Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02HARARE588
2002-03-06 14:41:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Harare
Cable title:
REPORTED UNSYG CONSIDERATIONS RE ZIMBABWE
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. 061441Z Mar 02 CONFIDENTIAL PTO5049 PAGE 01 HARARE 00588 061447Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 USNW-00 DODE-00 DS-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 VCE-00 M-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 SSO-00 SS-00 USIE-00 BBG-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /004W ------------------70530D 061448Z /38 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1114 INFO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY AMEMBASSY ABUJA PRIORITY AMEMBASSY ACCRA PRIORITY AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY PRIORITY AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000588
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/FO KANSTEINER AND BELLAMY
NSC FOR AFRICA SR ADVISER FRAZER
CAPE TOWN PLEASE PASS TO A/S KANSTEINER
USUN FOR AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV ZI
SUBJECT: REPORTED UNSYG CONSIDERATIONS RE ZIMBABWE
REF: HARARE 481(NOTAL)
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 00588 061447Z
CLASSIFIED BY JOSEPH SULLIVAN FOR REASONS 1.5 B/D.
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000588
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/FO KANSTEINER AND BELLAMY
NSC FOR AFRICA SR ADVISER FRAZER
CAPE TOWN PLEASE PASS TO A/S KANSTEINER
USUN FOR AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV ZI
SUBJECT: REPORTED UNSYG CONSIDERATIONS RE ZIMBABWE
REF: HARARE 481(NOTAL)
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 00588 061447Z
CLASSIFIED BY JOSEPH SULLIVAN FOR REASONS 1.5 B/D.
1.(C) UN RESREP VICTOR ANGELO CALLED ON THE AMBASSADOR
MARCH 6 TO RELATE CONSIDERATIONS OF UNSYG ANNAN RE
ZIMBABWE AND TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE FUTURE SYG ACTIONS. HE
NOTED THAT SYG HAD ISSUED FEB 21 APPEAL THAT "PEOPLE OF
ZIMBABWE BE ALLOWED TO CAST THEIR BALLOTS FREE FROM
VIOLENCE, INTIMIDATION AND HINDRANCE," THAT "PRESIDENT
MUGABE AND THE OPPOSITION TO WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE
THAT ELECTIONS ARE CONDUCTED IN A FREE AND FAIR MANNER"
AND THAT "THE GOVERNMENT ... LET THE PEOPLE MAKE THEIR
CHOICE AND TO LIVE BY IT." HE SAID THAT HE HAD SPOKEN
TO THE SYG FOR AN HOUR LAST FRIDAY AS THE SYG
CONTEMPLATED WHAT MORE COULD BE DONE IN ADVANCE OF
ELECTIONS. ANGELO AND THE AMBASSADOR AGREED THAT MORE
APPEALS TO MUGABE IN ADVANCE OF ELECTIONS WOULD NOT BE
WORTHWHILE, SINCE MUGABE HAD TURNED A DEAF EAR TO ALL
APPEALS TO DATE AND WAS FIXED ON THE COURSE HE HAD SET.
WE AGREED THAT THE DAYS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING ELECTIONS
WOULD BE THE NEXT CRITICAL MOMENT FOR PHONE CALLS,
MESSAGES AND PUBLIC STATEMENTS.
2. (C) ANGELO SAID THAT THE SYG HAD BEEN IN FREQUENT
CONTACT WITH PRESIDENTS MBEKI AND OBASSANJO REGARDING
ZIMBABWE AND TENDED TO HAVE A TOUGHER ATTITUDE THAN THEY
DID. WE AGREED THAT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR THE SYG
TO BE IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THOSE TWO PRESIDENTS AND
WITH THE USG IN THE LEADUP TO AND DAYS IMMEDIATELY
FOLLOWING ELECTIONS. IN THE EVENT OF A LIKELY MDC
VICTORY, WE AGREED THAT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 00588 061447Z
PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE SUCH A VICTORY EARLY AND GET CALLS
AND MESSAGES TO PRESIDENT MUGABE AND MILITARY CHIEFS
URGING THAT THEY DO THE RIGHT THING BY WORKING FOR A
PEACEFUL DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION. IN THE EVENT OF A
BLATANT ZANU-PF FRAUD OR SEIZURE OF POWER, WE AGREED
THAT ALL THOSE WITH INFLUENCE NEEDED TO SEND IMMEDIATE
PRIVATE MESSAGES AND TO MAKE PUBLIC STATEMENTS TO INSIST
THAT SUCH A RESULT COULD NOT STAND AND MUST BE ANNULLED.
IN THE EVENT OF AN APPARENT ZANU VICTORY ACHIEVED BY
DINT OF THE VIOLENCE, INTIMIDATION AND ELECTORAL
SHENANIGANS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY, ANGELO JUDGED THAT THE
SOUTH AFRICANS WOULD BE THE KEY DETERMINANTS OF WHETHER
SUCH A RESULT WOULD STAND OR COULD BE ROLLED BACK.
3.(C) WE WILL MAINTAIN CLOSE CONTACT WITH UN RESREP IN
THE DAYS FOLLOWING ELECTIONS AND URGE THAT WE COORDINATE
CLOSELY WITH THE UN SYG IN OUR EFFORTS TO INFLUENCE
EVENTS IN ZIMBABWE AND THE POSITIONS OF PRESIDENTS MBEKI
AND OBASSANJO.
SULLIVAN
CONFIDENTIAL
>
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/FO KANSTEINER AND BELLAMY
NSC FOR AFRICA SR ADVISER FRAZER
CAPE TOWN PLEASE PASS TO A/S KANSTEINER
USUN FOR AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV ZI
SUBJECT: REPORTED UNSYG CONSIDERATIONS RE ZIMBABWE
REF: HARARE 481(NOTAL)
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 00588 061447Z
CLASSIFIED BY JOSEPH SULLIVAN FOR REASONS 1.5 B/D.
1.(C) UN RESREP VICTOR ANGELO CALLED ON THE AMBASSADOR
MARCH 6 TO RELATE CONSIDERATIONS OF UNSYG ANNAN RE
ZIMBABWE AND TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE FUTURE SYG ACTIONS. HE
NOTED THAT SYG HAD ISSUED FEB 21 APPEAL THAT "PEOPLE OF
ZIMBABWE BE ALLOWED TO CAST THEIR BALLOTS FREE FROM
VIOLENCE, INTIMIDATION AND HINDRANCE," THAT "PRESIDENT
MUGABE AND THE OPPOSITION TO WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE
THAT ELECTIONS ARE CONDUCTED IN A FREE AND FAIR MANNER"
AND THAT "THE GOVERNMENT ... LET THE PEOPLE MAKE THEIR
CHOICE AND TO LIVE BY IT." HE SAID THAT HE HAD SPOKEN
TO THE SYG FOR AN HOUR LAST FRIDAY AS THE SYG
CONTEMPLATED WHAT MORE COULD BE DONE IN ADVANCE OF
ELECTIONS. ANGELO AND THE AMBASSADOR AGREED THAT MORE
APPEALS TO MUGABE IN ADVANCE OF ELECTIONS WOULD NOT BE
WORTHWHILE, SINCE MUGABE HAD TURNED A DEAF EAR TO ALL
APPEALS TO DATE AND WAS FIXED ON THE COURSE HE HAD SET.
WE AGREED THAT THE DAYS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING ELECTIONS
WOULD BE THE NEXT CRITICAL MOMENT FOR PHONE CALLS,
MESSAGES AND PUBLIC STATEMENTS.
2. (C) ANGELO SAID THAT THE SYG HAD BEEN IN FREQUENT
CONTACT WITH PRESIDENTS MBEKI AND OBASSANJO REGARDING
ZIMBABWE AND TENDED TO HAVE A TOUGHER ATTITUDE THAN THEY
DID. WE AGREED THAT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR THE SYG
TO BE IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THOSE TWO PRESIDENTS AND
WITH THE USG IN THE LEADUP TO AND DAYS IMMEDIATELY
FOLLOWING ELECTIONS. IN THE EVENT OF A LIKELY MDC
VICTORY, WE AGREED THAT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 00588 061447Z
PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE SUCH A VICTORY EARLY AND GET CALLS
AND MESSAGES TO PRESIDENT MUGABE AND MILITARY CHIEFS
URGING THAT THEY DO THE RIGHT THING BY WORKING FOR A
PEACEFUL DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION. IN THE EVENT OF A
BLATANT ZANU-PF FRAUD OR SEIZURE OF POWER, WE AGREED
THAT ALL THOSE WITH INFLUENCE NEEDED TO SEND IMMEDIATE
PRIVATE MESSAGES AND TO MAKE PUBLIC STATEMENTS TO INSIST
THAT SUCH A RESULT COULD NOT STAND AND MUST BE ANNULLED.
IN THE EVENT OF AN APPARENT ZANU VICTORY ACHIEVED BY
DINT OF THE VIOLENCE, INTIMIDATION AND ELECTORAL
SHENANIGANS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY, ANGELO JUDGED THAT THE
SOUTH AFRICANS WOULD BE THE KEY DETERMINANTS OF WHETHER
SUCH A RESULT WOULD STAND OR COULD BE ROLLED BACK.
3.(C) WE WILL MAINTAIN CLOSE CONTACT WITH UN RESREP IN
THE DAYS FOLLOWING ELECTIONS AND URGE THAT WE COORDINATE
CLOSELY WITH THE UN SYG IN OUR EFFORTS TO INFLUENCE
EVENTS IN ZIMBABWE AND THE POSITIONS OF PRESIDENTS MBEKI
AND OBASSANJO.
SULLIVAN
CONFIDENTIAL
>