MFA PERMANENT SECRETARY HOLDS FORTH ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 003330 SIPDIS DEPTARTMENT FOR AF/S, MARK SCHLACHTER E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/06 TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR ZI SUBJECT: MFA PERMANENT SECRETARY HOLDS FORTH ON ELECTION OBSERVATION, OTHER ISSUES CLASSIFIED BY DCM REWHITEHEAD DUE TO 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. ON NOVEMBER 6, AMBASSADOR PAID AN INITIAL COURTESY CALL ON WILLARD CHIWEWE, PERMANENT SECRETARY (AND THIRD-RANKING OFFICER) AT THE MINISTRY OF SIPDIS FOREIGN AFFAIRS. AFTER INITIAL EXCHANGES ON THE WAR AGAINST TERRORISM AND GOZ COOPERATION IN PROTECTING AMCITS AFFECTED BY THE FAST-TRACK LAND ACQUISITION PROGRAM, THE SUBJECT TURNED TO ELECTION OBSERVATION AND THE ROLE OF IFES. CHIWEWE REACTED WITH A RAMBLING LECTURE ABOUT SOVEREIGNTY AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MOTIVES THAT AT MOMENTS BORDERED ON THE PARANOID. THE MEETING CONCLUDED ON A GENTLER NOTE, WITH CHIWEWE DESCRIBING HIS LOVE OF THE LAND AND HIS SHORTCOMINGS IN THE ART OF DIPLOMATIC DISCOURSE, WITH WHICH WE HEARTILY AGREE. END SUMMARY. -------------- THE WAR ON TERROR AND SECURITY ISSUES -------------- ¶2. (SBU) THE AMBASSADOR OPENED THE EXCHANGE BY RAISING SOME OF THE SAME ISSUES DISCUSSED WITH PRESIDENT MUGABE DURING THE PRESENTATION OF CREDENTIALS IN OCTOBER. HE EXPRESSED USG SATISFACTION WITH THE GOOD COOPERATION OF THE POLICE AND CIO ON TERRORISM RELATED ISSUES. HE OBSERVED THAT IN AN EARLIER MEETING, SPEAKER OF THE PARLIAMENT MNANGAGWA HAD URGED THAT THE U.S. CONCLUDE THE STRUGGLE AGAINST TERRORISM QUICKLY. OBVIOUSLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE SUCH AN OUTCOME, BUT BY ITS NATURE THE INTERNATIONAL APPROACH TO THIS COMPLEX PROBLEM MUST BY THOROUGH AND NOT DEPEND ON INSTANT SOLUTIONS. THE AMBASSADOR CITED THE UN COUNTERTERRORISM CONVENTIONS THAT THE GOZ HAS NOT YET RATIFIED AND EXPRESSED OUR HOPE THAT THE MFA CAN MOVE QUICKLY TO GET THESE BEFORE PARLIAMENT, SINCE THEY ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF THE INTERNATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO THWART TERRORISM. ¶3. (SBU) THE AMBASSADOR NOTED THAT THE EMBASSY HAD NOT CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 03330 01 OF 02 071017Z YET GOTTEN FINAL MFA PERMISSION TO ERECT A SECURITY FENCE AROUND OUR VERY EXPOSED PARKING LOT, ALTHOUGH WE HAD RECEIVED ENCOURAGING NEWS THAT THIS WAS UNDER CONSIDERATION. CHIWEWE, WHO HAD BEEN MUTE TO THIS POINT, REPLIED THAT HE THOUGHT THAT THIS ISSUE HAD BEEN RESOLVED. HE OBSERVED THAT THIS ALSO INVOLVED LOCAL GOVERNMENT, THEN INSTRUCTED AMERICAS DESK OFFICER CHIBUWE, THE NOTE TAKER, TO FOLLOW UP. -------------- AMCIT COOPERATION -------------- ¶4. (U) THE AMBASSADOR SAID WE ALSO APPRECIATED RECENT EFFORTS BY THE MFA TO ASSIST AMERICAN CITIZENS WHOSE DWELLINGS AND PROPERTY HAD BEEN ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY EVENTS IN THE COUNTRY. EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION BY THE MFA HAD HELPED RESOLVE THESE CASES. CHIWEWE REMAINED SPHINX-LIKE. -------------- ELECTION OBSERVATION AND IFES -------------- ¶5. (SBU) THE AMBASSADOR NEXT RAISED THE ISSUE OF ELECTION OBSERVATION SPECIFICALLY AS IT PERTAINED TO IFES. HE REFERRED TO THE EXCELLENT INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION (AND INTERNATIONAL CONTACTS) THAT IFES ENJOYS AND BRIEFLY DESCRIBED THE ABORTIVE ATTEMPT BY IFES STAFF TO UNDERTAKE AN INITIAL ELECTIONS ASSESSMENT. HE OBSERVED THAT A DEFINITIVE GOZ ANSWER ON WHEN IFES CAN CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 03330 01 OF 02 071017Z BECOME INVOLVED WOULD BE POSITIVE. HE ADDED THAT IFES WAS INTERESTED IN AN OBSERVATION RATHER THAN MONITORING ROLE. ¶6. (C) THE NEW SUBJECT MATTER ANIMATED CHIWEWE CONSIDERABLY. HE LAUNCHED INTO A LONG AND AT TIME PARANOID LECTURE QUESTIONING THE EAGERNESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO BECOME INVOLVED IN ZIMBABWEAN ELECTIONS, WHICH THE GOZ TOOK TO BE INTERFERENCE. HE CITED THE "COINCIDENCE" THAT THE EU HAD "DEMANDED" -- BUT NOW WERE REDUCED TO "REQUESTING" -- A SIMILAR RESPONSE. THIS HAD TO DO WITH THE OPPOSITION PARTY THAT HAD ATTRACTED INTERNATIONAL INTEREST AND WAS BEING "NURSED BY DOMINANT INTERESTS". THE GOZ VIEWED SUCH REQUESTS AGAINST THIS BACKDROP. ¶7. (C) THE AMBASSADOR RESPONDED THAT WE BELIEVE THAT ZIMBABWEANS HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE THEIR OWN GOVERNMENT. AMERICANS DON'T VOTE HERE, BUT THEY DO RETAIN STRONG INTEREST IN UNIVERSAL DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES. CHIWEWE WAS OFF TO THE RACES AGAIN, ARGUING THAT AMERICAN REBELLION AGAINST THE COLONIAL CROWN MEANT CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ8114 PAGE 01 HARARE 03330 02 OF 02 071018Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 DS-00 EB-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 LAB-01 VCE-00 NSAE-00 EPAE-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /003W -------------- 3B072F 071018Z /38 P 070936Z NOV 01 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0228 INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY PRIORITY C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 003330 SIPDIS DEPTARTMENT FOR AF/S, MARK SCHLACHTER E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/06 TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR ZI SUBJECT: MFA PERMANENT SECRETARY HOLDS FORTH ON ELECTION OBSERVATION, OTHER ISSUES THAT OUR TWO COUNTRIES COME FROM THE SAME IDEOLOGICAL ORIGIN. ZIMBABWE WANTS TO BE ON THE SIDE OF THOSE WHO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY AND HOLD FAIR LAW AND THE PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE DEAR. WE SHOULD HAVE NO DOUBT THAT GOZ LEADERSHIP, AND PRESIDENT MUGABE AND HIS PARTY, ARE COMMITTED TO FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS. ¶8. (C) CHIWEWE FILIBUSTERED AT LENGTH ABOUT ZIMBABWE'S CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 03330 02 OF 02 071018Z HISTORY OF ELECTIONS SINCE 1980, EMPHASIZING THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH DURING THE MARXIST/LENINIST PERIOD FROM 1980-1991. HE SNORTED THAT SINCE 1999 A LOT OF CASH HAD BEEN INVESTED IN A NEW PARTY, AND THE INVESTORS WERE ANXIOUS THAT THE "POLITICAL ELECTIONS GUARANTEE SOLID DIVIDENDS". HE CITED THE WESTMINSTER FOUNDATION AS A CHIEF CULPRIT AND ASKED HOW ZIMBABWE COULD EXPECT HONEST OBSERVERS FROM SUCH BIASED GROUPS. ¶9. (C) CHIWEWE SAID THAT THE IFES AND EU REQUESTS HAD TO BE EXAMINED FROM THIS OPTIC. HE EXPLAINED THAT "THE CONTEXT IS NOT OBJECTIVE". WHY IS THE U.S. TAKING SIDES INSTEAD OF PLAYING THE HONEST BROKER, AS IT HAD AT LANCASTER HOUSE? THE GOZ FEARED PRE-JUDGMENT. HE CONCLUDED BY STRESSING THAT THE GOZ HAD ALWAYS INVITED OBSERVERS, SO WHY WERE THE USUAL GUESTS ASKING FOR AN INVITATION THIS TIME AROUND? ZIMBABWE HAD NO ELECTORAL SKELETONS IN THE CUPBOARD. SOMETIMES THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY CREATES CONDITIONS TO FORCE OTHERS TO ASK SOMETHING, AND THEREBY CREATE CONDITIONS TO CONDEMN. THE EU WAS USING ARTICLE 96 CONSULTATIONS TO TRY AND FORCE ZIMBABWE TO AGREE TO EU DEMANDS. THIS ASSUMED EUROPEAN AUTHORITY OVER ZIMBABWEANS AND REMINDED THEM OF THE SAD PAST. -------------- CHIWEWE ON CHIWEWE -------------- ¶10. (C) CHIWEWE LIGHTENED UP CONSIDERABLY ON THE SUBJECT CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 03330 02 OF 02 071018Z OF HIMSELF. HE VOLUNTEERED THAT HE SPOKE FRANKLY. SOME CALLED HIS HONEST STYLE RUDE OR EVEN AGGRESSIVE, BUT IT HAD SERVED HIM WELL IN HIS ROLE AS A PEACEMAKER IN THE RENAMO/FRELIMO RAPPROCHEMENT. HE NOTED OUT OF THE BLUE THAT HE WAS UNREACHABLE 99 PERCENT OF THE TIME ON WEEKENDS BECAUSE BE WAS GARDENING AT HIS RURAL HOME IS MASVINGO. HE CONTINUED THAT HE SPOKE NOT AS A BUREAUCRAT, BUT AS "SOME SORT OF SCIENTIST". AS A CLOSER, HE PROCLAIMED THAT THERE WAS FERTILE GROUND FOR RICH BILATERAL RELATIONS BETWEEN ZIMBABWE AND THE U.S., AND EVEN ZIMBABWE AND THE UK. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶11. (C) THE MEETING WAS AT TIMES AMUSING, IF NOT PARTICULARLY ENLIGHTENING. CHIWEWE'S ROLE AS FRONT MAN IN DEALING WITH THE EU ON ARTICLE 8 CONSULTATIONS IS PROBABLY AS GOOD AN EXPLANATION AS ANY FOR THE EU MOVING TO ARTICLE 96. HE IS CLEARLY A MAN WHO RELISHES HIS ROLE AS CEREBUS GUARDING THE GATES FOR ZANU-PF, AND IS DETERMINED NOT TO YIELD THIS SINECURE WITHOUT A TUSSLE. SULLIVAN CONFIDENTIAL >