MFA: FINISH ZIMBABWE RECOUNT BEFORE FURTHER ACTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 001598 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2028 TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR CH ZI SADC SUBJECT: MFA: FINISH ZIMBABWE RECOUNT BEFORE FURTHER ACTION REF: A. BEIJING 1568 ¶B. STATE 42016 Classified By: Political Officer Ted Lyng. Reasons 1.4 (B/D). ¶1. (C) Summary. The international community should wait for the election recount to be completed before taking any action on Zimbabwe, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Africa Department Southern Africa Division Director He Meng said April 24. The crisis in Zimbabwe should be left to Africans to solve on their own, and the international community should only become involved if African countries so desire. According to a UK Embassy Political Officer, when British Foreign Office Political Director Mark Lyall Grant raised arms sales to Zimbabwe, Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister He Yafei responded that China "has heard the message loud and clear." End Summary. ¶2. (C) As a follow up to the April 22 demarche delivered to the MFA Arms Control Department (ref A),PolOff and UK Embassy First Secretary Gareth Ward on April 24 jointly met MFA Africa Department Southern Africa Division Director He Meng to re-emphasize ref B points given in the demarche (ref B) and to inquire about China's position on the current situation in Zimbabwe. First Step: Finish the Recount -------------- ¶3. (C) Before the international community takes any steps on Zimbabwe, election recounts must be completed, Director He said. Moreover, Africans have a deeper understanding of the problems in Africa than do outsiders, he said, so the citizens of Zimbabwe and the other nations in Southern Africa must take the lead on solving the problems there. The African Union and Southern African Development Community should also play a role. Only if African nations ask for help should the international community intervene, he said. Ultimately, China hopes that the problems will be solved through "dialogue on the basis of mutual equality." China Hears Message "Loud and Clear" -------------- ¶4. (C) PolOff and UK PolOff responded that while the completion of the recount is important, the results may be flawed because of a lack of accountability in the chain of custody of the ballot boxes. PolOff also reiterated demarche points (ref B) regarding the current sensitivity of the situation in Africa and the need to refrain from exacerbating an already difficult situation through arms sales. Following the meeting, UK PolOff said that British Political Director Mark Lyall Grant, during an April 23 phone conversation with Assistant Foreign Minister (AFM) He Yafei, had also raised the topic of arms sales to Zimbabwe. AFM He responded that China had "heard the message loud and clear." PICCUTA