BOTSWANA FIRM BUT ISOLATED IN SADC OVER ZIMBABWE

C O N F I D E N T I A L GABORONE 000647 DEPARTMENT FOR AF AND AF/S; ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV SADC SOCI BC ZI SUBJECT: BOTSWANA FIRM BUT ISOLATED IN SADC OVER ZIMBABWE REF: STATE 79617 Classified By: CDA Philip R. Drouin; Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Acting P/E Chief Woods delivered demarche per reftel on July 29 to MFA Assistant Director of the Americas Desk Shimane Kelaotswe. He expressed deep appreciation for USG support of Botswana's approach on Zimbabwe following the flawed June 27 election. Kelaotswe intimated that both the MFA Permanent Secretary and his Deputy have been away from Gaborone on other (unspecified) business, but promised to pass our points to them and get a senior MFA reply back to us as soon as possible. ¶2. (C) During a July 30 meeting, Charge Drouin gave Office of the President Deputy Permanent Secretary Mustaq Moorad a copy of the points contained in reftel. Moorad nodded in agreement that the USG position is very close to the one Botswana has staked out vis-a-vis Zimabawe since the June 27 vote. Charge commended Botswana on its stand and asked if more SADC states are coming around to Botswana's point of view on Zimbabwe. Moorad expressed some frustration and despair that when Foreign Minister Skelemani and Minister of Defense, Justice, and Security Seretse had attended a recent gathering related to the SADC Organ on Politics, Defense, and Security Affairs, Botswana had become increasingly isolated from other SADC member states. Moorad did add, however, that the GOB (from President Khama on down) had taken this principled stand on Zimbabwe, and they were "not going back" on this position. DROUIN