MOZAMBICAN CONCERN OVER ZIMBABWE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MAPUTO 000334 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF/S:SHILL, DRL/MLGA:JNOYES, IO/RHS:DROHN LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHER E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/20/2017 TAGS: MZ PGOV PHUM PREL ZI SUBJECT: MOZAMBICAN CONCERN OVER ZIMBABWE REF: A. A) STATE 33268 ¶B. B)STATE 34008 ¶C. C) DAR ES SALAAM 00375 Classified By: CdA James Dudley for reason 1.4(b,d) ¶1. (C) Charge and acting British High Commissioner met on March 20 with Foreign Ministry Director for International Organizations and Conferences Manuel Goncalves to deliver ref A-B demarches and seek GRM views on next steps in addressing developments in Zimbabwe. Goncalves was not sure how much influence Mozambique would have on the views of African UN HRC members, saying that unlike on other issues, African countries did not normally seek a common African position on human rights issues. He said Mozambique would offer its views the next time the Africans met in Geneva. Goncalves noted the emphasis the GRM placed on a SADC solution, and he said SADC countries had to help the Zimbabwean government to resolve the situation. He repeated several times in different ways the GRM,s view that a solution could not be imposed from outside the country and could only be achieved by involving the Zimbabwean government and the opposition in finding a solution. He noted pessimistically that Mozambique,s experience during its civil war showed that it sometimes took a long time until parties were willing to talk seriously to each other. ¶2. (C) Goncalves highlighted Foreign Minister Abreu,s recent comments to the press about Mozambique,s concern over events in Zimbabwe. (Abreu was quoted in several newspapers and fax sheets over the weekend as saying the GRM was following with great concern events in Zimbabwe and that it supported the Tanzanian-led SADC intervention. She added that since taking office in 2005, Mozambican President Guebuza had been sending envoys to Zimbabwe. She said the GRM wanted "an opening at the level of the government, so that Zimbabweans...(could) find solutions to their own problems.") When asked what had caused Abreu and officials of other SADC governments to speak out when they had not previously done so, Goncalves said that media images of how the security forces acted against the opposition had called for a public reaction in addition to the behind-the-scenes efforts. Goncalves did not, however, expect that Abreu or other GRM officials would have anything more to say in public on the issue for now. ¶3. (C) Comment: Abreu,s statement is another sign of increasing GRM concern about Zimbabwe. We have been told that President Guebuza told ruling party central committee mmbers last week that what had happened in Zimbabwe as "not acceptable" and that when a democracy,s onstitution and laws permitted opposition partie, ruling parties had to let them operate. Howevr, he reportedly told the committee that Mozambiue would conduct "quiet diplomacy" to send this mssage. The press has given unusually prominent coerage to Zimbabwean events, and some publication have citicized the reluctance of Zimbabwe,s neghbors to speak out strongly against the GOZ,s ations. Foreign Minister Abreu is currently out o the country; we are seeking a meeting with her pon her return. End Comment. Johnson