CREDENTIALS PRESENTATION UNEVENTFUL

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 001041 SIPDIS SIPDIS AF/S FOR S. HILL, ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E. LOKEN AND L. DOBBINS STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2013 TAGS: PREL ZI SUBJECT: CREDENTIALS PRESENTATION UNEVENTFUL Classified By: DCM Katherine Dhanani. Reason: 1.4 (d) ¶1. (C) Ambassador presented credentials to GOZ President Robert Mugabe at 10 am on Thursday, November 22. Also presenting on November 22 were Ambassadors from Australia, Russia and Mexico (the latter resident in Pretoria). Over tea following the US presentation, Mugabe recounted his views on the ebb and flow of US-Zimbabwe relations since independence, expressing the hope that Ambassador McGee's tenure would coincide with the development of warmer bilateral ties. Speaking more in sorrow than in anger, Mugabe asserted that the USG is blindly following a British lead on Zimbabwe in order to secure continued British support in Iraq. Ambassador assured Mugabe that the USG also hopes that circumstances will permit better relations, and assured him that the Embassy in Harare would faithfully execute policy set in Washington on the basis of USG views of the situation in Zimbabwe. ¶2. (C) The conversation with Mugabe was more cordial than Ambassador's November 21 conversation with Foreign Minister Mumbengegwi, during which the ForMin threatened Ambassador with expulsion if he crossed the line and interfered with domestic politics in Zimbabwe. In fact, Mugabe urged the Ambassador to engage with the two MDC factions to encourage the opposition to unify; he claimed this would simplify GOZ efforts to promote a healthy democratic environment. Mugabe made no reference to ZDERA or to sanctions. ¶3. (C) The Chief of Protocol in the Office of the Presidency told Ambassador he would be able to meet one on one with President Mugabe on November 23 or 24. MCGEE