ZIMBABWE FULLY BACKS JMC AND IS EAGER FOR ITS

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000870 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/11 TAGS: PREL MOPS MCAP EAID ZI CG SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE FULLY BACKS JMC AND IS EAGER FOR ITS MOVE TO KINSHASA REFTEL: STATE 35571 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 00870 281442Z CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) ON FEBRUARY 28, POLOFF CONVEYED REFTEL TALKING POINTS TO MAXWELL CHIKOROWONDO, THE ZIMBABWEAN MFA'S PRINCIPAL ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER (PAO) FOR THE DRC. CHIKOROWONDO RESPONDED THAT THE GOZ IS FULLY COMMITTED TO THE JOINT MILITARY COMMISSION (JMC) AND THE IDEA OF RELOCATING ITS HEADQUARTERS TO KINSHASA, AND THINKS IT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED "YESTERDAY." THE PAO STATED THAT RWANDA, UGANDA AND THEIR REBEL ALLIES WERE THE ONLY OBSTACLES TO MOVING THE JMC. THEIR COMPLAINTS ABOUT INADEQUATE SECURITY ARE UNJUSTIFIED BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAVE JUNIOR REGIONAL JMC REPRESENTATIVES STATIONED IN THE COUNTRYSIDE, WHICH IS MUCH MORE INSECURE THAN KINSHASA, CHIKOROWONDO ARGUED. ¶2. (C) CHIKOROWONDO ASKED IF THE U.S. WILL SUPPLY NEW FUNDING TO THE JMC, TO WHICH POLOFF RESPONDED THAT BEFORE THE USG CAN SUPPLY MORE FUNDS, FISCAL CONTROLS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY MUST BE IN PLACE. THE MFA OFFICIAL STATED HE BELIEVED JMC HEAD GENERAL MWANIKI WAS WORKING ON A PLAN TO TRACK AND CONTROL JMC REPRESENTATIVES' EXPENDITURES. THE GOZ IS ENCOURAGED BY THE NEW MOMENTUM IN THE PEACE PROCESS, CHIKOROWONDO STATED. HE SAID A JMC MEETING IN LUSAKA ON FEBRUARY 27 PROBABLY GAVE NEW IMPETUS TO RESOLVING THE JMC'S PROBLEMS. IRVING CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 00870 281442Z CONFIDENTIAL >