SADC PRESS RELEASE ON LESOTHO MEDIATION

UNCLAS MASERU 000192 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR AF/SSIPDIS, SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV LT SUBJECT: SADC PRESS RELEASE ON LESOTHO MEDIATION REF: MASERU 191 AND PREVIOUS ¶1. (SBU) On March 23, the Chairperson of the SADC Ministerial Troika of the Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation (Tanzania) issued a press release in Maseru regarding a potential SADC role in mediating talks among Lesotho's political parties to resolve an ongoing election-related impasse (para 3 below). Tanzanian Foreign Minister Bernard Membe had told Maseru-based diplomats on March 22 he would issue the statement as part of a SADC commitment to opposition parties. Membe and other SADC leaders were in Maseru for a SADC Council of Ministers meeting. ¶2. (U) Opposition parties, led by the ABC, called off a work stay-away on March 20 (after two days of transportation strikes that paralyzed the Maseru economy) following an intervention by the SADC Executive Secretary. At an opposition rally on March 25, ABC leader Tom Thabane told followers that the opposition, while it viewed the stay away action as "successful," did not have plans for renewed strikes in light of the SADC commitment to mediate a dialogue. On March 25 the ABC and four other opposition parties (ACP, BNP, MFP, and NIP) announced the formation of an opposition alliance and reiterated "a firm view ....that the legal instrument that determines the allocation of the proportional seats (in Parliament) has not only been violated but also undermined and subverted.". ¶3. (U) Following is text of press release on the SADC Ministerial Troika dated : Begin Text of Press Release: As a follow up to the consultations made by the SADC Executive Secretary in the Kingdom of Lesotho on the current political SIPDIS developments, the Chairperson of the Ministerial Troika of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, Honorable Bernard K. Membe, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Republic of Tanzania was briefed on the ongoing differences between the Government of Lesotho and opposition parties. The Chairperson of the Ministerial Troika of the Organ has taken note of these developments and undertakes to make further consultations with a view to enhancing the conducive environment for further peaceful dialogue amongst the concerned parties in the Kingdom of Lesotho. The Chairperson of the Ministerial Troika of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation calls upon the concerned parties to truly address their differences through dialogue in the best interest of the Basotho Nation and of the SADC Region as a whole. Peace and political stability are important requisites for accelerating economic growth and eradication of poverty in all our SADC Member States. MASERU 23 March 2007 End Text of Press Release. PERRY