CHINA CONTINUES TO PUSH FOR TALKS IN ZIMBABWE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 000198

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/22/2029
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID CH ZI SF
SUBJECT: CHINA CONTINUES TO PUSH FOR TALKS IN ZIMBABWE

REF: BEIJING 0118

Classified By: Acting Political Minister Counselor Ben Moeling. Reasons
1.4 (b/d).


1. (C) Summary: China supports the African Union (AU)
position that continued negotiations offer the best way to
resolve the political crisis in Zimbabwe, according to a
Chinese diplomat. China also supports mediation efforts by
South Africa and the South African Development Community
(SADC) and remains hopeful that Zimbabwean President Mugabe
and the opposition party will agree to compromise on a
power-sharing agreement. China has urged both the Mugabe
government and opposition party to be "mutually yielding and
tolerating" in talks. China decided to channel assistance to
Zimbabwe through UN agencies in order to expedite delivery of
assistance. End Summary.

China Backs AU Position
--------------


2. (C) MFA African Affairs Department Southern Africa
Division Deputy Director Jiang Zhouteng told POLOFF January
21 that pressuring Mugabe to step down is not the best way to
resolve the conflict. He said China supports the position of
the AU and the "vast majority of African countries" that
believe the political dispute in Zimbabwe should be resolved
through dialogue and negotiations. Noting that Mugabe's
party and the opposition have both agreed to continue talks,
Jiang said giving up on talks at this point was
"inappropriate." He said China supported South Africa and
SADC's ongoing mediation efforts and was hopeful that a
"mutually acceptable" power-sharing agreement could be
reached. He noted China had urged both Mugabe's party and
the opposition to continue negotiations and make an effort to
be "mutually yielding and tolerating."

China Using UN Agencies to Deliver Assistance
--------------


3. (C) China has provided the UN Development Program and
World Health Organization USD 500,000 to fight cholera in
Zimbabwe and is planning to distribute food assistance
through the UN World Food Program (UNWFP),according to
Jiang. He said China decided to channel its assistance
through UN agencies because their networks offered the
fastest and most effective way to help those in need. He
said the Zimbabwe government is currently "paralyzed" and
unable to deliver the assistance effectively. Although Jiang
acknowledged the problem of corruption in the Zimbabwe
government, he stressed that expediency of aid delivery was
the main factor behind China's decision to use UN agencies
and that Mugabe's government showed "understanding" of this
decision. (Note: Reftel reported that China's Ambassador to
Zimbabwe told a group of Chinese scholars that Zimbabwe
government corruption was a significant factor in China's
decision to use the UNWFP to deliver food assistance.)
PICCUTA