LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH FROM ACTING PRESIDENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 003635 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER ADDIS ABABA PLEASE PASS TO A/S KANSTEINER E.O. 12958: DECL. 12/05/11 TAGS: OPDC PREL ZI SUBJECT: LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH FROM ACTING PRESIDENT MUZENDA REF: HARARE 3527 CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF MATT HARRINGTON. REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) IN A DECEMBER 5 MEETING WITH THE AMBASSADOR, MFA DIVISION DIRECTOR FOR EUROPE AND THE AMERICAS DELIVERED A LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH FROM ACTING PRESIDENT SIMON MUZENDA. THIS IS LIKELY THE LETTER PROMISED BY ZANU-PF INFORMATION SECRETARY NATHAN SHAMUYARIRA IN A NOVEMBER 20 MEETING WITH THE AMBASSADOR (REFTEL). THE SIGNED ORIGINAL HAS BEEN POUCHED TO AF/S. ¶2. (C) BEGIN TEXT: 4 DECEMBER 2001 DEAR MR. PRESIDENT, I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING CLOSELY THE DISCUSSIONS IN CONGRESS CONCERNING THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE, AND ESPECIALLY THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY IN MY COUNTRY. I HAVE ALSO BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE CONCERNS WHICH YOUR GOVERNMENT HAS ABOUT THE FORTHCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, ESPECIALLY YOUR DOUBTS AS TO WHETHER THEY WILL BE FREE AND FAIR. MAY I RESPOND TO THESE CONCERNS BY AFFIRMING TO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, OUR SENSE OF COMMON BELIEF AND COMMITMENT WITH THE GOVERNMENT, CONGRESS AND THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON ALL FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF GOOD GOVERNANCE AND OTHER VEXING CONCERNS OF OUR TIME. WE WISH TO BUILD OUR RELATIONS WITH YOUR COUNTRY UPON THIS BASIS. MY GOVERNMENT AND PARTY WISH FURTHER TO AFFIRM TO YOU OUR BELIEF IN AND COMMITMENT TO DEMOCRACY, GOOD GOVERNANCE, PRESS FREEDOM, FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS, ECONOMIC PROSPERITY, ANTI-TERRORISM, THE RULE OF LAW AND THE SEPARATION OF POWERS BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE, JUDICIARY AND THE LEGISLATURE. WE BELIEVE FIRMLY IN CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNANCE. NOTHING IN OUR POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES WILL NEGATE THESE FUNDAMENTAL BELIEFS DURING OUR TERM OF OFFICE. AS REGARDS THE FORTHCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, I WISH TO ALLAY ANY DOUBTS AND ANXIETIES YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THEIR CONDUCT BY AFFIRMING TO YOU THAT MY GOVERNMENT AND PARTY WILL TAKE ALL ACTIONS NECESSARY AND DESIRABLE UNDER OUR LAWS TO ENSURE THAT THE ELECTIONS ARE FREE AND FAIR, AND ESPECIALLY TO ENSURE THAT EVERY VOTER IS ENABLED TO MAKE A FREE AND FEARLESS CHOICE OF WHOM THEY WANT AS THEIR NEXT PRESIDENT. AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, MR. ROBERT GABRIEL MUGABE WILL BE MY PARTY'S CANDIDATE FOR THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT. IT IS OUR ASSESSMENT THAT HE REMAINS THE BEST HOPE FOR OUR COUNTRY AND THAT THE PEOPLE WILL CAST THEIR VERDICT IN HIS FAVOUR. MR. MUGABE NEEDS YOUR GOOD WISHES. HE SEEKS YOUR ASSISTANCE ESPECIALLY IN THE CONDEMNATION OF ALL THOSE ELEMENTS IN THE POLITICAL ARENA, LOCAL AND FOREIGN, WHO SEEM BENT ON PURSUING THEIR POLITICAL AMBITIONS THROUGH ACTS OF TERROR. MY GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE RALLY SOLIDLY BEHIND YOUR CONDEMNATION OF ALL THOSE WHO SPONSOR AND GIVE COMFORT TO TERRORISM. FINALLY, I WISH TO ASSURE YOU THAT MY GOVERNMENT WILL INVITE FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS, INSTITUTIONS AND PROMINENT INDIVIDUALS TO COME AND OBSERVE THE ELECTORAL PROCESS BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. YOUR GOVERNMENT IS OBVIOUSLY AMONG THE GOVERNMENTS THAT IMMEDIATELY COME TO OUR MIND AS WE CONSIDER WHO SHOULD OBSERVE OUR ELECTIONS. WHILE THE SITUATIONS IN OUR COUNTRIES ARE NOT IDENTICAL, I AM OF THE FIRM BELIEF THAT WE CAN HAVE, AS I BELIEVE WE DO ALREADY, A SHARED COMMITMENT TO THE NEED FOR ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNMENTS, THE PRINCIPLES OF FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY, THE RULE OF LAW, FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS AND ANTI-TERRORISM. WE WILL PLAY OUR PART IN FULL TO REALIZE THESE GOALS. KINDLY ACCEPT, MR. PRESIDENT, MY GOOD WISHES TO YOU FOR YOUR PERSONAL HEALTH AND THE ASSURANCES OF MY HIGHEST REGARD. SIMON MUZENDA ACTING PRESIDENT END TEXT. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: IN THE CONVOLUTED LOGIC OF ZIMBABWE, THE GOZ APPEARS TO HAVE WAITED UNTIL PRESIDENT MUGABE LEFT FOR CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ8211 PAGE 01 HARARE 03635 02 OF 02 051434Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 WHA-00 DS-00 EAP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 NSAE-00 EPAE-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /002W -------------- 47550B 051434Z /07 O 051328Z DEC 01 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0471 INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA IMMEDIATE C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 003635 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER ADDIS ABABA PLEASE PASS TO A/S KANSTEINER E.O. 12958: DECL. 12/05/11 TAGS: OPDC PREL ZI SUBJECT: LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH FROM ACTING PRESIDENT MUZENDA MADRID FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT BY AN EYE SPECIALIST IN ORDER TO AVOID THE APPEARANCE OF MUGABE ASKING FOR FAVORS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF REBUFF. WHILE THE ARGUMENTS ARE NEITHER NEW NOR CONVINCING, THE LETTER SHOWS A GOZ STILL SEEKING IMPROVED RELATIONS WITH THE U.S., EVEN AS IT WRITES OFF THE E.U. AND SOUTH AFRICA. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 03635 02 OF 02 051434Z SULLIVAN CONFIDENTIAL >