANTICIPATION OF LAUNCHING THEIR OWN INDEPENDENT ELECTION OBSERVATION EFFORT. IFES'S OBJECTIVE IS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AN INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT OF THE CONDUCT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, INCLUDING THE PRE-ELECTION PERIOD. TOWARD THAT END, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE IFES OFFICIALS MADE SEVERAL EFFORTS TO MEET WITH KEY GOVERNMENT UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 02710 141157Z OFFICIALS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING ELECTIONS, INCLUDING THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, TO EXPLAIN THEIR PURPOSE IN VISITING ZIMBABWE, BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. TO THEIR SURPRISE, THE TEAM MEMBERS WERE SUBSEQUENTLY ASKED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY TWO DAYS EARLIER THAN THEIR PLANNED DEPARTURE DATES ALTHOUGH, TO THE BEST OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE, THEY WERE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THEIR BUSINESS VISAS. WE ARE CONCERNED BY THE TREATMENT GIVEN TO THE IFES TEAM. THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE ORGANIZATION'S EFFORTS TO DISCUSS A WORK PLAN WITH RELEVANT OFFICIALS HERE AND POINTS OUT THAT AN ASSESSMENT OF ZIMBABWE'S ELECTORAL PROCESS BY SUCH A BROADLY-RESPECTED ORGANIZATION KNOWN FOR ITS INTEGRITY, INDEPENDENCE, AND ELECTION EXPERTISE CAN BE A CRUCIAL, POSITIVE ELEMENT IN SHAPING THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S PERCEPTION OF ZIMBABWE'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. IN JUNE AND AUGUST, SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT EMMERSON MNANGAGWA ASSURED US ON TWO OCCASIONS THAT THE GOZ WOULD WELCOME INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS, AND THUS WE WERE PARTICULARLY SURPRISED BY THE WAY IN WHICH THE IFES TEAM'S CASE HAS BEEN HANDLED. WE WOULD APPRECIATE CLARIFICATION FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE CONCERNING THE PROCEDURES IFES MUST FOLLOW IN ORDER TO CONTINUE WITH THEIR ACTIVITIES IN ZIMBABWE. THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AVAILS ITSELF OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RENEW TO THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE THE ASSURANCES OF ITS HIGHEST CONSIDERATION. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HARARE 02710 141157Z EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, HARARE, SEPTEMBER 13, 2001. END TEXT. ROTH UNCLASSIFIED >