TANZANIA NEUTRAL ON FEB 7 DECISIONS IN BURUNDI

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAR ES SALAAM 000265 SIPDIS SIPDIS AF/C ROSALIND MONTANEZ-MUHINDA E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2012 TAGS: AF BY TZ PHUM PREL PGOV SUBJECT: TANZANIA NEUTRAL ON FEB 7 DECISIONS IN BURUNDI REF: STATE 22207 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission, D. Purnell Delly, for reason 1. 4 (B). (C) Mohammed Mzale, Director of the African Affairs Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA),told Poloff on March 1 that Tanzania shared USG concerns about peace and stability in Burundi. He stressed, however, that the Government of Tanzania (GOT) had no official position on the February 7 party congress decisions and had not had any official contacts with the Government of Burundi (GOB) to discuss the February 7 events. "We see the February 7 events as an internal matter to be settled by Burundi itself," Mzale noted. Poloff emphasized the role which Tanzania could play - as a neighbor and member of the East African Community (EAC) - to encourage efforts to improve the rule of law and discourage former party President Hussein Radjabu from inciting violence. Mzale said that Tanzania would be ready with advice if the GOB sought such guidance, adding that he was confident Burundi was "making progress toward achieving stability." RETZER