ZIMBABWE DEMARCHES: ROMANIA ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUCHAREST 000325 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/NCE AJENSEN, FOR DRL/MLGA JNOYES, FOR IO/RHS DROHN, AND FOR AF/S SHILL E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2017 TAGS: PHUM PREL ZI EUN RO SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE DEMARCHES: ROMANIA ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT SERIOUSNESS OF SITUATION REF: A. SECTSTATE 33357 ¶B. SECSTATE 34009 Classified By: Polcouns Theodore Tanoue for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Human Rights Officer delivered reftel demarches on 3/19/07 to MFA Director for OSCE, COE, and Human Rights Issues, Brandusa Predescu. Predescu was in agreement with the USG's concern about the seriousness of the situation in Zimbabwe and said she would work with her GOR colleagues to issue a statement condemning the GOZ's violent acts against its democratic opponents. Predescu added that the head of GOR's delegation to the UN Human Rights Council had criticized the GOZ's actions during a meeting of the council last week but acknowlegded that this had not been an "official" statement. While agreeing to some sort of HRC action during the current session she specifically requested that the USG side provide further information on concrete measures where the GOR might be able to assist. She agreed to instruct their delegation to coordinate closely with the U.S. Delegation in Geneva on next steps. Finally, Predescu said she would endeavor to get the GOR to contact the Africa Union in urging them to issue a public statement expressing concern for human rights violations in Zimbabwe. ¶2. (C) When asked for suggestions on how best to deal with the situation in Zimbabwe Predescu told HumOff that the USG should consider making more public statements and using the press in Geneva (since there were so many media representatives there) to get the message out about the seriousness of Zimbabwe's situation. She also advocated for involving the current Chairperson of the HRC to make a public statement condemning Zimbabawe's actions. TAUBMAN