Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08HARARE256
2008-04-01 11:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Harare
how-toVZCZCXRO9976 OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN DE RUEHSB #0256 0921107 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 011107Z APR 08 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2659 INFO RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1862 RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1985 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0558 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1262 RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1619 RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2041 RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4472 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1112
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000256
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR S. HILL
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E. LOKEN AND L. DOBBINS
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/01/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC ZI
SUBJECT: THE END GAME
REF: HARARE 255 AND PREV.
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)
1.. (C) According to South African businessman Strive
Masiyiwa, who had spoken to Morgan Tsvangirai, President
Robert Mugabe is prepared to concede defeat. Mugabe had sent
"emissaries" to Tsvangirai to discuss security and to try to
negotiate a government of national unity that would include
ZANU-PF.
¶2. (C) The Ambassador talked again with Reserve Bank
Governor Gideon Gono (Reftel) who acknowledged that ZANU-PF
felt that Mugabe could not win. He also said that the
military would not intervene. Gono was hoping for a
negotiated government of national unity with himself as prime
minister. He hoped for a negotiated resolution after results
are declared--presumably with Tsvangirai receiving less than
50 percent--as the Bank has no funds for a runoff.
¶3. (C) In postponing its 12 pm press conference, the MDC
said officially it was for "positive" reasons.
¶4. (C) We also learned from publisher Trevor Ncube that
Tsvangirai had offered the position of prime minister to
SIPDIS
Simba Makoni contingent on constitutional changes.
¶5. (C) Comment. While there have been a number of ups and
downs in recent days, and we realized it's not over until
it's over, we are increasingly confident that we're in the
end game. End Comment.
MCGEE