DIPLOMATS IN SOUTH AFRICA TALK ZUMA AND ZIMBABWE

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRETORIA 002464 DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S J. FRAZER E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/05/2018 TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL SF ZANU ZM SUBJECT: DIPLOMATS IN SOUTH AFRICA TALK ZUMA AND ZIMBABWE REF: PRETORIA 02392 Classified By: Ambassador Eric M. Bost for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: On November 4, 2008, Ambassador Bost briefed Chiefs of Missions (COM) to South Africa on African National Congress (ANC) President Jacob Zuma's October 20-25 trip to the U.S. (report septel). The COMs discussed who was making South African Government (SAG) policy on Zimbabwe now and in the future, but agreed generally that it was not yet clear. They expressed no optimism regarding the possible outcomes of the South African Development Community (SADC) Summit on Zimbabwe planned for November 9. End summary. ¶2. (C) Ruth Archibald, Canadian High Commissioner, said Frank Chikane, Director General of the Presidency under former President Thabo Mbeki, is staying at the Presidency under President Kgalema Motlanthe and maintains the lead on Zimbabwe policy. (Note: This contradicts what Zimbabwe analyst Sydney Masamvu told us on October 30 (see reftel). End note.) She said Mathews Phosa, ANC Treasurer General, is occupied with other matters for at least two weeks and is not "pulling strings" on the upcoming SADC Summit. ¶3. (C) Colin Wrafter, Irish Ambassador, said he had come directly from the Department of Foreign Affairs where he learned that neither the SAG nor other SADC members would support a proposal for new presidential elections in Zimbabwe. (Note: Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai is shopping around the continent the idea that a new general election should form the basis of a comprehensive solution to the ongoing Zimbabwe crisis. End note.) Wrafter said the SAG was considering the idea of proposing two ministers for the Home Affairs Ministry in Zimbabwe or a co-share that would rotate every few weeks. ¶4. (C) Ambassador Bost told the COMs that President Bush, Secretary Rice, National Security Advisor Hadley and USAID Administrator Fore discussed the Zimbabwe crisis with Zuma. Zuma told them the SAG would continue to work through SADC and would use diplomacy to address the situation in Zimbabwe. In Washington, Zuma said the SAG had been as aggressive as it could without damaging its ability to influence negotiations in the future. (Note: Later, back in Pretoria, Zuma reportedly said it was time for SADC to put additional pressure on Mugabe to find a solution to the impasse in negotiations because "what happens in Zimbabwe has effect on the region." End note.) He asked how the West could be so critical of President Robert Mugabe and then expect Mugabe's cooperation. He commented to President Bush that Ambassador Bost had been "pushing him hard." According to Ambassador Bost, Zuma mentioned no foreign policy priorities. The COMs conveyed great appreciation to Ambassador Bost for this briefing. BOST