1. (C) ON JANUARY 23, CHARGE SPOKE WITH THE PERMANENT
SECRETARY IN ZIMBABWE'S MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS,

SIPDIS
WILLARD CHIWEWE, ABOUT THE DRC. CHIWEWE REITERATED
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PAGE 02 HARARE 00450 231455Z
POINTS THAT SPEAKER MNANGAGWA HAD MADE TO US LAST WEEK
(REFTEL): 1) ZIMBABWE WILL NOT CHANGE ITS APPROACH TO
THE DRC GOVERNMENT, 2) IT WANTS CONGOLESE "SOCIETY" TO
REMAIN "INTEGRAL" TO THE EQUATION, AND 3) IT DOES NOT
WANT ANY OF THE DRC PLAYERS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
KABILA'S ASSASSINATION WITH NEW MILITARY ADVENTURES.
ZIMBABWE WILL BE STRESSING THESE POINTS IN ALL ITS
MEETINGS WITH THE OTHER PLAYERS IN THE COMING WEEKS,
CHIWEWE STATED. THE PERMSEC, WHO JUST RETURNED FROM SIX
WEEKS OF LEAVE ON JANUARY 22, WANTS TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT
WEEK TO MEET WITH US IN ORDER TO GET FULLY UP TO SPEED
ON DRC EVENTS.



2. (C) POLOFF SPOKE WITH THE MFA'S ACTING
UNDERSECRETARY FOR AFRICA, MR. TAKAVARASHA, ON JANUARY


23. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE PROPOSED LUSAKA SIGNATORIES
MEETING, TAKAVARASHA DEMURRED, SAYING THAT THE ALLIED
HEADS OF STATE WOULD LIKELY BE MEETING ON THE MARGINS OF
OR SHORTLY AFTER KABILA'S FUNERAL. THE ACTING
UNDERSECRETARY SAID THAT ZIMBABWE NO LONGER FEELS
COMFORTABLE MEETING WITH ANY OF THE DRC PLAYERS,
INCLUDING ITS ALLIES, WITHOUT KNOWING WHO WAS BEHIND THE
ASSASSINATION OF KABILA. TAKAVARASHA SUGGESTED THAT A
MEANINGFUL CONTINUATION OF THE LUSAKA DIALOGUE COULD NOT
TAKE PLACE UNTIL THE INVESTIGATION INTO KABILA'S MURDER
IS COMPLETED. WHEN QUERIED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A
MAPUTO III SUMMIT, THE UNDERSECRETARY SAID HE WAS
UNAWARE OF ANY PLANS FOR SUCH A MEETING, AND, IN ANY
CASE, DISMISSED THE SOUTH AFRICANS AS "OUTSIDERS" TO THE
DRC CONFLICT.

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3. (C) COMMENT: ZIMBABWE'S UNEASINESS ABOUT THE
SITUATION IN THE DRC IS BEGINNING TO SHOW. THE GOZ
LEADERSHIP'S PARANOID OPTICS MAY BE FOCUSING ON ITS
ALLIES, PARTICULARLY ANGOLA, AS SPECULATION AND RUMOR
ABOUND ABOUT WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR KABILA'S DEATH.
TAKAVARASHA'S COMMENTS ARE WORRISOME, AS HE SEEMED MORE
CONCERNED ABOUT FINGERING KABILA'S KILLER THAN USING THE
OPPORTUNITY OF A CHANGE OF DRC LEADERSHIP TO ADVANCE THE
LUSAKA PEACE PROCESS. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO OBTAIN A
MORE DEFINITIVE READOUT OF ZIMBABWE'S THINKING AFTER THE
KEY PLAYERS RETURN FROM KABILA'S FUNERAL THIS WEEK. END
COMMENT.

IRVING

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