PANAMA: "SANCTION" MAY BE NECESSARY IN ZIMBABWE

C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 000529 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/30/2018 TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM UNSC ZI PM SUBJECT: PANAMA: "SANCTION" MAY BE NECESSARY IN ZIMBABWE REF: STATE 69693 Classified By: POLCOUNS Brian R. Naranjo. Reason: 1.4 (d) "The main objective of any UN Security Council Resolution should be fostering dialogue between Zimbabwe's opposition and Mugabe," Panamanian MFA Senior Advisor for UNSC Matters Nils Castro told POLCOUNS on June 30. "Sanctions may be necessary to achieve that objective." Castro underscored that he could not make any commitments until a draft text was available and noted that he would be meeting with his team of advisors tomorrow morning to discuss next steps on Zimbabwe. He noted that non-permanent UNSC members generally were "more uncomfortable" with resorting to Chapter VII, particularly given its "very intense usage in recent years," but conceded that giving the deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe a Chapter VII resolution would be warranted. POL Fellow double tracked this demarche at the working level with UNSC Advisor Janio Tunon who provided much of the same reaction, though Castro demonstrated greater willingness to consider sanctions. EATON