MFA BRIEFING: SAME OLD STORY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000136 SIPDIS AF/S FOR B.WALCH DRL FOR N. WILETT ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E. LOKEN AND L. DOBBINS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC PHUM ZI SUBJECT: MFA BRIEFING: SAME OLD STORY Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d) ¶1. (SBU) GOZ foreign minister Samuel Mumbengegwi summoned Heads of Mission to the MFA today for a briefing ostensibly to discuss, as he stated in his introductory remarks, "recent, very positive developments." After lauding the new, inclusive government, and paying tribute to the AU, SADC, and Thabo Mbeki for their roles in reconciling Zimbabwe's parties to establish a government, Mumbengegwi came to the real point of the briefing: sanctions. ¶2. (SBU) He said that turning around the economy, a goal of the new government, would be difficult in the face of sanctions. Focusing primarily on the EU, Mumbengegwi lamented that in January when final negotiations between ZANU-PF and the MDC were taking place to establish a government, the EU chose to meet and then to extend sanctions. While the EU had claimed--falsely in Mumbengegwi's opinion--that EU sanctions had been targeted against individuals opposed to the rule of law or involved in human rights violations, the latest sanctions targeted 40 of Zimbabwe's top companies. He said he would have hoped that the international community would have worked with Zimbabwe rather than imposing new sanctions, and he called for those governments that had imposed sanctions to lift them in order to help Zimbabwe and its people. ¶3. (SBU) The EU Head of Delegation suggested to Mumbengegwi negotiating the removal of sanctions based on the Cotonou Agreement. After a long-winded discourse on how the EU had violated the Agreement by failing to adequately consult with Zimbabwe before imposing sanctions, Mumbengegwi stated Zimbabweans are always willing to negotiate but disingenously claimed that governments in the past had been unwilling to talk to the GOZ. ¶4. (SBU) The Czech Charge (noting that his country held the EU presidency) stated that targeted sanctions had been directed against human rights and rule of law violators and asked, in light of continuing political detentions, what Zimbabwe was prepared to do have sanctions lifted. Mumbengegwi responded that the EU was engaged in political double talk--it advocated rule of law but wanted the government to interfere with the judicial system to compel it to release legitimately detained prisoners. ¶5. (SBU) The foreign minister also discussed diplomatic appointments with government ministers. He said that while there were three political parties, there was only one government. All requests for appointments should therefore go through the MFA. When reminded that the MFA had not been responsive in the past, Mumbengegwi said the MFA would do its best. ¶6. (SBU) Finally, Mbengegwi said there was a desire to help Zimbabwe and delegations from various counties were seeking to visit Zimbabwe and meet with the government. He asked that such visits be delayed "for a while," while ministers got settled. (NOTE: The EC Head of Delegation told us that a delegation of EU parliamentarians had wanted to visit Qa delegation of EU parliamentarians had wanted to visit Zimbabwe next week to assess the political situation; he thought the GOZ wanted to avoid visits because of the political detainee situation. END NOTE.) -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (C) Over 30 detainees remain in custody, some since October 30, despite lack of evidence. Officials continue to blame sanctions for Zimbabwe's economic woes. What else is new? HARARE 00000136 002 OF 002 ¶8. (C) Mumbengegwi's insistence that appointment be made through the MFA is likely an effort to monitor and channel appointments with MDC ministers. We will continue to seek appointment directly with ministers by phone. MCGEE