GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE CONTINUES TO STALL ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000783 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR GURNEY PARIS FOR WILLIAMS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SA - C. PALMA E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/21/11 TAGS: PGOV EAGR PREL ZI SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE CONTINUES TO STALL ON CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 00783 211006Z RESPONSE TO MALLOCH-BROWN LETTER REF: HARARE 488 AND PREVIOUS CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR REASONS 1.5 B/D. ¶1. (C) UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (UNDP) RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE VICTOR ANGELO TOLD CHARGE ON FEBRUARY 21 THAT HE STILL HAD NOT RECEIVED A FORMAL RESPONSE TO THE LETTER UNDP ADMINISTRATOR MARK MALLOCH-BROWN SENT TO PRESIDENT MUGABE ON DECEMBER 15, 2000 (REFTEL). HE HAD HEARD THAT A LETTER WAS READY FOR SIGNATURE BY THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DR. I.S.G. MUDENGE, ON FEBRUARY 16. THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE OBJECTED TO SOME OF THE LANGUAGE CONTAINED IN THE LETTER, THUS STALLING ITS TRANSMISSION. MUDENGE IS CURRENTLY IN NEW YORK AND WILL GIVE UN SECRETARY GENERAL ANNAN A PREVIEW OF ITS PROBABLE CONTENTS AND SEEK THE LATTER'S REACTION. ANGELO REMARKED THAT THE SITUATION AT PRESENT "DOESN'T TAKE US VERY FAR," AND THOUGHT THAT IT WAS "BECOMING LATE" TO WORK WITH THE GOVERNMENT. ¶2. (C) COMMENT: IF THE RESPONSE TO MALLOCH-BROWN'S LETTER IN FACT DOES NOT GO "VERY FAR," THIS WOULD BE A PREDICTABLE OUTCOME BASED ON PRESIDENT MUGABE AND HIS LIEUTENANTS' OFT-STATED PLEDGE THAT "THERE IS NO GOING BACK ON OUR [FAST-TRACK] LAND REFORM PROGRAM." ALL INDICATIONS TO DATE ARE OF AN INTRANSIGENT POSITION DICTATED BY A HEAD OF STATE WHO REMAINS OUT OF STEP CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 00783 211006Z WITH BOTH THE MAJORITY OF HIS CITIZENS, THEIR NEEDS, AND WORLD OPINION. END COMMENT. IRVING CONFIDENTIAL >