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

>