ZIMBABWE -- URGENT DEMARCHE RE DRAFT UNSC

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 001270 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, AF/S, IO/UNP(RGOLDENBERG) USUN FOR J. DELAURENTIS AND K. MCBRIDE E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/30/2018 TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM UNSC ZI ID SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE -- URGENT DEMARCHE RE DRAFT UNSC RESOLUTION REF: A. STATE 69693 ¶B. JAKARTA 1214 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Mission reviewed latest points re Zimbabwe with the GOI, underscoring deep international concern about the sham election held there recently. Pol/C noted that the USG wanted to work with Indonesia on a draft UNSC resolution that would address the situation, and call for an asset freeze and travel ban against those responsible for the violence. Contact noted that the GOI condemned the violence and was willing to discuss next steps in the UNSC. Pol/C picked up some GOI discomfort re the Charter VII aspects of the USG points. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) PRESSING USG POINTS: Pol/C met June 30 with Trini Gunarti, Deputy Director of the Americas Desk in the Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU),and reviewed points contained in ref B re Zimbabwe. Mission also provided points to contacts in the Presidential Palace and in other DEPLU offices. ¶3. (C) Pol/C noted that the USG supported a draft UN Security Council resolution that would address the continuing violence, the completely flawed electoral process and the growing humanitarian crisis. The Mugabe regime had not reacted at all to the points contained in the UNSC's recent President Statement (PRSC). The regime proceeded with its sham election and the violence continues. The UNSC needs to react and take steps. A new resolution should make key political points, and be backed up by an arms embargo and a pinpointed asset freeze on those responsible for the violence. ¶4. (C) GOI WILL REVIEW: Gunarti responded that the GOI condemned the violence and was willing to discuss next steps in the UNSC. That said, it needed to see the text of the draft before committing to it. Gunarti noted that the GOI was basically averse to utilizing Charter VII-type sanctions unless they were truly necessary. Thus, any such aspect of the draft text would receive special scrutiny. Pol/C urged that DEPLU discuss the USG points with its mission in New York as soon as possible. ¶5. (C) SOME DISCOMFORT: As touched on, the GOI appears a bit uncomfortable with the sanctions aspect of the envisaged draft. Not wanting to shrug off the views of another Non-Aligned Movement state, especially one with a close-in view of the crisis, the GOI probably will take a long glance at how South Africa reacts to the text before deciding what to do. In the meantime, the Zimbabwe situation--despite the violence and the obviously sham election--has really yet to have an impact here in terms of media coverage, etc. HUME