ZIMBABWE: UK CONTINUES TO SUPPORT U.S. DRAFT UNSC

C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 001758 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2018 TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM UNSC ZI UK SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE: UK CONTINUES TO SUPPORT U.S. DRAFT UNSC RESOLUTION REF: A. STATE 70836 ¶B. LONDON 1745 Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Maura Connelly, reasons 1.4 (b/d). ¶1. (C) HMG continues to support the current U.S. draft UNSC resolution on Zimbabwe, according to FCO Zimbabwe Desk Officer Jason Moore. Moore reported that in a July 2 ministerial meeting FCO Minister for Africa Lord Malloch-Brown said the UK should continue to pursue sanctions, though a premature vote that fails in the Security Council would not be helpful. Malloch-Brown, who Moore described as "keen to get something through the Security Council," also said it would be important to ensure the resolution includes a ban on new investment in Zimbabwe to prevent countries like South Africa and China from coming in behind any Western companies that leave because of new sanctions from the EU. Moore described the AU's July 1 statement as "pretty poor stuff," but offered that it might provide a useful context for discussions in the UN as it is a wholly inadequate response. ¶2. (C) Moore said HMG is relatively positive on getting the nine votes required to pass the resolution, though Burkina Faso's vote would be the key. The FCO is preparing instructions for British embassies in ECOWAS capitals to demarche host governments on encouraging Burkina Faso to support the resolution, as the West Africans were the most forward-leaning in the AU summit discussion. On any timing issues related to tabling the resolution, Moore said Malloch-Brown suggested that the UK and U.S. PermReps in New York "should just hammer it out." Malloch-Brown also said that he returned from Sharm el-Sheikh with Libyan promises of support for sanctions on individuals and an arms embargo. While Moore remained skeptical on the Libyan position, he said they should not be counted out. Visit London's Classified Website: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom TUTTLE