DEMARCHES DELIVERED: RAISING ZIMBABWE AT THE UN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SAN JOSE 000337 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARMENT FOR WHA/CEN, IO/UNP-GOLDENBERG, AF/S-HILL, AND IO/RHS-OSTERMEIER. E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/29/2018 TAGS: PREL UNSC XA ZI AU CS SUBJECT: DEMARCHES DELIVERED: RAISING ZIMBABWE AT THE UN AND UNSC INFORMAL CONSULTATIONS REF: A. (A) 44297 ¶B. (B) 44905 Classified By: Classified by: David E. Henifin, Acting DCM, Reason 1.4 (d). ¶1. (U) On April 29, we delivered reftel demarches to Adriana Murillo, Head of the UN Security Council Team, and Deyanira Ramirez, UN General Assembly Desk Officer, at the MFA. Poloff also presented the talking points that the US plans to raise with the SYG and UNDP. ¶2. (C) The two officials stated that Costa Rica has already raised points about the Zimbabwe elections, and that in general terms, Costa Rica favors UN involvement in protecting human rights and assuring democratic processes around the world. Murillo and Ramirez were not/not enthusiastic about the UNDP Resident Representative's proposal to diplomats in Harare that the international community support a Mugabe-led national unity government. They stressed that the democratic election process and results should be respected. ¶3. (C) As for sending a special envoy, the two officials stated that the idea is not problematic for Costa Rica, and they later confirmed that the GoCR would support an envoy. However, when presented with the refined points in Ref B, Ramirez stated that Costa Rica would be less likely to support a fact-finding team than a special envoy. She stated that the election was already legitimated by international observers, and she speculated that since Mugabe lost, his people are scrambling to figure out what to do. Murillo and Ramirez said they would confer with the GoCR Mission in New York and review the other points. Post will advise if/when a response is received. ¶4. (U) Ramirez told Poloff later on April 29 that the MFA has already sent instructions to its delegation in New York supporting action to resolve the electoral crisis, referring to the first point in Ref B. ¶5. (U) Murillo requested that if the US decides to make a formal special declaration on Zimbabwe, to please circulate the text to the MFA beforehand. BRENNAN