Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08PRETORIA1592
2008-07-21 14:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Pretoria
Cable title:
PRESIDENT MBEKI TO CONTINUE AS SOLE MEDIATOR ON
how-toVZCZCXRO2556 RR RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN DE RUEHSA #1592 2031424 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 211424Z JUL 08 FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5152 INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN 5841 RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 0015 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L PRETORIA 001592
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF, AF/S
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2018
TAGS: PREL ZI SF
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT MBEKI TO CONTINUE AS SOLE MEDIATOR ON
ZIMBABWE
Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Raymond L. Brown. Reason
s 1.4(b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L PRETORIA 001592
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF, AF/S
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2018
TAGS: PREL ZI SF
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT MBEKI TO CONTINUE AS SOLE MEDIATOR ON
ZIMBABWE
Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Raymond L. Brown. Reason
s 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (U) On 18 July, President Mbeki briefed AU Chairperson
Jean Ping, UN Special Representative Haile Menkerios, and
SADC Organ on Defence Politics and Security Special
Representative George Chikoti on the SADC-mandated mediation
process in Zimbabwe. According to a public statement by the
Presidency, all parties present endorsed President Mbeki as
the sole mediator in Zimbabwe. They also pledged to support
his efforts, which will include a new reference group
consisting of SADC, AU, and UN representatives that will
"liase" with Mbeki on an ongoing basis.
2. (C) According to a Pretoria-based French diplomat, late on
18 July an optimistic Ping reiterated that the mediation
process is now a "facilitation," meaning a mediator is no
longer needed since both parties are speaking to one another.
Ping also said he tried to open up the mediation process to
include former Senegalese Prime Minister Moustapha Niasse as
a formal AU representative in the facilitation. However,
Senegalese President Wade, who has had a notoriously
difficult relationship with Niasse, rejected the idea.
(NOTE: Niasse also served in 2002 as UN Special Envoy to the
Democratic Republic of Congo. END NOTE) The French diplomat
added that Mbeki was likely relieved that Wade turned off the
proposal and that Ping did not suggest an alternative.
3. (C) Ping also said that the reference group has yet to be
stood up, will be on stand-by if needed, and be based in
Pretoria. According to Ping, the reference group will stay
in Pretoria for two weeks maximum and will include UN Special
Representative Menkerios, someone from SADC, and a "civil
servant" from the African Union. The French diplomat
confided that they have no confidence in either the reference
group, which has no real agenda or authority, or in Ping's
ability to influence Mbeki as evidenced by Ping's swing from
proposing a high-profile co-mediator to a civil servant on a
stand-by reference group. He also added that the EU is
"uncomfortable" at the moment because targeted EU sanctions
are set to go into effect on 22 July. "If MDC signs the
MOU," he said, "we will be accused of being out of touch as
you have been."
4. (C) COMMENT: After months of pressure and bad publicity
both domestically and internationally, President Mbeki
appears to have gained some breathing room, at least
temporarily, by showing movement from both the MDC and
ZANU-PF. However, it remains unclear if Mbeki's success in
getting both sides to sign the MoU will have any long-lasting
effects or practical implications for Zimbabwe's political
impasse or whether a reference group proposed by Mbeki
himself will have any bite. END COMMENT.
BOST
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF, AF/S
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2018
TAGS: PREL ZI SF
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT MBEKI TO CONTINUE AS SOLE MEDIATOR ON
ZIMBABWE
Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Raymond L. Brown. Reason
s 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (U) On 18 July, President Mbeki briefed AU Chairperson
Jean Ping, UN Special Representative Haile Menkerios, and
SADC Organ on Defence Politics and Security Special
Representative George Chikoti on the SADC-mandated mediation
process in Zimbabwe. According to a public statement by the
Presidency, all parties present endorsed President Mbeki as
the sole mediator in Zimbabwe. They also pledged to support
his efforts, which will include a new reference group
consisting of SADC, AU, and UN representatives that will
"liase" with Mbeki on an ongoing basis.
2. (C) According to a Pretoria-based French diplomat, late on
18 July an optimistic Ping reiterated that the mediation
process is now a "facilitation," meaning a mediator is no
longer needed since both parties are speaking to one another.
Ping also said he tried to open up the mediation process to
include former Senegalese Prime Minister Moustapha Niasse as
a formal AU representative in the facilitation. However,
Senegalese President Wade, who has had a notoriously
difficult relationship with Niasse, rejected the idea.
(NOTE: Niasse also served in 2002 as UN Special Envoy to the
Democratic Republic of Congo. END NOTE) The French diplomat
added that Mbeki was likely relieved that Wade turned off the
proposal and that Ping did not suggest an alternative.
3. (C) Ping also said that the reference group has yet to be
stood up, will be on stand-by if needed, and be based in
Pretoria. According to Ping, the reference group will stay
in Pretoria for two weeks maximum and will include UN Special
Representative Menkerios, someone from SADC, and a "civil
servant" from the African Union. The French diplomat
confided that they have no confidence in either the reference
group, which has no real agenda or authority, or in Ping's
ability to influence Mbeki as evidenced by Ping's swing from
proposing a high-profile co-mediator to a civil servant on a
stand-by reference group. He also added that the EU is
"uncomfortable" at the moment because targeted EU sanctions
are set to go into effect on 22 July. "If MDC signs the
MOU," he said, "we will be accused of being out of touch as
you have been."
4. (C) COMMENT: After months of pressure and bad publicity
both domestically and internationally, President Mbeki
appears to have gained some breathing room, at least
temporarily, by showing movement from both the MDC and
ZANU-PF. However, it remains unclear if Mbeki's success in
getting both sides to sign the MoU will have any long-lasting
effects or practical implications for Zimbabwe's political
impasse or whether a reference group proposed by Mbeki
himself will have any bite. END COMMENT.
BOST