DEPFORMIN PAHAD CONDEMNS NEW U.S. ZIMBABWE

UNCLAS PRETORIA 004193 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR AF/S S. HILL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL ZI SF SUBJECT: DEPFORMIN PAHAD CONDEMNS NEW U.S. ZIMBABWE SANCTIONS REF: A. PRETORIA 4154 ¶B. STATE 161333 ¶C. PRETORIA 3425 ¶1. (U) South Africa condemned "till the cows come home" the new U.S. targeted sanctions against Zimbabwe. During a 11 December press conference, DepForMin Aziz Pahad said that imposing sanctions on the children of Zimbabwean leaders is "collective punishment of a non-sensical nature" which will not help the process. On the addition of new ZANU-PF officials to the targeted sanctions list, Pahad suggested this step will not "take us, at this crucial stage, any further." He added that public criticism of the Government of Zimbabwe is ineffective, arguing that "the world of politics would be very easy if all that was required was condemnation." ¶2. (SBU) During Pahad's press conference, he highlighted the progress by the Mbeki-led Southern African Development Community (SADC) Zimbabwe facilitation, claiming optimistically that "sooner rather than later, annnouncements will be made that at last the Zimbabweans . . . are helping themselves to find a Zimbabwean solution which can be the ONLY lasting solution" (highlight in Department of Foreign Affairs transcript of remarks). (NOTE: Pahad and other SAG officials have similarly predicted the positive conclusion of the SADC talks for months (see for example ref C). END NOTE.) ¶3. (U) On the recently-concluded European Union-Africa Summit in Lisbon, Pahad attempted to portray the discussion of Zimbabwe as healthy, with both sides putting forward their perspectives. He noted that nearly all the European leaders expressed support for President Mbeki's facilitation efforts. ¶4. (SBU) COMMENT: Pahad's reaction to the new U.S. targeted sanctions is predictable, albeit frustrating. As a matter of policy, South Africa rejects sanctions as a foreign policy tool. Announcement of new sanctions during -- what they optimistically hope is -- the sensitive, final days of their SADC facilitation effort in Zimbabwe is not welcomed. END COMMENT. BOST