Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08LONDON1014
2008-04-09 14:41:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy London
Cable title:
(C) HMG CONSIDERING OPTIONS IN AFTERMATH OF
how-toVZCZCXYZ0007 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHLO #1014 1001441 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 091441Z APR 08 FM AMEMBASSY LONDON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8200 INFO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 2638 RUEHOR/AMEMBASSY GABORONE 0085 RUEHSB/AMEMBASSY HARARE 0155 RUEHLS/AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 0097 RUEHTO/AMEMBASSY MAPUTO 0052 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 3171 RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 0583 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1154 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 001014
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR AF AND EUR/WE/UK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2018
TAGS: EC PGOV PREL SA UK EU UNSC ZI
SUBJECT: (C) HMG CONSIDERING OPTIONS IN AFTERMATH OF
ZIMBABWE'S ELECTIONS, INCLUDING POSSIBLE UNSC ACTION
Classified By: Political Counselor Richard Mills for reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 001014
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR AF AND EUR/WE/UK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2018
TAGS: EC PGOV PREL SA UK EU UNSC ZI
SUBJECT: (C) HMG CONSIDERING OPTIONS IN AFTERMATH OF
ZIMBABWE'S ELECTIONS, INCLUDING POSSIBLE UNSC ACTION
Classified By: Political Counselor Richard Mills for reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d).
1. (C) Foreign Office Zimbabwe Section Chief Ben
Llewellyn-Jones confirmed to Poloff on April 7 that Prime
Minister Brown had urged South African president Thabo Mbeki
to use his influence in an effort to bring a positive end to
Zimbabwe's political crisis when the two men meet on April 6.
Llewellyn-Jones said that because of the UK's colonial past
in Zimbabwe, and the fact that approximately 14,000 British
nationals reside in Zimbabwe, HMG prefers not to be "in the
driver's seat" on the issue. For now, in order not to give
Mugabe and ZANU-PF additional "anti-imperial ammunition,"
Mbeki and the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
should be seen as the primary actors working to resolve the
stalemate there. Llewellyn-Jones said that Mbeki and the
SADC are expected to make more appeals and recommendations,
and Brown strongly suggested to Mbeki that the SADC push for
additional election observers to operate throughout Zimbabwe
in the event that a run-off takes place.
2. (C) According to Llewellyn-Jones, HMG is willing to wait
until mid-April for the Mugabe-controlled Zimbabwe Election
Commission (ZEC) to release the results of the presidential
election. He also agreed that bringing the issue before
Zimbabwe's High Court may well further complicate matters.
Nevertheless, should the ZEC continue its delaying tactics,
HMG will begin issuing more forceful public statements over
the coming days while also pressing the Zimbabwe Election
Support Network (ZESN) to publicize any anomalies or evidence
of vote-rigging in an effort to avoid any repetition in a
future run-off of "techniques" the ZESN may have uncovered.
EU Playing More Helpful Role
--------------
3. (C) On a more positive note, Llewellyn-Jones conveyed the
FCO's pleasure at seeing the European Commission assume an
increasingly helpful role towards Zimbabwe and a willingness
to weigh in more effectively. He believes this is happening
because the UK, France and Germany have all lined up
together, thereby "making it harder for the other European
countries to ignore what is going on."
UK Considering a UNSC "Threat"
--------------
4. (C) Acknowledging the reluctance of the SADC, Mbeki, and
other African political leaders to criticize Robert Mugabe,
Llewellyn-Jones indicated that HMG is prepared to "threaten"
to bring the Zimbabwe crisis before the UN Security Council.
Just the threat of doing so would serve as a swipe at SADC
and South African diplomacy, and may prod Mbeki and the SADC
to take more effective, and vocal, diplomatic action toward
Zimbabwe, Llewellyn-Jones suggested.
Foreign Office Preparing Options Paper
--------------
5. (C/NF) FCO has ordered Llewellyn-Jones to draft a "game
plan" examining HMG's near-term options for various
contingencies, as well as possible outcomes for Zimbabwe.
Llewellyn-Jones promised to share a copy of the plan with
Post once it has been finalized.
Visit London's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/london/index. cfm
Tuttle
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR AF AND EUR/WE/UK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2018
TAGS: EC PGOV PREL SA UK EU UNSC ZI
SUBJECT: (C) HMG CONSIDERING OPTIONS IN AFTERMATH OF
ZIMBABWE'S ELECTIONS, INCLUDING POSSIBLE UNSC ACTION
Classified By: Political Counselor Richard Mills for reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d).
1. (C) Foreign Office Zimbabwe Section Chief Ben
Llewellyn-Jones confirmed to Poloff on April 7 that Prime
Minister Brown had urged South African president Thabo Mbeki
to use his influence in an effort to bring a positive end to
Zimbabwe's political crisis when the two men meet on April 6.
Llewellyn-Jones said that because of the UK's colonial past
in Zimbabwe, and the fact that approximately 14,000 British
nationals reside in Zimbabwe, HMG prefers not to be "in the
driver's seat" on the issue. For now, in order not to give
Mugabe and ZANU-PF additional "anti-imperial ammunition,"
Mbeki and the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
should be seen as the primary actors working to resolve the
stalemate there. Llewellyn-Jones said that Mbeki and the
SADC are expected to make more appeals and recommendations,
and Brown strongly suggested to Mbeki that the SADC push for
additional election observers to operate throughout Zimbabwe
in the event that a run-off takes place.
2. (C) According to Llewellyn-Jones, HMG is willing to wait
until mid-April for the Mugabe-controlled Zimbabwe Election
Commission (ZEC) to release the results of the presidential
election. He also agreed that bringing the issue before
Zimbabwe's High Court may well further complicate matters.
Nevertheless, should the ZEC continue its delaying tactics,
HMG will begin issuing more forceful public statements over
the coming days while also pressing the Zimbabwe Election
Support Network (ZESN) to publicize any anomalies or evidence
of vote-rigging in an effort to avoid any repetition in a
future run-off of "techniques" the ZESN may have uncovered.
EU Playing More Helpful Role
--------------
3. (C) On a more positive note, Llewellyn-Jones conveyed the
FCO's pleasure at seeing the European Commission assume an
increasingly helpful role towards Zimbabwe and a willingness
to weigh in more effectively. He believes this is happening
because the UK, France and Germany have all lined up
together, thereby "making it harder for the other European
countries to ignore what is going on."
UK Considering a UNSC "Threat"
--------------
4. (C) Acknowledging the reluctance of the SADC, Mbeki, and
other African political leaders to criticize Robert Mugabe,
Llewellyn-Jones indicated that HMG is prepared to "threaten"
to bring the Zimbabwe crisis before the UN Security Council.
Just the threat of doing so would serve as a swipe at SADC
and South African diplomacy, and may prod Mbeki and the SADC
to take more effective, and vocal, diplomatic action toward
Zimbabwe, Llewellyn-Jones suggested.
Foreign Office Preparing Options Paper
--------------
5. (C/NF) FCO has ordered Llewellyn-Jones to draft a "game
plan" examining HMG's near-term options for various
contingencies, as well as possible outcomes for Zimbabwe.
Llewellyn-Jones promised to share a copy of the plan with
Post once it has been finalized.
Visit London's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/london/index. cfm
Tuttle