URGENT DEMARCHE ON ZIMBABWE NEGOTIATIONS IN SOUTH

UNCLAS STATE 074375 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: UNSC PREL PHUM ZI XA ZU SUBJECT: URGENT DEMARCHE ON ZIMBABWE NEGOTIATIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA REF: A. STATE 70836 ¶B. STATE 73173 ¶1. (U) Summary and Action request: On July 8, the U.S. tabled a draft Security Council resolution on Zimbabwe. The vote planned for July 9 was postponed for procedural reasons. While not yet scheduled, the vote is likely on the morning of July 11. The Russians and the Chinese continue to oppose the Chapter VII resolution, and allege that that it will undermine negotiations between the parties that began July 9 in South Africa. We want to refute these arguments and make clear to all members of the Council that no substantive negotiations have begun. Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Thursday denied that substantive negotiations had begun with the ruling ZANU-PF party of President Robert Mugabe. Tsvangirai said in a statement that officials from his Movement for Democratic Change were merely presenting conditions for negotiations, including the end of violence against the opposition. Council members must be reminded that these negotiations are not new (no positive results despite 15 months of negotiations),and that the proposed UNSC resolution is intended to support regional and international mediation efforts by strengthening the incentives for Mr. Mugabe to engage constructively in any future negotiations. All action addressees (except Pretoria) are requested to demarche host governments at the Ambassadorial level on an urgent basis to confirm or solicit their support, as appropriate, for the resolution prior to the July 11 vote. Posts are requested to respond as quickly as possible by e-mail or cables slugged for IO/UNP-Rebecca Goldenberg and IO/PSC Jean Clark. End Summary and Action Request. ¶2. (U) All action addressees (except Pretoria) may draw from the following talking points: -- Media reports have said that negotiations are taking place in South Africa between the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and the Government of Zimbabwe. -- MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai today denied these reports. He has told the media that, "over the past 10 days, I and my party have stated categorically that there are no negotiations between ourselves and ZANU-PF currently taking place...This position has not changed." -- In a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on July 9, Tsvangirai said, &in this environment there can be no meaningful negotiations and as I write you today there is no dialogue between my party and ZANU PF.8 He expressed support for the draft UNSC resolution and for the appointment of a UN Special Envoy to assist in finding a solution to the crisis. -- In his statement on July 10, Tsvangirai clarified that the meeting taking place in Pretoria is &solely to present the five conditions under which genuine negotiations can take place.8 These conditions include an end to the violence, the release of political prisoners, the lifting of restrictions on humanitarian operations, the swearing in of the Parliament and Senate, and the inclusion of an African Union permanent envoy in the mediation team. These conditions have not yet been met. -- Informal talks between the MDC and ZANU-PF are not new. They have been going on for fifteen months. The current meeting is designed to discuss conditions that would have to be in place to begin meaningful negotiations. -- The situation in Zimbabwe remains dire. The Security Council must act to tell the Mugabe regime to end the violence and begin serious negotiations with the opposition leading to a solution that respects the will of the Zimbabwean people. -- The draft resolution will empower regional and international mediators by strengthening the incentives for Mugabe to negotiate seriously. -- We urge you to instruct your Permanent Representative to support bringing the draft resolution to an immediate vote and to vote &yes.8 ¶3. (U) Background: The press is reporting that MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti and representatives of the Arthur Mutambara MDC faction are in Pretoria talking to GOZ representatives Nicolas Goche and Patrick Chinamasa. SADC-facilitated talks between the GOZ and MDC have been ongoing for 15 months having produced minimal results. Although press reports note progress, there is no reliable confirmation of any positive outcome from this latest round of talks. On July 9, Tsvangirai sent a letter to SYG Ban in which he denied that there were meaningful negotiations and expressed support for the UNSC draft resolution and the appointment of a UN Special Envoy to assist in finding a solution to the crisis. On July 10, Tsvangirai issued a statement again denying that negotiations were underway and outlining the five conditions necessary for substantive discussions with the GOZ to begin. RICE