Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
01HARARE762
2001-02-16 10:17:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Harare
Cable title:
GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE ENCOURAGED BY LUSAKA
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. 161017Z Feb 01 CONFIDENTIAL PTQ2890 PAGE 01 HARARE 00762 161016Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 USNW-00 DODE-00 DS-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 PM-00 ACE-00 SSO-00 SS-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /003W ------------------C68FAB 161016Z /38 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8238 INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY RWANDA COLLECTIVE AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000762
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/16/11
TAGS: PREL PGOV MCAP ZI CG
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE ENCOURAGED BY LUSAKA
SUMMIT
REFTEL: LUSAKA 724
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 00762 161016Z
REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000762
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/16/11
TAGS: PREL PGOV MCAP ZI CG
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE ENCOURAGED BY LUSAKA
SUMMIT
REFTEL: LUSAKA 724
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 00762 161016Z
REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D).
1. (C) THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE IS VERY ENCOURAGED BY
THE RESULTS OF THE SUMMIT HELD AMONG THE LUSAKA
SIGNATORIES IN LUSAKA ON FEBRUARY 15 (REFTEL). BERNARD
TAKAVARASHA, THE UNDERSECRETARY FOR AFRICA IN ZIMBABWE'S
MFA, TOLD POLOFF FEBRUARY 16 THAT THE SUMMIT OUTCOME WAS
"VERY POSITIVE" AND "BETTER THAN EXPECTED." TAKAVARASHA
STATED THE MOST IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT WAS THAT THE
"PEOPLE OF THE CONGO" (GOVERNMENT AND REBEL FACTIONS)
HAD AGREED TO START THE INTER-CONGOLESE DIALOGUE.
ZIMBABWE VIEWS THE DIALOGUE AS CRITICAL TO ANY
MEANINGFUL PEACE SETTLEMENT IN DRC, THE MFA OFFICIAL
NOTED. ONCE STARTED, THE DIALOGUE COULD SIDELINE THE
EXTERNAL STATE ACTORS, AND RIGHTFULLY SO, TAKAVARASHA
STATED.
2. (C) WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT OF RWANDA'S
FAILURE TO SEND A REPRESENTATIVE TO THE SUMMIT, THE
UNDERSECRETARY SAID IT WAS REGRETTABLE, BUT HE DID NOT
DWELL ON IT. HE NOTED THAT PRESIDENT MUSEVENI DID NOT
ATTEND EITHER, BUT THAT HE HAD SENT REPRESENTATIVES WHO
OFFERED APOLOGIES FOR THE UGANDAN PRESIDENT'S ABSENCE.
POLOFF ASKED TAKAVARASHA TO COMMENT ON PRESIDENT
MUGABE'S STATEMENT THAT ZIMBABWE WOULD WITHDRAW ITS
FORCES ONLY AFTER UGANDA AND RWANDA DID, TO WHICH HE
RESPONDED THAT THAT HAS BEEN ZIMBABWE'S POSITION ALL
ALONG. THE MFA OFFICIAL JOKINGLY REMARKED THAT ZIMBABWE
IS TOO POOR TO ESTABLISH PERMANENT BASES IN THE DRC AS
THE MUCH WEALTHIER U.S. HAS DONE AROUND THE WORLD.
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 00762 161016Z
3. (C) COMMENT: THE ZIMBABWEAN MFA OFFICIAL SEEMED
GENUINELY PLEASED WITH THE RESULTS OF THE LUSAKA SUMMIT,
ALMOST TO THE POINT OF GIDDINESS, WHICH IS NOT AN MFA
TRAIT. THE MFA'S COMMENTS UNDERSCORE ZIMBABWE'S DESIRE
FOR THE RAPID IMPLEMENTATION OF PEACE IN THE DRC SO THAT
IT CAN BRING HOME AT LEAST SOME OF ITS TROOPS BEFORE
NEXT YEAR'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. END COMMENT.
IRVING
CONFIDENTIAL
>
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/16/11
TAGS: PREL PGOV MCAP ZI CG
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE ENCOURAGED BY LUSAKA
SUMMIT
REFTEL: LUSAKA 724
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 00762 161016Z
REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D).
1. (C) THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE IS VERY ENCOURAGED BY
THE RESULTS OF THE SUMMIT HELD AMONG THE LUSAKA
SIGNATORIES IN LUSAKA ON FEBRUARY 15 (REFTEL). BERNARD
TAKAVARASHA, THE UNDERSECRETARY FOR AFRICA IN ZIMBABWE'S
MFA, TOLD POLOFF FEBRUARY 16 THAT THE SUMMIT OUTCOME WAS
"VERY POSITIVE" AND "BETTER THAN EXPECTED." TAKAVARASHA
STATED THE MOST IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT WAS THAT THE
"PEOPLE OF THE CONGO" (GOVERNMENT AND REBEL FACTIONS)
HAD AGREED TO START THE INTER-CONGOLESE DIALOGUE.
ZIMBABWE VIEWS THE DIALOGUE AS CRITICAL TO ANY
MEANINGFUL PEACE SETTLEMENT IN DRC, THE MFA OFFICIAL
NOTED. ONCE STARTED, THE DIALOGUE COULD SIDELINE THE
EXTERNAL STATE ACTORS, AND RIGHTFULLY SO, TAKAVARASHA
STATED.
2. (C) WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT OF RWANDA'S
FAILURE TO SEND A REPRESENTATIVE TO THE SUMMIT, THE
UNDERSECRETARY SAID IT WAS REGRETTABLE, BUT HE DID NOT
DWELL ON IT. HE NOTED THAT PRESIDENT MUSEVENI DID NOT
ATTEND EITHER, BUT THAT HE HAD SENT REPRESENTATIVES WHO
OFFERED APOLOGIES FOR THE UGANDAN PRESIDENT'S ABSENCE.
POLOFF ASKED TAKAVARASHA TO COMMENT ON PRESIDENT
MUGABE'S STATEMENT THAT ZIMBABWE WOULD WITHDRAW ITS
FORCES ONLY AFTER UGANDA AND RWANDA DID, TO WHICH HE
RESPONDED THAT THAT HAS BEEN ZIMBABWE'S POSITION ALL
ALONG. THE MFA OFFICIAL JOKINGLY REMARKED THAT ZIMBABWE
IS TOO POOR TO ESTABLISH PERMANENT BASES IN THE DRC AS
THE MUCH WEALTHIER U.S. HAS DONE AROUND THE WORLD.
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 00762 161016Z
3. (C) COMMENT: THE ZIMBABWEAN MFA OFFICIAL SEEMED
GENUINELY PLEASED WITH THE RESULTS OF THE LUSAKA SUMMIT,
ALMOST TO THE POINT OF GIDDINESS, WHICH IS NOT AN MFA
TRAIT. THE MFA'S COMMENTS UNDERSCORE ZIMBABWE'S DESIRE
FOR THE RAPID IMPLEMENTATION OF PEACE IN THE DRC SO THAT
IT CAN BRING HOME AT LEAST SOME OF ITS TROOPS BEFORE
NEXT YEAR'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. END COMMENT.
IRVING
CONFIDENTIAL
>