INITIAL ZIMBABWEAN THINKING ON NEXT STEPS IN DRC

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000349 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH USUN FOR HOLBROOKE E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/01 TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS ZI CG SUBJECT: INITIAL ZIMBABWEAN THINKING ON NEXT STEPS IN DRC REF: A) STATE 9311 B) HARARE 343 CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 00349 181034Z REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) CHARGE, ACCOMPANIED BY POLOFF, DELIVERED REF A POINTS ON JANUARY 18 TO SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT EMMERSON MNANGAGWA, STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF REFRAINING FROM OFFENSIVE ACTION AND OF INCLUDING RWANDA AND UGANDA IN DISCUSSIONS ON THE WAY FORWARD. MNANGAGWA WAS PRESIDENT MUGABE'S DRC SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS MAN IN HIS PREVIOUS JOB AS MINISTER OF JUSTICE, AND REMAINS A KEY PLAYER ON DRC POLICY. CHARGE ALERTED THE SPEAKER THAT A SENIOR U.S. OFFICIAL IN WASHINGTON LIKELY WOULD ATTEMPT TO REACH PRESIDENT MUGABE TODAY TO MAKE SIMILAR POINTS, ONCE KABILA'S DEATH IS PUBLICLY CONFIRMED BY KINSHASA. ¶2. (C) MNANGAGWA REPORTED THAT PRESIDENT MUGABE RETURNED FROM YAOUNDE EARLY ON THE MORNING OF JANUARY 18, AND THAT MNANGAGWA HAD TO RUSH OFF SHORTLY TO BRIEF HIM ON THE SITUATION IN KINSHASA. THE SPEAKER CONFIRMED THAT KABILA'S BODY WAS IN HARARE AND SAID IT WOULD BE RETURNED TO THE DRC TODAY. ¶3. (C) AFTER REVIEWING A NON-PAPER CONTAINING REF A POINTS, MNANGAGWA SAID ZIMBABWE AGREED WITH ALL OF THE POINTS EXCEPT ONE. CLARIFYING, MNANGAGWA EMPHASIZED THAT THE ALLIES PLANNED TO MEET FIRST TO DISCUSS THE WAY FORWARD, THEN RWANDA AND UGANDA WOULD BE ASKED TO JOIN SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSIONS. THE SPEAKER INFORMED THE CHARGE THAT THREE PRIMARY ISSUES WERE THE FOCUS OF THE GOZ'S CURRENT INTERNAL DELIBERATIONS AND EFFORTS. FIRST, ENSURING THAT THE DRC REMAINS CALM. HE THOUGHT THAT HAD BEEN ACHIEVED SO FAR, AND OFFERED THE ASSESSMENT THAT CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 00349 181034Z JOSEPH KABILA'S APPOINTMENT AS INTERIM LEADER HAD BEEN WELL-RECEIVED. SECOND, THE GOZ IS INVOLVED IN THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR KABILA'S STATE FUNERAL, ALTHOUGH MNANGAGWA WAS NOT SURE WHEN THE FUNERAL WOULD BE. THIRD, THE GOZ IS DETERMINED THAT NOTHING SHOULD BE DONE TO JEOPARDIZE THE PEACE PROCESS. ZIMBABWE, THEREFORE, EXPECTS THE NEW ADMINISTRATION IN KINSHASA TO PRONOUNCE ITS COMMITMENT TO THE LUSAKA PROCESS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. COMMENT -------------- ¶4. (C) MNANGAGWA'S AGREEMENT WITH OUR POINTS WAS ENCOURAGING, PARTICULARLY ON THE NEED TO INCLUDE RWANDA AND UGANDA IN DISCUSSIONS ON NEXT STEPS. HIS EASE IN RATTLING OFF THREE SENSIBLE POINTS SUGGESTS THAT THE SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT HAS BEEN AT THE CENTER OF ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT PLANNING ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION IN THE CONGO. THAT SAID, HOWEVER, MNANGAGWA AND OTHERS IN THE GOZ ARE CLEARLY WAITING FOR PRESIDENT MUGABE TO WEIGH IN BEFORE PROCEEDING ON ANY FRONT, INCLUDING CONVENING THE INITIAL MEETING OF ALLIES. IRVING CONFIDENTIAL >