UNSC CONCERNED ABOUT ZIMBABWE'S DETENTION OF

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000499 SENSITIVE SIPDIS AF AND IO FOR FRONT OFFICE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL UNSC ZI KDEM SUBJECT: UNSC CONCERNED ABOUT ZIMBABWE'S DETENTION OF DIPLOMATS REF: OP CENTER-USUN EMAILS 06/05/08 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: USUN convened emergency Security Council consultations on June 5 to discuss the illegal detention and harassment of U.S. and British diplomatic personnel in Zimbabwe. Security Council delegations agreed to elements of an oral press statement expressing concern about the incident in the context of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. END SUMMARY. -------------- USUN Convenes Emergency UNSC Consultations on Mazowe Incident -------------- ¶2. (U) USUN called for emergency Security Council consultations on June 5 to discuss the detention and intimidation of U.S. and UK diplomatic personnel by government forces and mob elements at a roadblock outside the town of Mazowe, Zimbabwe (reftel). USUN POL MinCounselor briefed the Council on the incident in coordination with UKUN D/PermRep Karen Pierce. He emphasized that the incident, which is a violation of international conventions regarding the obligation to protect diplomatic personnel and property, came in the context of ongoing attempts by the Government of Zimbabwe (GOZ) to use violence to intimidate opposition figures in the lead up to the June 27 runoff elections. In connection with the briefing, USUN and UKUN suggested that the Security Council president (currently the U.S.) deliver a brief statement to the media expressing the Security Council's concern about the illegal detention of diplomatic personnel and the associated climate of violence. -------------- South Africa Suggests U.S./U.K. to Blame -------------- ¶3. (U) South African D/PermRep Baso Sangqu said his delegation could not support a formal statement on the June 5 incident because his delegation did not yet have detailed information. He also suggested a briefing by the Secretariat might be helpful in this regard. Further, Sangqu said there were some indications from media reports and official Zimbabwean statements that some diplomatic personnel may have been "involved in activities outside of their accreditation." Burkina Faso, Libya, Russia and China concurred that members of the Security Council should take a cautious approach and not issue a formal statement on the incident until delegations had a chance to assemble more information. ¶4. (U) UK DPR Pierce and USUN POL MinCounselor responded that any suggestion that U.S. and UK diplomatic personnel were involved in illegal activities was "categorically false" and all delegations on the Security Council had a stake in speaking out against violations of the Vienna Convention. France, Croatia, Belgium, Costa Rica, PANAMA and Italy expressed strong support for an immediate Council reaction. After further discussion, French Counselor de Riviere suggested that the presidency make brief remarks to the press on the matter. Indonesian D/PermRep Hasan Kleib supported this approach and Council members agreed on elements including expressing concern about the incident and the need to uphold the Vienna Convention in particular the protection of diplomats and their property. UKUN called for the Security Council to take up wider consultations on the issue of Zimbabwe at the earliest opportunity. Khalilzad