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