RUSSIA WILL VETO UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 001996 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2018 TAGS: PREL UNSC ZI RS SUBJECT: RUSSIA WILL VETO UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION ON ZIMBABWE REF: A. STATE 74375 ¶B. MOSCOW 1975 Classified By: Ambassador John R. Beyrle. Reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary. MFA Director of International Organizations Gennadiy Gatilov (the senior-most available officer in the MFA),told us July 11 that if the current U.S. draft UN Security Council resolution on Zimbabwe were put to a vote "with the current language," Russia would veto. When asked if the MFA had discussed the matter with President Medvedev, as they had requested time to do (ref B),Gatilov replied that "this was Russia's position." Gatilov said Russia did not share the sense of urgency to pass a resolution containing sanctions, and reiterated support for the South African alternative resolution, which, he said "contains all the elements Russia considers necessary," but gives more time for the parties to resolve matters through dialogue. End summary. ¶2. (C) We delivered ref A demarche to IO Director Gatilov July 11 (efforts to arrange a meeting for the Ambassador with DFMs Yakovenko, Kislyak or Denisov were not successful). We stressed that Zimbabwe opposition leader Tsvangirai had denied that substantive negotiations had begun, and reiterated concerns over the dire situation in Zimbabwe. We emphasized the need for the UN Security Council to send the strongest possible signal to Mugabe on the need to end the violence and begin a serious dialogue with the opposition. ¶3. (C) Gatilov responded that Russia did not share this analysis. He said the GOR did not believe it was the task of the UNSC to make judgments about elections in another country. He reiterated Russia's traditional opposition to sanctions, saying that in any event, the GOR did not believe the situation was at the point where the Council needed to impose sanctions. He added that the GOR was not trying to defend Mugabe or his regime, but it did not think that imposition of sanctions was the right way to deal with the situation. The two sides needed to be given a chance to resolve the issue through negotiations. He said it appeared that "some" in the international community were encouraging Tsvangirai not to engage in serious negotiations. ¶4. (C) Gatilov questioned "the haste" in seeking to adopt the draft resolution, arguing that there was no consensus in the Council and noting that two of the permanent members were opposed to the draft resolution. He said we should not be too certain that China would not veto. ¶5. (C) Gatilov said Russia did not have suggested changes to the U.S. draft, but instead supported the South African alternative resolution, which contained all the elements Russia considered necessary: condemnation of the situation on the ground; calling on both sides to refrain from violence and to engage in dialogue; and provisions indicating that unless there were progress, the UNSC could consider adopting a resolution with sanctions. BEYRLE