SAG/UN PUSHING IDEA OF ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRETORIA 001328 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/S E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/18/2018 TAGS: PREL SF ZI SUBJECT: SAG/UN PUSHING IDEA OF ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Donald Teitelbaum. Reasons 1.4( b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On 17 June Sydney Masamvu debriefed PolOff on his 16 June talk with UN Assistant Secretary for Political Affairs Haile Menkerios. Masamvu said Menkerios requested to speak with him before departing for Zimbabwe, and that overall he was very encouraged by Menkerios' outlook, namely his acknowledgment that ZANU-PF is perpetrating the violence, that there is no chance of a free and fair run-off and that any result will be disputed, and finally that "Mugabe must go." Menkerios admitted to Masamvu that it was difficult for him to separate his personal from professional opinion, but said that he would not have personally advocated a run-off. Menkerios said that legitimate run-offs only reaffirm first round results, not overturn them and that everyone knew Mugabe was planning the latter. ¶2. (C) Masamvu said that Menkerios' strategy is to speak to almost all SADC members to build solidarity for a government of national unity (GNU) which would exclude Mugabe and be led by MDC Leader Morgan Tsvangirai. He will concentrate mostly on South Africa, Angola, Tanzania, Zambia, and Botswana, but believes that if South Africa agrees, the rest of SADC countries will follow. 3.(C) On a separate note, Masamvu reported that both President Mbeki and Zambian President Mwanawasa are working hard to convince both Mugabe and Tsvangirai to call off the 27 June run-off and start negotiating a GNU, using the argument that a run-off has caused too much violence. MDC Advisor Kathi Walthers (protect) told PolOff on 18 June that Mbeki is in Harare (which was reported in press),and that he has asked to see Tsvangirai. Walthers said that Tsvangirai has refused, adding that Tsvangirai has not changed his mind since he sent Mbeki the letter informing him that he no longer trusts Mbeki as sole mediator. Walthers also said that Tsvangirai will not accept going straight to a GNU when there is no guarantee the ZANU-PF violence toward MDC supporters would stop even if the run-off were cancelled and that Mugabe and ZANU-PF have not done anything in good faith since the 29 March election. ¶4. (C) COMMENT: Recognition that a free and fair run-off is virtually impossible at this point is growing within both the ANC and other regional leaders. Even ANC President Jacob Zuma publicly admitted today that he does not expect a free and fair election. Despite these admissions, however, neither Mugabe nor Tsvangirai appear to be backing down. Post requests guidance on USG views on the validity of the run-off process, the prospect of a corrupted result, and the various permutations of a GNU that can be used in our public diplomacy and contact work. END COMMENT. BOST