USUN INTRODUCES ZIMBABWE SANCTIONS RESOLUTION IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000593

SIPDIS

IO AND AF FOR FRONT OFFICE; NSC FOR PITTMAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL ZI UNSC
SUBJECT: USUN INTRODUCES ZIMBABWE SANCTIONS RESOLUTION IN
THE SECURITY COUNCIL

Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for Reasons 1.4 B/D.


1. (C) SUMMARY: USUN presented the draft resolution on
Zimbabwe sanctions during Security Council consultations on
July 3. The UK, France, Belgium, Italy, and Croatia voiced
strong support for the draft resolution. Burkina Faso voiced
support for the idea of a sanctions resolution but said they
did not yet have instructions to support. Costa Rica
criticized recent statements by Zimbabwean officials which
demonstrated "profound contempt" for the Security Council and
noted it was the right moment for the Council to send a
strong signal but stopped short of endorsing the text.
Vietnam reserved their position on a sanctions resolution and
promised to seek instructions. South Africa, Libya,
Indonesia, Russia and China voiced concern that a sanctions
resolution may prove counterproductive to promoting a
negotiation political settlement. Panama did not comment,
noting afterwards that they did not have instructions. END
SUMMARY.

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Group of Six Voice
Strong Support
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2. (U) AMB Khalilzad presented the U.S. sponsored draft
resolution on Zimbabwe to the Security Council on July 3,
explaining that the timing and the content of the text is
intended to put maximum pressure on the authorities in
Zimbabwe to end the campaign of violence intended stifle the
democratic process. The UK, France, Belgium, Croatia and
Italy said that their delegations support the U.S. draft and
believe it should be adopted expeditiously.

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Burkina Faso, Panama and
Costa Rica Not Yet In Agreement
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3. (U) Burkinabe POL Counselor Koudougou said his delegation
is very concerned that the situation in Zimbabwe is
continuing to worsen because the Zimbabwean authorities
"refuse to listen." Koudougou said his delegation did not
yet have instructions to support the text, but would send it
to Ouagadougou. Costa Rican PermRep Urbina said they
believed Security Council action on Zimbabwe would be "timely
and appropriate" but they would need further time to review
the proposed list of sanctions. Panamanian POL Counselor
Jacome chose not to intervene. Vietnamese PermRep Minh said
merely that his delegation would seek instructions.

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Other Delegations
Signal Concerns
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4. (U) China, Russia, Indonesia, Libya, and South Africa
emphasized that African-led efforts at a resolution to the
crisis should be given more time before the Security Council
takes actions that could potentially prove counterproductive
to ongoing efforts at political reconciliation. South
African PemRep Kumalo emphasized that the resolution should
not be aimed at "affecting a particular political result,"
i.e. the resolution should not be aimed at helping the
Movement for Democratic Change. China agreed that the
situation in Zimbabwe was "very difficult," but urged more
time for regional efforts through SADC to mediate between the
two sides, and cautioned against "taking sides." Libyan
Ambassador Dabbashi called the U.S.-led initiative on
sanctions "premature" given that negotiations on
reconciliation efforts were ongoing.

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COMMENT
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5. (C) In order to secure the nine votes essential for
adoption of the Zimbabwe resolution, we must attain firm
commitments from Burkina Faso, Costa Rica and Panama.
European co-sponsorship of the text will likely come early
next week but securing the co-sponsorship of Burkina Faso
will help neutralize the argument that this resolution seeks
to impose a "Western solution" on an African problem.

Khalilzad